Hi all. A few months back, I picked up what I believe to be a 1961 f250 factory 4x4. However, vin plate is gone and I haven't been able to get access to the frame rail to check there yet. Can anyone identify the year just by looking? This is my first dive into the slicks and so I'm learning on the fly.

I'll be doing some minor cab metal work soon, mainly floor pans and cab mounts. I believe the truck is all original, with the 223 and original tranny. I know I could get torn to shreds for saying this as the truck is reasonably uncommon. The plan is to pull the original motor, tranny and t case and swap in a np435/np205 tranny/tcase, behind a ranger overdrive which will be behind a mildly built 351w. If anyone has swapped a 351w into a slick and has some tips, they'd be appreciated. I had the truck out on the highway and with the current stock setup it could barely make highway speed, and was screaming in 4th. I want to have mine for many years to come, so the goal is easy power and reliable. I will be keeping my stock motor and tranny on a pallet in the barn in case I ever decide to restore the truck. Thank you everyone for your time.

 

Just a thought. You might want to put in the time to find that frame # and match it to the title before you start putting any $ into it. Of course, just a thought.

 

That's awesome advice. Thanks. I should have put in the original post that I'm from Alberta, and we don't have the same system you guys have for registering vehicles. For general knowledge. We have what's called a "bill of sale" which means we own the vehicle. Then we have to register it, and that's where the vin comes in handy. If the vin is stolen then I have a few options; but the smartest is to apply for a new vin. Hopefully that's not the case. But I'll be lifting that cab to get at the frame vin and if it's good I'll do the floor repairs.

 

It may be easier to see the frame stamp on the frame rail rather than under the cab.

See this link. Finding Your Truck's VIN - FORDification.com

 

Hey thank you Joe! That link is super helpful. I didn't realize there were two places the vin is marked; I only knew of the one under the cab. I'll try to get that vin today. Thanks

 

Crewferd - are you thinking of Married NP205 or Divorced NP205?

Chad

 

Hey Chad,

I believe the one I have sitting at the farm is married though I could be wrong. I'm heading out there in a bit and will let you know once i take a look myself. Is there potential for frame clearance issues with married?

 

I was more thinking married would be the way to go - frame clearance I'm not sure about, but I'd think it would be OK since it's the same basic shape. But with the 120" wheelbase by the time you put a Ranger OD in there it would push a transmission further back. With married at least the transfer case is as close to the transmission as it can get and that's what you want. You might have to modify your existing driveshafts to be longer/shorter as applicable - but married transfer case seems like probably the way to go.

You might need to get a little creative with mounts and supports since the married usually just hangs on the back of the transmission but in those cases the transmission itself has a support whereas if you roll under yours right now and look the transmission is probably supported by the back of the bellhousing only which is on a support member.

Post pics as you go so we can see how you tackle things.

Chad

 

Welcome from EDMONTON !!

Well, going strictly by the Grille, it's a '61, but the VIN will help to clarify it. Assuming the truck was built in Oakville, Ontario, you can nail down the year & month it was produced by going here. (Canadian VIN nomenclature is different than US built trucks)
Decode Your '61-'66 Ford Truck VIN - FORDification.info - The '61-'66 Ford Pickup Resource

One other clue, on 1961 Cabs, the indented vertical beads on the back of the cab were all even, on '62-'66 cabs, the outside one was longer on the bottom, continuing down onto the Cab Corner. So, if your Cab Corners look like this one, your truck is 62 or newer....


The roof is another detail that can narrow it down a bit. '61-'63, the roof was smooth, '64 thru '66, the roof had a couple of profile lines to add strength.....

Most US Built trucks had the Data Plate on the Drivers door, but I have seen some CDN trucks with the Data Plate riveted to the Driver's side A Pillar, so you have to open the driver's door to see it....

James

 

According to the grille it is a 61. Check the glove box door for a data plate. If there great, if not you'll see two holes where it should've been riveted to. I believe that the glove box door if original will hold the information your looking for.

 

Hey Chad,

I'll keep the crowd posted with pictures and probably videos as the build progresses/I further endanger my future life lol. The biggest thing for me at the moment is saving my pennies, so it'll be a little while before I get anything done with the driveline; probably not till the winter but I'll be doing the stuff I can till then.

The np435/np205 combo I have is married. So that makes things lots easier. I'm going to have to get a rear shaft and have it cut down; I'll keep the original shaft in case a nut and bolt restoration ever does come. Or I sell the truck. I believe the original trans is only supported via a rear cross member but I'm not too worried right now. I'll probably weld in another cross brace up front and weld mounts to the trans, then bolt it up. I've seen a number of guys break and bend driveshafts on various vehicles from running big power and having the torque twist the trans on its mounts causing the driveshafts to twist (that's how it was explained to me so I could be wrong). But the extra support won't hurt. I'm looking at doing the edelbrock 351w top end kit with a rv cam, which brings something like 400hp and similar tq.

 

James! I used to run across you on Facebook from time to time, back before I deleted it. Did you get the crew cab all finished up?

Thanks for the link. I'll use that once I find the vin. I'm not so certain this truck is original; theres a few red flags. One is that I can't find the vin on the frame near the axle. There doesn't appear to have been a number stamped there though I'll be looking closer when I get home later. Another odd one is the truck doesn't have manual hubs. They appear to be auto but very old auto hubs. The backstory I got on the truck (I bought it off a friend out by thorhild) is that it was originally a CFB Edmonton truck; military bought new, and the interesting mods support that theory. The truck has massive front leaf packs and if you look close in the picture, you'll see the large steel box welded to the frame between the grill and front bumper which I presume held a large pto winch at some point. There are some other things as well. So it could very well be ex military which would explain also why the vin plates are gone and the difficulty to find a stamped vin OB the truck.

back to what you were saying, the roof is flat I'm pretty sure and I'll need to check the cab corners later. I'll post up a couple pics when I get back to the house later. I'm going to have to get an OOP inspection, so part of me is debating making the thing roadworthy with the 223, passing inspection and then doing the bigger driveline mods. Tough decision.

 

Crewferd: That's odd, because I've never been on facebook??
Where abouts are you located?

Crewcab is sitting covered, waiting for funds, but still grabbing bit and pieces when I find them at the right price

James

 

Are you sure the Warranty Plate is missing?

1961/62: Warranty Plate riveted to the inside of the glove box door. 1963/79: Warranty Plate riveted to the left door face below the latch.

This truck has a 1961 painted steel grille and upper grille panel. The hood side emblems were used on 1961/62's.

Truck registered by its specific VIN .. The last 6 digits of the VIN is the serial number, decode to the month/year it was assembled, post what they are.

btw: No Ford truck, Econoline or Bronco had a "VIN tag" until 1980. It's located on the left side of the dash, visible thru the windshield.

 

Neat looking truck, welcome !