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I recently bought a 1950 F1 that has already had some work done to it. It has a Buick 350 and auto tranny. It also appears to have a different rear end . I need help figuring out what it is so I can buy brakes for it. Looking at the tag on it , it looks like it says WBS AB ( or A8 ) But I can not find that code on the ID charts. Any idea what year it is and what it came from. It does state the gear ratio as 3.00. thanks
Looks like early 63 Ford passenger car 9", based on the tag numbers. You can tell more by looking at the axle bolt pattern, brake size, etc. Measure the brake shoes, diameter and width. Check the wheel bolt pattern on the axles. The more information you can provide, the better the answers we can give back.
I’ve looked over that list and can not find one that matches . Maybe I’m missing something . The bolt pattern on the axle is a 5x5 1/2. The brake drum is 11 inches inside diameter. The brake shoes are 1 3/4 inches wide . Any more info I can provide ?
Last edited by Mrknownothing; Jan 8, 2026 at 12:58 PM.
Based on the brakes and the axles and bolt pattern, there's no doubt it's an F-100 truck axle. Early 60's most likely. There's no self adjuster cable. What does the back side of the pumpkin look like? Is it smooth or does it have the familiar hump? That got changed in about 64. Ford used the 11x1 3/4 brakes for many years. Pick a year and tell the parts guy that's what you need. As long as you get the same size shoes and can turn your drums, you're golden.
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say, based on the information given, the AB suffix is for 63 F100 3.00 9" axle, and that's what you've got. Everything else adds up. It's just not listed in the chart. The 2KC date code would place it at 1962 October, 3rd week. 1963 model year production would have started a couple months earlier, at least.
Thank you for helping us help you and your responsive answers to our questions. Welcome to the forum! Tell us more about your truck and your plans for it. More pictures, please.
It's originally a Texas truck, so the body and frame are fairly clean. I just want something fun to cruise around in. I can't afford a show truck ! The plan before spring is to upgrade to power brakes, with disc brakes up front. This summer I'd like to add power steering using the power assist unit from the Honda Prius. Apparently that's popular and the easiest way to go. My wife wants to do a patina paint job, so I really don’t know what it’ll end up looking like ! Let the fun begin !
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