Hello I am new to classic trucks and I am trying to get some advice on a new project. The person I bought this truck from said it was Marmon-Herrington 4 wheel drive. I found a badge on it and I was hoping someone here could confirm it. Tom

Welcome to the forum, and welcome to our small Marmon-Herrington group. Your front axle tag supports the claim, but should not be the sole indicator of the M-H conversion. The logo on the axle is the Timken logo, and the model code A150 would be correct for an M254 model F-250. The 4.8571 (4.86) ratio would also be correct for the 3/4 ton model.

Additional identification would be found on an interior badge containing the M254 model and chassis number as well as weight rating, and engine number. I believe it would be located on the glove box door as shown below. There should also be badges for the transfer case operation, lubrication instructions, and rectangular hood badges on each side of the hood saying Marmon-Herrington. If these badges are missing there should be screw holes marking their prior locations.

I would also expect that you will have 6 lug x 7.25” pattern wheels that would be unlike a conventional F-250 having the 8 x 6.50” pattern. If your truck is single rear wheel and fitted with 17” wheels, please be very careful around them. They are two piece, called widow makers, and will be subject of a future discussion.

More pictures please. I recall a recent CL posting in CA for an F-250 M-H, which is no longer active. Perhaps it found a good new home. Stu



Edit - Additional pics that will apply to your truck. Stu

Thank you for all the information. This is probably the truck you saw on CL.

Probably so. I was wrong about the six lug wheels, and 17” size. The earlier M254s had that, same as the M354, but looks like by 1955 M-H had standardized on the 8 x 6.5” pattern and 16” wheels. Stu

Do you know anyone that has the service manual for the M254? I will try and get some better pictures of the trucks 4x4.

I know that Chuck Mantiglia of Chuck’s Trucks in CT makes copies of manuals for customers. Chuck is the M-H guru and is a person you will want to build a customer relationship with. He is also a member here and shares his expertise when the others of us are in over our heads. Below is his link. Stu

Chucks Trucks LLC., Chuck's Trucks, Chucks Trucks

Stu, Thank you for all your help. I am really excited to be apart of this website.
Tom

Yes. This is the truck wrong bumpers, rust and all.

I will be working on it tomorrow. I will take some more pictures. I had no idea about the bumper. It looked like a backyard custom to me. I have a lot to learn about this truck. Thankful I have a wealth of knowledge on here.

When I hauled my project ‘52 out of the desert west of Phx it was wearing a very similar industrial quality bumper. As the years have gone by, and as I plow forward, my values are changing from putting it back to factory original to keeping it as found. Every day I walk past that bumper as it sits patiently out behind my shop and talks to me as I pass. Stu

Hmmm, the cab and front flip of Tom’s truck does sit elevated from the frame. Not sure if that was a M-H modification in ‘55, or a prior owner feature. Below is a pic of a ‘54 M254 that was for sale a while back. It’s cab/clip look to be more conventionally aligned. Notice the six lug wheels that I thought would be on the ‘55 too. Stu

Edit - looking at the ‘54, and seeing the differences between it and the ‘55, I’d suggest seeing if Chuck has multiple editions of the M254 manual so that he copies the one that captures the changes applying to your truck. For instance, I have a November 1953 edition of the M254 that wouldn’t have these changes. I’ve seen this too on my earlier trucks. I have several editions of the R3-4 and R32-4 manuals and have found small variations across the span of production. Stu

Second Edit - looking at Google Images those deep running boards are seen on F-600s. Sure would be curious to know whether there are hints elsewhere that the truck might be something other than an M254. Was it assembled around pieces that might not have started life together? Comparing the numbers on the glove box and frame would be a first step, and if the M-H badges are missing with no tell tale holes where badges would have been mounted would raise questions. Stu