Hey guys,

When I bought my '52 Merc M3, the previous owner told me it was a former Saskatchewan grain truck. There is a hole in the bed where the chute was. My understanding is that it's just a small sheet metal chute. I'd like to recreate/find one.

Does anyone know what these would have looked like?

The hole:



Thanks
John

 

No idea about the grain chute.

But does a 52 Merc have the 51 Ford hood trim?

 

Definitely Mercury trim

 

I thought the tailgate was cut for the chute. Time to watch and learn.

 

I think they were farmer built, just a piece of bent sheet metal stuck through the hole. Maybe a sliding door.
Got a closer pic of the hole? It may give clues on how it was attached.

 

I can get a closer pic. Old owner didn't have any pics of it on the truck. Told me it had a sliding door though. Bending one out of sheet metal wouldn't be too hard.

In the pic you can see holes on the side. I think it was just bolted down the sides

 

This is how we do em on our big trucks. Pretty simple.

 

Here's another one:

 

So the tailgate versions make sense - were opened to feed an auger/elevator, most likely.

 

OK, I see it's on a Merc. But that hood side trim is not like a 52 Ford. It is like a 51 Ford 5 Star Extra. That's why I asked the question.

Are all 52 Merc's hood side trim like that? Did the Mercs have a 5 Star Extra cab?

Inquiring minds want to know.

 

Yea, I didn't understand what you were getting at last night... It was late

That trim looks like '51 trim, as does the V8 logo up front. The colour is also a 1951 colour, and the data plate shows a '51 motor year (I think, see my other thread).

I am thinking it is a '51, registered in '52, or perhaps a mistake when registered in Ontario a couple years ago.

As for the cab, this is the "Deluxe" cab, which I think is the 5 Star. Truck also has the chrome windshield trim (which I understand is a 5 star thing?). Sorry, have not had the truck long, and trying to learn all the small differences and options still

 

Oh, OK. I did read somewhere today where someone mentioned that in Canada, the truck might be registered as the year it was first registered rather than the year it was built.

 

That's the thread!

 

I have never seen a grain chute out of the side. Around here (eastern Washington) they come out of the back. The real early days of bulk grain wagons and then the first bulk trucks the storage elevator would have a carriage you drove the front axel up on to. The carriage then hoisted the the whole front of the truck or wagon to dump the grain from the back. I used one in my first harvest job for an old fellow that my brother worked for. That was as resent as around 1997-1999. In fact one summer both the 1964 ford and the 1948 GMC broke down with about two days of harvest. My brother and I thru together a set of plywood racks for his 1986 f350 6.9 4x4 with duals that night and finished harvest with it. Pretty odd feeling to get winched up like that!
I wonder if the side mount was used with an auger of some sort for smaller quantities of grain like hauling seed for planting or for use in a cattle feeding operation. I think in those days most seed still would have been bagged though. If only the old truck could talk!
I like your idea of recreating something though rather than just patching it. Gives it character and makes it unique. I like the patina as well. Nice truck.
- scooter

 

I wish I knew! I have no experience with hauling but the PO mentioned that the beds would have sort of a resin tub/liner in them, and the chute out the side.

One day I'll fix the body/paint, but I like the history of it