heres some pics of the tags he sent me . he's a farmer and still trying to get the crops in so might be awhile before he looks to far !!!

 

That helps a bunch.

Vin sequence number is 7031. Reason it is so low is that the M series engines got there own set of VIN #'s. Why they separated these and used the same set of numbes for the C series 6-cyl and R series V8 is unknown to me but they did. Only thing I can think of is that the M series engine came out two years later and they felt a need to restart the VIn series with those engines. Go figure.

The last two characters are likely a C and an H are were not intended to have been stamped so far apart. This would indicate that the truck was built in Chicago which fits given you prximity to the plant.

Hope this helps.

Would be great if you could get the firewall/cowl stampings as well.

Carl G.

 

Hi, I am new to this website but I was directed here when I inquired about deciphering the VIN# on the 1950 f-1 I am working on. The 1959 shop manual I used with a previous project had a section which broke down all VIN tag alpha-numeric characters but I did not find such a section in the 49-50-51 truck shop manual I got for the 50 f-1. Based on your thread question maybe such a breakdown doesn't exist. I was wondering how your database is doing? My VIN # is 98RC 415245 S P . So what does that tell me? If there is a publication or database that will decode the VIN perhaps one of your corespondents have mentioned it. BTW my truck has raised bed panels, no stamp on firewall 3-speed on floor. Thanks for any help you and others can give me.

 

98RC 415245 S P

9 = 1949/50
8R = 239 CID Flathead V8
C = F1 -1/2 ton
415245 = Vin sequence number
SP = St. Paul, MN (Twin Cities) Assembly Plant

Based on the Vin Sequence Number, it's a real safe bet that you have a 1950 model year truck. Appreciate the information on the bed and the transmission.

Can you verify with 100% certainty that there is no nuimber stamped into the friewall/cowling in the engine compartment. Others from this timeframe built at that plant did have them. It is not on a data tag but instead stamped directly into the sheet metal. The format should look something like this: M SP 16L4260457

First leter may not necessarily be an M and the number letter after the SP may not necessarilly be a 16L but there should be one or two numbers then a letter with a series of other numbers afterwards. If this is on your truck, it would be a big help.

Thanks,

Carl

 

Thanks to Texan 2004 for your reply about how to decode the VIN 98RC 415245 SP. I looked again for a stamping on the cowl and this time I found it. As was mentioned by another correspondent, the stamping is so weighted toward the bottom of the alpha-numeric characters that some can only be crude guesses. Here is what I could decipher: S;P;1;(0 or 6);F;3;2;(3?);(2?); 6;(?);2. Can anything be learned from this string with all the missing info? Thanks, Bergieb

 

Here is my info:
1 - 1950
2 - 97HD323205 KC
3 - Raised Panel
4 - Probably
5 - Unknown
6 - Probably floor shift
7 - Best I can make out is KC 23??34

This is titled as a '50 but based on the '9' in the VIN, I thought it was a '49 (hence my user name). Now after reading this thread, I'm not so sure what I have. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

9 = 1949/50
7H = Flathead 6
D = F2 - 3/4 Ton
323205 = VIN #, based on the VIN #, pretty safe bet that yours is a 1950

KC 23??34

KC assembly plant
23 is the day of the month it was built. There should be a number(s) or a letter in front of the KC. I know these stampings can be very difficult to read. This is the paint code if you can find it and make it out. The character immediately after the 23 is the month code for your truck. If you can make that out, you will be able to determine the date your truck was built. The format should look like one of the two exaples below. The first example below was used in 1949 and was carried over into 1950. In this example, they used numbers for the paint code. Sometime in 1950, the KC plant began using letters to identify the paint color as indicated in the second example.

<TABLE style="WIDTH: 90pt; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=120 border=0 x:str><COLGROUP><COL style="WIDTH: 90pt; mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 4388" width=120><TBODY><TR style="HEIGHT: 25.5pt" height=34><TD class=xl24 style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-TOP: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; WIDTH: 90pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; HEIGHT: 25.5pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" width=120 height=34>10 KC 27C 241</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
1949
or
<TABLE style="WIDTH: 90pt; BORDER-COLLAPSE: collapse" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=120 border=0 x:str><COLGROUP><COL style="WIDTH: 90pt; mso-width-source: userset; mso-width-alt: 4388" width=120><TBODY><TR style="HEIGHT: 12.75pt" height=17><TD class=xl24 style="BORDER-RIGHT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-TOP: windowtext 0.5pt solid; BORDER-LEFT: windowtext 0.5pt solid; WIDTH: 90pt; BORDER-BOTTOM: windowtext 0.5pt solid; HEIGHT: 12.75pt; BACKGROUND-COLOR: transparent" width=120 height=17>A KC 21K 125</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
1950

I believe that your truck was built sometime after March 27, 1950. The firewall stamping in example #1 above was from VIN #97HC 283574 which was built in KC also.

It would be great to get the missing characters if you get a chance to clean up the cowl. Thanks for the information.

 

Here is some numbers for what looks like a late 49 or early 50 F1. Let me know what you think.

1 - Was told it was a 49 no title, truck was from Souh Dakota
2 - 97HC 292608 SP (from firewall tag) same on glove box tag plus model # is stamped as 9HC
3 - it has the Raised Panel bed side and looks to be original.
4 - Is this the original bed ( I think so)
5 - Transmission is I think 3 speed floor shift but is mated to a merc flathead and so maybe trans is not original?? I couldn't find a vin # on top portion of trans so dont know? (did the mercurys trans come with the vin stamped on them like the fords???
6 - has floor shift
7 - # stamped into the firewall is A3P2E28+154 the 1st 2 is questionable and the 8 could be a 3 and it sure looks like a plus (+) before the 154

ps I will post the info from my 51 F1 later.

thanks
Josh

 

97HC 292608 SP

9 = 1949/50
7H = Flathead 6
C = F1
292608 = VIN Sequence #. Based on this, I would say it is an early 1950


A3P2E28+154

A = Paint Code = Raven Black
3P = Plant Code. I suspect this actually reads SP for Saint Paul, MN
2E = Date Code. This would be May 2, 1950
28+154 = Plant codes of some sort

Thank you for the information.

Carl G.

 

Here's a picture of the stamp:


I guess I was oblivious to the 'E' up front. Based on your example, I think it looks like:

E KC 23J ?34

Still can't quite make out that one character, maybe a '6'? I'll look again tonight.

Based on this, I guess I'll have to change my user name.

Thanks.

 

Hold off on the name change. If that is a J, you have aSeptember build date. IF that is the case, I'll need to look a little deeper. I will take a look at home this evening.

 

Looks like it is a 50. Any chance you can determine the original color. I have other examples of the "E" paint code but no firm confirmation as to what color that was.

 

Here is mine. Anyone can help?

2RHI0I083

 

VIN: 98RT 202077
Cab stamp appears to be 7 KC 6C 9U

Truck is believed to be a 1949, it's an F5, flatbed, 4sp. The frame was modified (extended) and a 13' bed added, so I don't know what was on originally. Engine was swapped to 292 Y-block V8 as well, so I don't know the original engine. Original color appears to be blue?

 

2 = Color Code = Vermillion Red
RH = Richmond, CA Assembly Plant

The next three digitts should be the date code but they did not use the Letter "I" (I assume to avoid confusion with the number 1). Could you take another look for us?? Also, can you provide the VIN number? this helps to corrolate the firewall stampings to the VIN numbers for the various assembly plants.

I apologize for the delayed reply. For some reason, I am no longer receiving e-mail notifications when there are new posts to this thread. Guess I need to check my user CP to make certain that feature was not somehow changed.