Ok the sickness has set in, I can now walk in the cast. The 52 we bought is in pretty good shape now that I got out there and looked at it. I am doing some planning/strategizing on what we are gonna do after we dis- assemble and clean......................
I found another truck, surprise surprise. He says it is a 50 but the pictures have a 51 or 52 front clip.

1) Is that possible? Is the only difference in the 48-50 and the 52's the rear windows and the dash?

2) The other truck (1950) even if its a 50 I am gonna buy it because it already has the Heidts front kit and the rear is C notched (with Ford 9 inch) so it is sitting good already.

3) So how interchangeable are the 48 through 52 parts. At first I thought 48- 50 was a different animal, at least I thought you couldn't put the front clip of an earlier to a later. I think I am wrong.

4) THe 52 we bought has a 53 steering wheel and an auto shifter on the column, I know these are out of a 53 right so that much is interchangeable. My son loves the wheel and shifter, can we keep it/adapt it to work with semi modern 302 and C4?

Sorry so long, just outside for first time today with truck and the wheels are spinning. Any additional techniques & time savers as far as disassembly please speak up. We are not gonna make it perfect but clean at least so we decided to take er down to the frame.

I guess motor and trans next then set everything on top?

Oh yeah the second truck comes with a rebuilt 327 and 2 speed powerglide,........Sorry Chevy fans but that crap has gotta go. Anyone interested? We r in So Cal. Thanks, sorry so long Ryan n Ryan Jr

 

You can put 48-50 parts on a 51-52 but not vis versa.
The 48-50 will help the 51-52 look better - the 51-52 on a 48-50 will grow ugly.

Bob Jones has a site with a swap interchange list - really

 

Heres the VIN for the truck (supposed 50) we are gonna scoop up if it works out, f1h1rh20376
Doesnt the second #1 dictate that it is a 51? Ry

 

oh yeah I forgot to ask, I have been looking on line, but I think you all are the best info on this. What are if there are any differences in the 1951 and 52 trucks, my son and I cant see any. Thanks Ryan

 

Changing a '48-50 to look like a '51-52 is sacrilage, IMO.

Here's the chart Dick mentioned.

www.fatfenderedtrucks.com/partsinterchange.html

Once again,

 

The '51 has a different hood and hood trim. The '51 has the Ford on the hood and the '52 reverted back to the same FORD letter mounted on the panel below hood. With the different hood trim the holes on the front of the hood are different.

1951 hood


1952 hood


The frames are also slightly different. With the introduction of the OHV six cylinder the engine mounts were changed in '52. Ford added a stamped tower on each side of the frame to bolt the front motor mount to.



There might be other differences but I don't know what they are.

 

Inner fenders bolt to frame on '51; bolt only to cowl on '52

'52 V8 engine mount cushions are different than '51 V8's

 

welp as far as the column and wheel you can make anything work given enough imagination and thought ........ as far as the chevy , well i'm sure someone on here could use a boat anchor in your neck of the woods . and again welcome to the sickness

 

F1= Ford 1/2 ton pick-up truck; H=223 flathead six cylinder engine; 1-1951; RH=Richmond Virginia Assembly Plant; and 20367 is the serial number (they started at 10000)

Again outside visable differences are the letters FORD are spelled out in chrome letters across the upper valance on the 52, while they are cast into the nose emblem on the 51. The 51 was the only Bonus Bult year to not have chrome letters on the upper valance.

If equiped with a 239 V8 Engine the 51 will have a "V8" ornament on the Upper valance while on the 52 it will be on the hood nose ornament. If the 51 has a 223 IL 6 cylinder engine there will be no ornament on th etruck designating that. On the 52 it will also be on the hood nose ornament.

The nose opening on the 51 is open all the way across the center of the hood nose, while that on the 52 is only open on the sides of center.

The hood spears on the 51 have "Ford" and "F1" on the thin spear. On the 52 "F1" is on a large round emblem on the spear toward the front.

If the truck is equiped with a stock factory installed 6 cylinder engine, in the 51 that will be a flathead 223, in the 52 it will be a 215 Overhead Valve.

And if you want to get really rediculous, on the factory installed Magic Aire Fresh Air heater, the 51 will have a rubber boot end that connects the fresh air duct flange that is round and on the 52 it is rectangular.

Fourth character in that serial number will be a "1" in a 51 and a "2" in a 52.

The 1952 will not have an engine compartment "Patent Data Plate."

I think that's all but I may have forgotten something. The upper valance letters and hood spears are the instant give aways between the two years.

 

I figured I could use the steering wheel but I am not sure about the automatic shifter on the column (2speed auto trans) becaue most modern trans are at least 3 speeds, thanks again Ryan

 

You can, I mean physically and mechanically it will work. Your indicator may be a little "off" at the selected gear positions.

I have the same problem except, my indicator needle is mounted on the shift rod which is above the steering tube and not centered around it like th eautomatic tubes. So I set it so it indicator correctly when in "Drive" and it's a little off as it gets farther off center in either direction - not bad (like a whole gear) but you can tell it's not quite perfect.

You may end up making a different shift rod but that's easy.