First timer & Needing lots of good advice. Some people were cutting wood on our farm over 50 years ago and couldn't get their flatbed pickup started so they just left it there. I don't know why, but after waiting 50 years I think I want to restore it. The number one kicker - I can't get in it. Now the door handles won't work. The passenger side window is down but I can't even budge the inside handle. I hate to start using a prybar because I don't want to put any dents in it. Any ideas on how to get the doors to opern? The body is in pretty good shape, little rust but not bad. Flathead V-8 but missing a radiator. Been looking at websites but can't tell if I have a 45 or 46 truck. Also it has 17" tires and the wheelbase is approx 124 inches and it had a 9' flatbed on it which is now rotted off. Guess question #2 is whether it's a 1/2 ton pickup that's been converted into a flatbed or was it like a 1 ton flatbed to start with. There's trees that's grown up around it so I have to cut some trees out to even get it out of the woods. Thanks for any advice.

 

Welcome to FTE! Door handles are different creatures depending on year of mfg. On my 48 you push down on the handle to open. Pulling up on the inside handle locks the whole unit. Not sure about the 46/47's but it might give you something to try. If you can find a vin number you can tell year, engine and rating. I'd guess with 17 inch wheels and 124" wb it should be a one ton truck. Half tons should have had smaller wheels and around 114" wb. Very rare if it was a '45 - due to the war and all.

Sounds like a great project - take lots of pictures from cutting down trees to finish project.

 

Reach in and pull down the glove box door if its not stuck. Should be a tag on the back side. I think there are discussions in this forum concerning identifying some vin numbers. Just look down through and check it out. Lots of good info. You might have to take a battery drill out there with you and drill out the door hinge pins and take the door off. If not hack saw them off. There are places to purchase more hinges. Hopefully the brake shoes are not locked to the drums so you can pull it up to the house. I'll bet the king pins are locked. I hope you have a tractor to pull it with. Don't be discouraged its a lot of work so good luck.

 

Woodford, welcome, glad you stopped by, hope you enjoy your stay on FTE.

50 years to sit in the elements is very hard on a truck, or any car. First, let's tackle the ton rating thing. 17" wheels, as mtflat suggested, is a 1 ton, and the wheelbase on the 1 ton should be 122", so 124 is close enough, you probably have a 1 ton truck there. So if it is a 1 ton, then is probably a '42 or '46-'47. The '42 had a chrome hood script on the side of the hood that is the Ford script. The '46-47 would just have the Ford script stamped on the side of the hood. The handles could simply be rusted from years of sitting. The least destructive way to get in would be to drill out the hinge pins in the door. It'll take a while, a good drill, and a very sharp bit. Try not to cut the hinges, they aren't all that easy to find. Once you can get the door off, or get in the truck, take off the access panel on the door and that'll give you access to the guts of the door, and let you get the handles unstuck.
It was probably a flatbed to start with as they did make a 1 ton flatbed, which seem to have been more popular than the pickup. Of course, the bed could have been removed and the truck converted to a flatbed. But the VIN will never tell you.
Hope you find some of this helpful.

 

Really appreciate all the information. Will probably attempt to cut some trees down and pull it out of the woods unless the brake drums are locked up which will be another challenge. It should be worth it though. Talked to a state patrolman today about getting a title since I don't have one for the truck. Thanks for all the advice!!!

 

TRy spraying WD-40 and/or PB blaster on anything that you think should move. It may take a while but it will eventually star to move.

 

There is a tool made to push the door hinge pins out. I can't remember where I bought mine right now,but it COULD have been from Bob Drake Reproductions. You can also take them out using a big hammer and a punch,but I highly recommend heating them with a torch first. Get each hinge to a dull red,and then quickly tap up on the hinge pin with your hammer and punch. Get it up a little,then spray it with a penetrating oil and tap it back down. Make sure you also spray the penetrating oil up in the bottom where the pin has already moved,too. This will help lube it up inside so it comes out better. Tap it up again and repeat until it moves freely. Be patient because it ain't going to be easy. It can be done,though.

The hinge pin removal tool makes the job much easier,but it's a 30 or 40 dollar tool. You might not want to spend that much money on a tool you will probably only use on this one truck. Then again,even at 40 bucks,that amounts to saving a LOT of grunting and beating on your fingers with a ball peen hammer,and it's only 10 bucks per hinge.

 

BTW,make sure you let us know what methods you use and make sure you take some photos when you get it pulled out.

If the brakes are stuck (and they will be),the easiest way to handle this is to cut the heads off of the little brake shoe "locator pins" that stick out the back of the backing plates. That lets the shoes just fall free the first time you try to turn the wheels. These pins are cheap and easy to find,so don't worry about replacing them.

 

with 17 inch wheel it could be a 1 ton 1 1/4 ton or 1/2 ton the gvw rating is what can tell you ford sold alot of cab and chassis and you put your own bed on it. i had trouble identifying mine mine is a 1 1/4 ton with 20 inch wheel so the tires could have been changed over the years