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I have an old Ford Script flatbed currently mounted to a 1947 off-topic 1.5-ton truck -- and I'm trying to learn all I can about the bed, so that I can sell it to the right person with a Ford restoration project in need of a factory flatbed.
It's a 12-foot bed (about 7-feet wide with 42" tall sides). It has the script Ford logo on the back (as opposed to the block-lettered "FORD" name). As I understand it, that means it's pre-1957, is that correct? Can anyone tell me anything else about my bed? I'm looking to learn all I can.
This thread is a great start -- thanks in advance!
Welcome to FTE. To help sell your bed you should tell us where you are located.
I am not sure if 1957 is the first year of the Ford truck Block letter flatbed. I do know that 1965 used the block letter FORD. It may be before that however.
A question I have is when did Ford put that locking device on the back to keep the racks from bouncing out when hitting a bump. Like this:
56 was the first year for the block lettering, Now that said I have seen 56s with the script lettering too. It may have been a half yr thing. I know the 56 f600 my dad had was block and the 56 tonner I`m getting has a script body.
I had a '56 F350 that had a script bed. I currently have a script bed on my F4 that is alleged to have come from a '56. You may find different beds on different year trucks around then. If Ford had a bunch of script bed laying out in the stock pile they sure were not going to scrap them and they could have found their way onto trucks much later. Different assembly plants could have different introduction dates for the block lettered beds.
JMHO, no way to determine fact from speculation as I doubt if records were kept or if anyone even cared then.
Edit: What is that Cub Cadet hiding behind the Ford? I have a 1966 model 122.
— I’m in Chagrin Falls, OH (about 30 miles east / southeast of Cleveland)
— The Cub Cadet is a 1968 Model 105 that my grandfather bought brand new. It’s the first thing I ever learned to “drive” as a kid. It’s still original/unrestored down to the tires — although it’s getting tired and could use a full restoration.
Back to the flatbed — so, it seems the newest it is likely from us 1955 / 56 — how about the oldest? When did Ford start making this style and size of flatbed?
Your script bed could be original to the truck. 1939 or 1940 is the earliest script bed that would have fit your truck, as the earlier trucks had wider frames. The frame width was standardized by SAE in '39 or'40 to 34", which is still standard today. The stake lock as Abe was asking about was added around 1956.
Mark
Thanks, Mark -- however, my truck is a 1947 Dodge. Long story short, the original owner of the Dodge had a Ford prior to that with this flatbed on that Ford (unknown year and model) and when he bought the "new" Dodge in '47 (it's a Model WF-32, which was sold as a cab + chassis only), he pulled the flatbed off of the Ford and put it on the Dodge. I'm trying to learn all I can about the flatbed itself. Are you saying that a script Ford flatbed having the dimensions of mine was made between 1939 and 1956?
Jeff, Yes your bed would have to be made between 1939-40 and 1955-56. Sometime around 1956 the stake lock was added and then in 1957-58 the script was changed to block letter FORD. As Ray mentioned, these changes could have happened over several years and timing was probably different for the changes at the different assembly plants.
Mark
I have thought only the F-1 Ford script flatbeds came with wooden uprights and the F-2 and up beds had metal uprights. I found a bed on a F-2 that has wooden uprights, like the F-1s. I am pretty sure they are original because they look exactly like the F-1 side, flat uprights on the side and routered on the back just like the F-1s:
I'm hoping the few people on the site with F-1 through F-3 flatbeds will chime in with their insight. The sales literature I have isn't very clear.
The larger flatbeds had steel stakes (9'+) and the smaller ones had wood.
Ford had it's own Forests so my guess is there was not a standard type of wood used, though it would have been a hardwood like the oak that you see used on most trucks.
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