Greetings all!

I usually hang in the 73-79 forum, but I'm looking at a 46 ford and have some questions.

Everyday I pass an old ford flatbed truck that's for sale. Today I called the guy and found that it's a 1946 military issue dually with a dumping flatbed. The guy said that after the war, lots of these trucks were sent overseas. The engine is a v8 of some type with a back-up hand crank for starting. Supposedly the last year they put the hand crank on them. It doesn't run and hasn't for about 8 years.

To be honest, I'm really only interested in the cab to put on my 78 off-road truck, but still curious about the value of the rest of the parts. The guy claims that there's no rust on the cab, but I haven't looked that close yet.

Anyone know what engine/tranny it might have, or what kind of rear axle? The diff looks HUGE compared to the 9" on my 78. If it is indeed a post-war military issue truck, is this a collectable vehicle?

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

TIA.

Kevin K.

P.S. The guy said he'd even deliver it to my house and only wants $425.

edit: Sorry, wrong forum. I meant to click 47 & older. Must be Monday. Admin, please move to correct forum if possible.

Edit: Moved to '47 and older forum.
Kenny

 

Hi Kevin, welcome to this corner of the Ford world. Here's my opinion for what it's worth...........

If the truck were a titled '42, '43 or '44 I would save it in stock form because civilian production was extremely limited during those 3 years. But as soon as the war ended in '45, Ford and everyone else started pumping out vehicles for a very hungry civilian population. By '46 they were catching up with normal demand. So being a '46 isn't anything special. During those post-war years, they were also producing new military trucks, but not at anywhere near the rate they were. So it has some historical value, but they're not rare either.

Crank - the V8 flatheads continued to be used until 1953 and at least the 48-52's still have a hole in the lower grill area to accept the crank handle. There was just a discussion on fordbarn.com about how tough it was to crank a V8. Most late (48-53) engines no longer rec'd the toothed crank bolt, and '46 or 47 may have been the last year Ford installed those as a stock item.

Most of my resources cover 48 and up, but chassis parts were very similar to 46 and 47. How to tell what's in it? Count the number of leaf springs on the front and rear and let me know what size tires it has. The title (?) should declare the size of the truck and that's all Ford went by. 1/2, 3/4, one ton, 1 1/2 T, 2T, 2 1/2T and 3T. As far as I know the V8, if stock, would have been the 239 cid and the tranny probably a 4 or 5 spd crashbox with or w/o a 2 spd rearend. If it's 4 wheel drive it would likely have a Marmon-Harrington conversion in it and I'd leave it stock.

Sorry to be so long winded. I'd buy it in a heartbeat for 425. Drive it as is or put the body on your '78.

 

Thanks for the response. I'll take a few pix of it on my way to work tomorrow and post 'em. Hopefully, I can get some of the interior, engine and drive train, but it's supposed to be raining.

Thanks again for the pethora of information.

Kevin K.

 

Look at the glove box door, inside there may still be the tag that has model number, GVW and the VIN number to the truck. If not there check the frame, driver's side, on top of frame rail, around steering box is a stamped VIN number. The engine, if it's the stock V8 is the 239, the trans on the bigger trucks (1 ton and up... 3/4 ton discontinued in '45) is a 4 spd, no 5 spds, unless it's an aftermarket supplier. The 1 ton truck was single rear wheeled, 17" rims, 122" wheel base. Any bigger is a 20" wheel, and dual rear wheeled. Most likely not a vehicle sent over seas...chances are very slim it would have come back to the states. For $425 I would say go buy it...I would if I was in the area.

 

double post...oops

 

I got some pix of the beast on my way in this morning. It looks to be a 2-speed rear end because the wierd mechanism on the dif. It also appears to be a flat-head v8, although I've never seen one. As for a rust free cab, I think not. Closer to a floor-free cab. It's got 20" wheels, but I couldn't get a vin off it.

Anyhow, here are some pix of it. If anyone can identify any of this stuff, please do.

Thanks!

Kevin K.

 

Hmm, definetly a bigger truck, at least 1.5 tons...only way to tell is by the VIN number and the wheelbase. That is a flathead V8, although a later model flathead, a 49-53. Only way to tell what model flathead (car or truck) is to see what the codes are that are cast ion the heads and intake...generally, 8BA for Ford car, 8CM for Merc, 8RT for Trucks...if 52 or 53 EAB for Ford and EAC for Merc. Those flatheads displaced between 239 and 255 CID. That is a 2 speed rear axle on the truck. Outside of the truck isn't bad looking...new floors are available from places like Bitchin' Prodcuts in AZ.