We learn something new with almost every number we get. If we don't learn something new, we either get some sort of confirmation of what we though to be true or a whole new set of mysteries. In any case, patterns are developing.

 

Here goes best I can:

98RC 323463 MP

9 = 1949/50 (Safe bet yours is a 50)
8R = 239 c.i.d. flathead V8
C = 1/2 Ton F1
323463 = Vin sequence #. This one should certainly be a 1950
MP = Memphis Assembly Plant I only have three others from Memphis and two of them are 49's. More on the significance of this later.

Engine #: 878C139835 Model 8HC
What you ahve here is the glove box data plate from a 1948 1/2 ton truck that came with a 6 cylinder. Not original to your truck. I will add it to the list though so that we at least know where the glove box from this truck ended up.

Firewall Stamping: MPC8157B346
MP = MEmphis, TN Assembly Plant
C = ??
81 = ???
57 = ???
B = I berlieve this indicates a February 1950 build date.
346 = ?????

The other 1950 Memphis truck I have collected is:

VIN #: 98RC 451656
Firewall Stamping: MPC 81 20J330

The 1949 Memphis trucks I have use the same firewall stamping format that most of the other plants used in 1949 and 1950. In 1950, soemthin at Memphis apparently changed. As you can see the firewall stamping I have from another 1950 Memphis truck is a very similar format to yours. I thought the 20J indicated a September 20, 1950 build date. After looking at your number, I'm not so sure anymore but The J = Septemeber buid date would be about right on this VIN # just as the "B" = February would be about right for your VIN #.

I have no idea what the 81 indicates and I suspect the "C" is a paint code but I don't know what color it would be. Any clues to the original paint would be very helpful.

Perhaps our friend Tim from Flathead County, MT will have some idea.

 

it's funny i didnt know it was green after you said that i asked my mom and she said it was when grandpa bought it painted it black in the 60s me and the wife were talking about painting it green. so you answerd that ?

 

texan2004, Thanks for the info on my '50. The glovebox door could have been changed at some point in time. The color on the frewall is a dark blue. The rest of the truck is black but looks like a bad repaint. Great data base, and you are right, I looked at all of the posts and not many MP trucks here.

Gil

 

Carl, I agree with your comment about MP changing things. It was common in Canada to list the body code in the vin and since both MP trucks use the same 81 code, I'd bet thats what your looking at. 81 was body code for closed cab or cab/chassis.

C was also the Canadian vin designation for 110" wheelbase (F1 pickups)

Since both MP trucks were marked MPC 81 that might be the solution rather than color???

346 is the production vehicle down the line at that plant. I just don't know how they were assigned.

Only puzzle for me is the 57 before the B - something isn't right there. I'll keep thinking........... any chance it's 27?

 

mtflat, the 57B could possibly be a 27B. The truck is in Ft. Worth so I will check it when I go to pick it up.

Thanks, Gil

 

IF it's a 27B then your truck has a build date o fFebruary 27. this would make some sense and would not be the first firewall stamping number to be misread. Sometimes they did a real nice job stamping these characters but I've seen some done very poorly as well. My 50 F1 is a classic example.

 

I just purchased a 1949 F6 and wanted to see if my information is correct. This VIN was provided to me as I do not have the truck yet.

Vin # 98R1H85531
I know the 9 is 1949/1951
8R is the 239 V8
I think the 1 and H may be switched.

Thanks Mike

 

I found a web site that gives body styles among much other information. I goggled :1949 ford 3/4 ton pickup then I selected the first choice of this search titled, http://www.mercurypickup.com/194950fordusbuilt.htm, have a great day,chuck

 

Mike,

You are correct in that the VIN provided is not correct. Likely that has been misread.

9 = 1949/50 model year
8R = 239 c.i.d. flathead V8
1H = This likely supposed to be TH. If so, you have a 134" 2 ton F6. If you are certain it's an F6 and not a cab-over (C.O.E.), then I'm almost certain that "1" is actually a "T".
85531 = VIN sequnce number. This one is not correct however as theis number would have been assigned to a 1948. If you had a 48, your Vin # would have begun with an "8" instead of a "9".

You've got a little digging to do to find the correct VIN. Please post it when you get it. Also, please look at the cowl in the firewall area. There should be some numbers stamped into the metal (not a tag) that can provide some additional information like where the truck was built and what day it was built.

