vin location
vin location
Senior User
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 298
Likes: 0
From: Albany NY
Welcome 
Sounds like you just acquired a new toy. Hope you are not having registration/title woes. There should be a vin pate on the inside of the glove box. Not sure about 51-52 but 48-50 had a "patent data plate" on the passenger side firewall with the vin stamp. In the absence of those two plates the only other place is the frame stamp which can be hard to find. It may be on the top of the frame rail passenger side just behind the radiator or on the left frame rail by the steering box. I have heard of some finding it on the front cross member. I think it depends on at which plant the truck was assembled and maybe who was stamping vin nos. that day. The frame stamping is typically faint and hard to find. A wire brush and strong light are required.
In the early years Ford put the engine number, or the serial part of the VIN, on the clutch housing. The idea being that the engine could be changed and the number would remain. Not sure but I think they quit doing that in the late 40's.
Sounds like you just acquired a new toy. Hope you are not having registration/title woes. There should be a vin pate on the inside of the glove box. Not sure about 51-52 but 48-50 had a "patent data plate" on the passenger side firewall with the vin stamp. In the absence of those two plates the only other place is the frame stamp which can be hard to find. It may be on the top of the frame rail passenger side just behind the radiator or on the left frame rail by the steering box. I have heard of some finding it on the front cross member. I think it depends on at which plant the truck was assembled and maybe who was stamping vin nos. that day. The frame stamping is typically faint and hard to find. A wire brush and strong light are required.
In the early years Ford put the engine number, or the serial part of the VIN, on the clutch housing. The idea being that the engine could be changed and the number would remain. Not sure but I think they quit doing that in the late 40's.
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 8,813
Likes: 13
From: Littleton, New Hampshire
Welcome to FTE. You can easily tell if it's an F1 or F2 by counting the lug nuts on the wheels. If it has 8 then it's an F2 or F3. If it has 5 it's an F1. There are other differences but this will put you in the ball park. 
