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Dash pad removed revealing beautiful factory paint. American radio cutout in a Canadian truck
I recently came across some Mercury pickups hiding on a farm. There are two for sale and the one of interest is a factory automatic with the green dot on the shift indicator. It also has a brake booster but I do not know if it is stock. The engine is supposed to be a 352 but the valve covers look from the 70's The truck is a 6 digit DSO and was sold new in the province of BC. It was factory ordered with the radio and it is the american non pushbutton style. It has a spring on the antennae which is the only style I have seen in Canada. This may help settle some previous years arguments as to radios in Canada. It would appear as though factory ordered had the non push button and the dealer installed was the Philco deluxe push button. The radio is gone in this truck but the dash is uncut. The truck was made in Canada so there it is. I also know of but have not seen another Mercury truck that has the factory non push button radio. As for the rest of the truck the colour is stamped as W which is the pretty Marlin blue but there s no M for Wimbledon White tu tone. The truck has the white on it in the correct places but it does not look factory due to overspray. The body code is D81 which I am assuming is a custom cab because it has a sweep speedo and the door trim as well as all the correct exterior trim fro a custom cab. The second truck is a 65 Mercury M100 with 352 4spd and also runs. There is a 3rd 65-66 Ford for parts as well as a bunch of fenders already removed. All are 1/2 ton long boxes. My questions are:
1) Would the single tone paint code make this a 6 digit DSO?
2) Is this a factory brake booster?
3) There is no tranny cooler attachement in the bottom rad hose?
D81 is 81B Custom Cab with the Medium beige crush vinyl and medium beige cody pattern woven plastic
It doesn't look like the seat upholstery is original.
1. Why would a single tone paint job in Marlin Blue be special order? Nothing special order from that description.
2. Yes, this is the factory style 6 3/4" single diaphragm brake booster.
3. People often eliminated the original trans cooling stuff - the "Y" in the lower hose would often rust out and people would do a variety of things to eliminate it all. The cooler itself is originally bolted to the side of the transmission and it has regular line connections on it so a person could use that cooler and run lines to it differently. Is the radiator showing any signs of being replaced? Even by 1968 they went to a radiator that allowed the trans cooler lines to hook directly into it.
1. Custom Cab implies a two-tone instrument panel - so a white truck would have red on the lower half face of the dash - all colors other than white would get white on the lower half face of the dash like this truck has.
2. A blank Color code on the Warranty plate would be cause for a 6 digit DSO - since the paint would be special order. Just one example of cause for a 6 digit DSO. But, if it has a paint code, even one that isn't technically considered a truck color like 5 - Signal Flare Red - none of the trucks with the 5M code on here, like the Boss9F100 truck have more than a 2 digit DSO. Obviously, some sort of Ford promotion, but not a special order color in that case.
Just for the hella of it here's the install instructions for the antenna. I don't know of any other part number for the antenna than the one, but who knows between dealer installs, Canada and what they might have used as well?
No spring on the antenna in the drawing, at least.
Typo on my part. The body code is B81. Too bad because blue on beige or parchment breaks things up nice. Both of these trucks had this style of antennae.
That looks like the same base and stanchion as the ones on the US trucks. Know anyone with a Canadian MPC from the era? I'd bet there was a separate part number for that antenna.
Typo on my part. The body code is B81. Too bad because blue on beige or parchment breaks things up nice. Both of these trucks had this style of antennae.
that antenna looks like aftermarket typical of day. Usually used when original would break off. Look to see if it has Allen to hold it on the broken stub of original.
There are a lot of details to look at if I get the chance to. These trucks are not beside the road kind of sale they are back 40 trespass to see unless invited. His package deal only price is a bit rich for my blood right now even though he has stuff I want. He is a very nice guy but I do not want to waste his time knowing I cannot afford/justify buying. If they are still for sale next year which they likely will be I will try again. The antennae I was given with my push button radio has the spring but is not telescoping and has a flat base instead of contoured to fit the curve of the cowl. I have seen other Mercury trucks restored with original parts that have a spring antennae. I do not have many pics of the other Mercury truck so I zoomed in on the pics in the add and the base looks totally different on that one too. Such is life! I am assuming the body code B81 is a blue interior custom cab.
Thanks Chad. To further add interest to this guys stache the third truck which is a parts only Ford has 5 stud 16 inch wheels on it. It was dark by then so the pic I took was crappy. One of the wheels looked normal as a one piece but the passenger rear had a widow maker split rim. Here is a pic.
Most Canadian trucks I have seen had the basic radio and the telescoping antenna w/o spring. The p/b radio is uncommon but not rare. I think the original antenna mast is teardrop-shaped in cross-section.
I'd like to have the entire collection too.
Eric
that antenna looks like aftermarket typical of day. Usually used when original would break off. Look to see if it has Allen to hold it on the broken stub of original.
I can see the Allen set screw now that you mention it.
Most Canadian trucks I have seen had the basic radio and the telescoping antenna w/o spring. The p/b radio is uncommon but not rare. I think the original antenna mast is teardrop-shaped in cross-section.
I'd like to have the entire collection too.
Eric
Since you guys pointed out the push button radio that is all I have seen. The green Merc in this stache has it. I tried looking at pics on the net of a certain perfect red and white 66 now residing on the island and it appears as though he has a spring antennae. Maybe you could contact him and get some pics of it?
08-18-2018, 11:33 PM
