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When I bought my truck a few months back, the PO told me that he had gotten it from a former Forest Service employee. The back passenger side had bubbled paint and a melted tail light from a forest fire that had "gotten to close". The truck then sat for a few years and at some point in time a 351w had been swapped in (Now has a 289 that I built). The original engine was an inline 6. My previous experience tells me that the Government only bought F-series trucks with inline 6's... and a recent article I read tells me that the Forest Service had for some time only bought trucks in the same or similar turquoise color as mine (Called Standard Green by the Forest Service)... so I guess what I'm wanting to know is; is there a way to confirm whether or not my truck was a forest service truck, or just one that an employee purchased to blend in with the fleet?
Does anyone have information about 66 F-100's in the Forest Service?
I've been told my 61 started life as a forest service truck as well. I know it was a shade of green at one point (at least as I recall from when I was a child) but honestly don't remember. It was repainted a number of years ago.
The U.S. Forest Service is/was a government agency so any trucks they ordered would have had the "83" DSO, so just look at your warranty plate to start with and see what your DSO code is.
Looks like the original owner was just trying to blend in with the fleet. I was kinda hoping for a "Love Story" where he loved his GOV truck so much that he bought it at auction lol.
There are also local forest service departments that are state run agencies - they often coordinate with the Federal Forest Service for training, etc. In fact training scheduled up here for February timeframe involving some 600 firefighters was cancelled the other day since the Federal workers are furloughed and are not able/willing to participate and funds are not available, too.
Anyway, the local agencies might have trucks that are not "83" DSO code. That's why I mentioned the U.S. Forest Service since that is the national government entity.
I've got the warranty plate info on a few 83 DSO vehicles. You are right that if they went low-end then it was typically
6-cylinder
3-speed on the tree
Standard cab
Some of the F100s are actually F101 Model code which is a 4,800 lbs. GVWR instead of the normal F100 Model code which is 5,000 lbs. GVWR.
Otherwise, there are also examples of higher-end F250 4x4 trucks with heavy-duty axles, but still no Custom Cab. Every 83 DSO I have is a Standard cab.
The fact that there is a paint code "B" for turquoise and as noted in post 3 it is not code 83 enforces the idea it was not built for a government entity. A lot of DSO trucks are so because of special order paint like Forest Service "standard green" would make it so. Is this truck a flareside ?If so this would reinforce its government ped
igree.
That is one great looking Chevy for Forest Service work.
I love special purpose restorations like that.
Being a tool collector I see the one man cross cut saw and a Pulaski axe in the side racks.
Now that is a period correct restoration. DSO 83 or not I still like it.
Looks like the original owner was just trying to blend in with the fleet. I was kinda hoping for a "Love Story" where he loved his GOV truck so much that he bought it at auction lol.
1966 F100 2WD Custom Cab 129" wheelbase 240 I-6 T-18 4 speed painted Caribbean Turquoise, assembled in Kansas City MO, ordered from the Denver CO Ford District Sales Office.
AFAIK, the Forestry Service (F/S) is a branch of the Department of the Interior.
All the 1960's F/S trucks, AFAIK were painted dark green and the Fords had a 6 digit DSO code, denoting a Domestic Special Order that began with 83.
Like all US Gov't agency's, the F/S bought the cheapest possible trucks, so would not have purchased Custom Cabs.
The F/S also had cars, they were also painted dark green and the Fords had a 6 digit DSO
Here's a picture that my dad took in 1966 in the Olympic National Forest just West of here. The Dodge Power Wagon was painted black and was an older rig, but the new truck was a Chevy and you can see it just to the right of the PW. Just the front fender and hood is visible, but it's the newer light green color. Very similar to the stepside posted above, but not nearly as shiny. Same general color they use to this day.
You can probably make out the U.S. GOVERNMENT on the front plate. Door also has U.S. Forest Service insignia.
You can tell it's government work - they chocked the back tire. Lol
Even though mine isn't one, this thread is pretty cool. Chad, your picture isn't showing for me... big bummer. The story of my truck never claimed it to be a FS truck, but that the owner was with the FS and used the truck during a wild land fire where the rear end paint and light damage was taken on... This is why his name is Smokey. In light of the story, I know where there is an old Indian Water Pump at a secret spot I visit... I think I'll make an offer and attempt to purchase and display it in the back.
Here's another awesome example. Read the story, the captions along the way and then scroll down and look at the rest of the pictures. Interior is same light green as the Chevy truck in dads picture. Outside has been repainted a darker green and the owner mentions that, but the interior and underhood firewall shots are what I'm talkin' about.
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