When I was re-installing the stainless spears on my 48 hood I compared it to my stock 49 to figure out exactly where to place the spears and discovered the two hoods are different. The 49 hood is completely smooth and flat near the front where the rectangular shaped FORD emblem goes and where the spears attach but my 48 hood has a raised area in the sheet metal just above the top spear. I was surprised at this difference since I always thought the 48-50 hoods were identical. Can someone enlighten me on this?

 

I have 5 hoods sitting in my shop for a variety of '48-50 trucks and they all are the same. I think hoods may be like boxes, the original box on my '49 F-2 had round wheel wells while the replacement box I found had oblong wheel wells. I think it might have all depended on where the truck was assembled, different assembly plants sometimes use slightly different parts.

 

while installing the oblong ford logo, i snapped on of the studs off. no problem, i have 2 additional sets, they are completlet different in the mountings. the first set had a plain steel piece with 2 studs(the logo was a stamped stainless piece, that is crimped on to the steel piece. the second set had a simular backing plate but had a clip simular to the moulding clip, and the 3rd set had clips simular to the moulding clips( but larger) and no backing plate, the stainless was bent so there was a slot for the clips.

 

Vern,

At one time I had 3 hoods. The original and the other two all had the raised section that you describe. My truck is a 49.

Maybe Bob is right, maybe some of the different plants made their own stampings or something like that. Another F1 mystery

Bobby

 

What makes me laugh is when someone asks "what color is this part?" or "What size was this?" or "What kind of this did they use for my old truck?" I have been working on Bonus Built trucks for over twenty years, including owning over 15 at last count and I have been inside and outside each one. I have found out over the years that there are variations in parts and colors on everyone. There doesn't seem to be any set rules on parts or colors. You have to remember, these vehicles were built to work, and work hard, and then be thrown in the scrap pile within ten-fifteen years, heck, they were offered with only 90 day warranties. They used whatever parts they had in the plant. They weren't suppose to last for ever and I am certain the guys on the line never expected a bunch of yahoos fifty years later to be spending as much time and money on these hulks as we do.

Old trucks, it's a sickness-one I hope they never find a cure for!

 

My 50 has the raised area also. Ford did do different parts depending on assembly plants, they still do it. Perfect example is 86-95 Taurus. Go buy a side door outside mirror. You have to know which assembly plant, Chicago or Atlanta that the car was built at. The 2 mirrors do not interchange, but the doors are the same. Something is different. THe 96 and on Taurus has similar distinctions. I believe they use different manufacturers of parts in different sections of the country. We see it all the time.
It really doesn't matter which hood you use, as both are technically correct.

Barry

50 F-1

 

This is very interesting. And the 90 Day Warranty had me rolling on the floor. Talk about pride in their products. But who cares, look how many bone stock F series there are now!

 

My truck is a '52 f-6 and it has the raised area, I found another truck it
was a 50 f-1 and it has the flat hood.

 

Well, I learned something new on these old trucks. I thought I might have found a way to tell 48, 49 and 50 apart by checking out the hood but no dice if all three years came with both type hoods. Thanks for the info...

Vern

 

Also remember, alot of time has passed and these hoods were swapped around alot. Who know what hood was originally on some of these trucks.?

Barry

50 F-1

 

Vern,

Can you post a picture of your hood. I can't remember every seeing a hood without the raised part. I would also like to know exactly what we are talking about..

 

Bob,

Look at the last picture in my gallery under the 1949 Ford Pickup album...

 

It's not the clearest picture but I can see that it's flat. That's the first one I can remember seeing without the raised area, strange.

 

I found it strange too. I even looked at the inside of the hood expecting to find a big gob of bondo thinking someone wrecked the hood and just flattened it out in the straightening process...

 

Vern,
That is interesting. I've never seen on before either. Personally I like the looks of the raised area better.

As for 90 day warranties, pretty much standard in the old days. Look at the warranties now. Basically now-a-days you are paying for 2 complete cars when you buy new vehicle. Thats one of the reasons new cars are so pricey. You are paying for alot of that warranty work upfront.

Bobby