I have a co-worker who recently picked up a '53 F-350 and, as you'll see from the photos, it's rough. He wants to move it from it's current spot so he can start work on it but it's missing five of the six wheels.

His question is: If he were to find a set of wheels, are there other years of Ford vehicles he could pull them from that will work with this truck? And if so, which type? I've included a picture of the five-lug wheel that's on the back of the truck currently. It's the only one left.










Thanks in advance!

 

What size is the one wheel? The F350 would have 16" multi piece wheels or 17.5 tubeless wheels, either would have six lugs. I think that's a bigger truck than an F350 one ton. Is the remaining wheel a 20"? There is a true wheel expert, truckdog, who sniffs out posts about our truck's wheels. He will be along shortly to sort this all out. Good job getting a picture up at the beginning. Worth a thousand words.

 

First, it's not an F-350 judging by the wheel and its five lug front hub. Probably an F-500. That one wheel looks like a locking ring 20". If not severely rusted or otherwise damaged it can be kept in service. The 5 lug x 8" pattern is common to Ford, Dodge, and IHC during the era so other wheels may be found in yards. A good longer range solution would be tubeless 19.5" or 22.5" wheels. There are several of us here that keep ours eyes open for them and have ads in the classified section. Stu

 

Thanks for the info guys - I've already passed the info along to my coworker.

One other question he had: The truck is missing its VIN tag. Is there anywhere else on the body he might find the VIN? I have two '67-'72 Ford trucks and know that the VIN is also stamped on the top of the passenger side frame rail on those trucks. Just curious if such a situation exists with this truck, too.

 

Not on the body. The frame is the source, and I've read that the number can also be found on the front cross member on some. Stu

 

Thanks - where on the frame exactly?

Also, he needs a front windshield for the truck - even if it's an F-500, do trucks of this era share windshields with, say, F-100 to F-350s?

 

Here I will defer to the 53-56 guys (might even want to do your thread on the correct 48-56 forum). I've parted out one 53 F250 MH and looked my tail off for the vin on that frame but never found it. But it was heavily rusted so the number might have been eaten away by the time I got there. The windshield will be the same across the 53-55 model range to my understanding, but again will defer to those guys. Stu

 

Thanks much again for the info - I thought I had posted in the right forum but must have clicked the wrong button. I'll repost some of my questions over in the '48-'56 forum. Thanks!

 

No such thing as a VIN tag on any truck prior to 1980.

1968 and later cars, 1980 and later Ford trucks: VIN tag located on the left corner of the dash, visible thru the windshield, only has the VIN stamped on it.

1957/60 Rating Plate located on the inside of the glove box door. Has the VIN, wheelbase, codes for the color, model (1959/60), trans, axle and etc stamped on it.

 

LOL, I must be doing something right to get corrected by the great Number Dummy!

I'm aware that '53s don't have VIN tags but in my haste to make this posting I used the term "VIN tag" as a catch-all term for "Rating Plate." My mistake!

Either way, the rating plate is missing on this truck.