 

Careful with that site. Some of the information is correct and some is not. The 49/50's did not have body codes as this site would suggest although I am investigating whether Memphis may have included them in the firewall stamping. If this is the meaning of the mysterious "81" in the Memphis firewall stampings, then the information on this site is not correct regarding the body styles.

Also, the site mentions that the 1951 VIN #'s were a continuation of the 49/50 #'s until 9/15/51. I have yet to come across a single example of this. Ford went to an entriely different VIN # system in beginning with the 1951 model year trucks.

 

Texan 2004, you obviously have more information on VIN numbers than any book I can get my hands on, so here goes.
My firewall tag and dispatch compartment reads 90RO 399128 YEL
There is a stamping on my firewall: MBFF30391 (the first 3 could be an 8)
It's titled as a '50 1/2 ton (F1)
V8
3 speed on the floor
114" Wheel Base

Any help is appreciated.
Thanks
Canarsie Kid

 

For starters, I took a look in your gallery. That's a very nice looking truck. Would love to see more pictures. Looking at the front fenders, they appear to be the F2 and uip fenders with the larger opening. Not sure if you were aware that the F1 fendres were unique in that the wheel opening was smaler than the F2-F6 trucks. F7's and F8's had yet another size fender. All that aside, very nice looking truck. I envy you.

Recognizing that these VIN Tags can be a realm PITA to read, I will make a couple of rather safe asumptions with yours.

VIN # 90RO 399128 YEL

My guess is that this actually reads: 98RC 399128 ???

9 = 1949/50 model year (Base on the VIN, pretty safe you have a 1950)
8R = 239 c.i.d. flathead V8
C = 1/2 tom F1
399128 = Vin sequence number. Definitely a 1950

???/YEL = This would ordinairly be an abbreviation for the district/assembly plant. No idea what YEL would be but maybe we can figure this out later.

Firewall Stamping: MBFF30391

M = Color Code: Meadow Green
BF = Buffalo Assemly Plant. You should have found a BUF on the data tag where you are seeing YEL unless the YEL is some sort of special district code that would have trumped the assembly plant code being stamped there. I've read that this was done for some fleet or governement sales but I haven't come across an example ever before. Another possibility is that your data TAG is from a different truck. This happens sometimes. Yet another possibility is that the YEL may have been misread. Again these thing scan be a real challenge to read at this age. You can verify the VIN in two other places. The VIN # should be stamped on the top side of the top flange on the passenger side frame rail in the engine compartment. This stamping can be hard to read if the frame is rusted up but should be there. Another location for the VIN is the data tag on the passenger side of the firewall in the engine comaprtment.

F30 = June 30 Build date or F3 = June 3 build date. My guess would be June 30

0391 or 391 = some as yet undetermined plant sequence number.

Hope this helps. BTW, I don't know more than the books but I've read most of them and figure out what is consistent with what's realy out there and what isn't. One thing I discovered doing this was that the Somerville, MA plant buildt trucks. I've never seen this published anywhere when truck plants are dicussed but we have more than on exmaple of this in the registry. Tim, mtflat, has also been a big help having taught me (through this forum) about the firewall stampings. It's been an interesting exercise. I really appreciate the information.

One last point, if you have a Buffalo truck, they are pretty rare. I've only got one other Buffalo number. Either they didn't build many or the rust got them all. Perhpas a combo of both.

Evening Tim

 

Until Carl comes along, (edit: how crazy is that, Carl beat me posting by a minute - evening Carl!) this will get you going. Clean it up a bit more and I'll bet you find the firewall tag reads 98RC 399128. Definitely a '50 vin but I can't come up with anything for the YEL - should be assembly plant but doesn't jive with the stamping. ??

For the firewall stamping I'd guess:
M is color (meadow green in 50).
BF is Buffalo assembly plant
Next should be assembly date F30 - June 30?
Last three digits are for the car unit number down the line.

 

Thanks to you both. That's more information than I was able to find on my own. I bought it from a guy that gave up on it, who bought from a guy in upstate NY that gave up on it, so the Buffalo assembly may be valid.

I'll confirm with frame stamping and let you know.
Again thanks, I'll send along more pics. This site doesn't allow attachments. Forward e-mail and I'll be happy to send along. Thanks for the complement this is my first try at a truck. It's a driver and I want to keep it that way. I have done '55 - '57 T-Birds in the past and a few bikes. I wanted to get my son involved and a truck seemed like the natural choice for Father/Son project. It should look good in the HS parking lot when he starts to drive in Jan.

Thanks again
Best Regards,
Mike