Without getting into details, I have become the owner of a Ford pickup truck. It was purchased one cold autumn day based on a need for a runabout at my residence, the farmstead where I grew up in the '40's & '50's.

I expected it to need work - did not pay much for it and understood it had been in storage for many years, but was running. The seller turned over the Title, and I registered it, based on the Title.

Also based on the Title I understood it to be a 1970 or 1971 model F100. Maybe the frame dates from that period. But I've run the numbers on the engine, and find that it seems to be a 1975 302 from a Ford Granada
[D5DE-9C485-BYA]


I also found a plate on the driver's side door. This seems to indicate a date of mfgr. for the body (or at least the door) of 1973 or later. The data from that plate is:I really need help determining the date of mfgr. of the body, which is apparently not 1970 or 1971, as stated at the time of purchase and recorded on the Title.

The date of manufacture of the frame may turn out to be necessary, as well. I have not been able to find any dates, or stamped information of any kind on the frame. If someone could tell me where to look, I'd be very grateful.

I have taken photos of the engine label and the door plate (and of the under body work which seems to indicate that the frame and chassis are from different models and years. I assume I will be able to post them, on request, if anyone is interested. Thank you very much.

 

Well F10GKG73375 is your vin #, so going off of that your truck is a 1970, F100, 2wd, 302 V8, made at the Kansas City, MO plant.

 

That's the best part! Well, if there's any interesting details, I suppose, but if so let's hear.

 

The truck was built in Oct. 1969 as a 1970 model.
If you want to check the frame VIN, it's located on the top right (passenger side) frame rail. It can be anywhere between the radiator support and the firewall but the most common location is about inline with the alternator.

 

Ahhh! Thanks for that information. 1970 is what the truck was supposed to be, according to the seller. I had thought that I'd read that this format for the VIN meant the truck was 1973 or later.

The searches I've done trying to find ways to read the information in the VIN have not produced much. Can you tell me how you found that year info? I thought I had the F10GK part OK; the G73375 was what I could not find.

There is still a frame mismatch issue, which leads me to want to find a number on the frame, if you have any suggestions for that. See the album here for photos on that:
Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums - Jim Pivonka's Album: Ford Pickup Truck - Rebuilt

 

Thanks for the detail. Very helpful, and apparently very hard to find on the web. I'll report back when I've had a chance to check the passenger side frame rail - again.

 

Nice looking truck, definitely a 1970.
WB 131= 131" wheelbase
Color TM= (T) Candyapple red (M) Wibledon White
Model F100= F100 2WD 5000 lb. GVW
Body E4= (E) red/dk red vinyl interior (4) styleside pickup bed
Trans G= Automatic transmission
Axle 08= 3.50 ratio Ford 9" non-locking 3300 lb capacity
Max GVW 05000= 5000 lb max gross weight
Cert net HP 148= 148 cert net hp @ 4000 RPM
rpm 4000= " " " " "
DSO 53= Kansas City District Sales Office

 

Mike, thanks so much for the additional detail! I've checked the frame location you refer to. It may be that this frame is not related to the body, even closely enough to have a VIN in the expected location. I could not see a VIN and could not visualize one with a camera. The photos are posted with additional notes at
Ford Truck Enthusiasts Forums - Jim Pivonka's Album: Ford Pickup Truck - Rebuilt

 

so basically, the engine has been replaced with one from a Granada. Shouldn't be a big deal.
You have the vin decoded so the truck vin is correct.

Is there an issue with the truck that you are hunting all of this info down? If the title matches the door plate that should be good enough. The frame stamping can be a booger to find and could be rusted over but again, why the apparent urgency in finding this info?

 

there is also a vin decoder right on this site:

VIN Number Decoder offer to you by Ford Trucks Enthusiasts | www.ford-trucks.com

 

The bad information I had, that the VIN format indicated a date after 1972, while the Title and registration indicated 1970, was the source of concern.

That's been dealt with by the correct information I got here. I did not find the VIN decoder here when searching the web; but did note from items returned that people here seemed to be able to get good information. It's a shame that the Ford Trucks Enthusiasts decoder did not show up in my search, it's excellent and would have saved me some anxious moments.

The frame business came up when I was surprised to find that the frame and body are not related, except through marriage by cutting torch and pieces of wood. Surprise! But you are right, it's not a major issue.

 

Sometimes the frame VIN is really difficult to find/read. I've seen it stamped so lightly that it was almost invisible.
The picture shows where the two locations are, the visible one in the engine compartment is the one you're looking for. The second, hidden one is there for law enforcement purposes (stolen vehicles, etc.) and is only visible if you remove the body.

 

Wow! I really like that 1970! I came home from the hospital in a 1970 Ford F-250 Camper Special. I will never forget the day my dad sold it, a rust free AZ truck, straight body, running 360 etc. for $400.

It was handed down to him from his father(my grandfather) in 1978 when he was 18, luckily my grandfather was no fool and went out and bought himself a brand new 1978 F-250 Camper Special that was handed down to me when I was 15. Ten years later I still own it and love it. I can tell you though, it will take more than $400 to pry my keys from me. From me cold dead hands is more like it!

Point is, I got a real soft spot for that truck of yours. Looks like a keeper!

 

Thanks to you folks for your encouragement and help. Now that you folks have reassured me about the title & registration I've put the plates on it.

The carburetor rebuild seems to have worked, the engine started and ran at a reasonable idle after it was installed. I pulled the plugs, put about 2.5 Tbs. of a top oil mix into each cylinder, hand turned the engine for what seemed like 20 minutes (was not counting), and left it sit overnight before turning it over with the plugs still out. It did seem to free up a bit, and turn more easily during this procedure.

The best thing about this plug out turnover was that I'd left the caburetor off and had a hose running from the fuel line into clean gallon can; the first 1/2 cup or so of gas out of the line was very dark, cloudy, and yellowish in color. An inline filter in the line to the can collected black particles too. It would have been a crime to run that into a newly rebuilt carburetor and new fuel filter.

The plugs were greatly overtightened but in decent condition other than being black, but not "carbonized". One broke during the pull, so they've all been replaced.

After an oil change in an hour or so I'll take it off the blocks and do a little drive around; see what develops.

Thanks again.

 

Good luck to you.
Keep us updated on your progress. Even though you've got a "bump" not a "dent" all of us here like to see any "old" Ford get back on the road.
Congratulations.