Anybody know how to decode these things? I just bought a really solid F800.

F80K3H20536

Pictures are in my gallery, including the ID tag.

 

Welcome tot he board!! Looks like a great catch!
I can't answer your questions but someone should be along anytime that will. There are alot of the bigger truck guys around here who have tons of info on the big ones.

Bobby

 

I don't have the engine code, but the vins are similar in setup to the little trucks.
F80 = F800
K = engine (likely the 279 or 317)
3 = year 1953
H = Highland Park, Michigan assembly plant
20536 = consecutive unit number

1952 was the first year for those Y-block, OHV engines in the big trucks so I'm guessing they were the same in '53

 

K is the 317, J is the 279. They are the same through 55. They are the Lincoln motors.

 

Woohoo!

I was hoping it was the 317. The exhaust manifold casting numbers started with EAM...

Pickup hood patch panels should be the same, right? The way it looks to me, the only real differences cabwise are the fenders and running boards. Am I missing anything here?

Thanks for your replies. I'm really excited about this one. Excited enough to step backwards off of the running board without remembering that it's still on the trailer. I grew up on a farm with a 1954 F750 dump that I have dreamed of restoring since childhood, but it's just too far gone - runs great, but the only thing holding the cab onto the chassis is the steering column. This '53 is a much better position to start from. It seems really well maintained although it's been sitting for a few years.

If I can figure out the butchered wiring under the dash, I just might try to start it. Oh what the heck, I'll just jumper the essential stuff and see what happens...

 

The only body differences are the fenders and the running boards. Everything else should fit just fine. The column and steering wheel are different. Post some photos.

 

Scratch that, I see you have a gallery already.

 

Excellent. Who has the best rear cab corners? Neither is very bad, but one is rusted all the way around to where it meets the rocker. I guess I'll have to replace the front edge of the hood, repair the battery box, and patch a really small place in the lower front of one of the fenders behind the bumper. Other than that, I can't find any more rust. I'm sure it'll show a little more once I chip some of the asphault from underneath, (it's got paving truck undercoating.)

BTW, you guys have some really cool stuff in your galleries!

 

Roycec,
You have a nice truck, It looks like a great project. Dennis Carpenter has lots of parts for it as does Blue Oval parts.
We had lots of old Ford trucks as I was growing up, so I am realy fond of them.
Don

 

I prefer mid fifty on some of the body parts. I don't care for LMC (higher priced on almost everything). Concours parts out of Carson City has a lot of good stuff too.

 

Thanks, guys.

I didn't know about Blue Oval, I'll check them out. Do the body parts from all the mentioned suppliers seem to fit equally well?

I disconnected the generator after work today, and hooked up a 12V battery to the coil and starter solenoid, with a remote start switch in there too. Cleaned the points. Fired right up with a little gas and/or starting fluid through the carb throat. Sounds tight. Good compression, no mechanical noise or missing. Makes me really want to clean the fuel system so that it will keep running, but I gotta go out of town tomorrow for the weekend. Don't even want to leave now. Man, the sound of these old things is addictive! Love the old Y's.

 

Good to hear about her firing up. Keep us all posted on how she goes for you. About the parts fitment, don't get the imported ones. Call the customer service line for wherever ou want to buy from, and ask if the parts are imported or not, and if they are from original dies.

 

Sounds like good advice; why didn't I think of that? Thanks.

I wish I could be working on her right now. I need a shop that will hold heat. Then I could run a line out there and look to this forum for inspiration as I work.

 

What are your plans with it? Are you going to go similar to stock? When I was trying to figure out the route on my F-800, I looked at a bunch of photos, and then started looking at a bunch of custom semi photos. I then decided to take the Ford body on a semi chassis, and build it like a Peterbilt or Kenworth. Just so you know, the frames on our F-800 trucks are the same width as a 1973 Ford L-8000. Makes it easier for putting a big semi truck diesel motor in an old Ford truck body.

 

I haven't really decided yet. As long as the motor is workable, and I think that it is, I'll probably keep it stock, and set it up as a trailer towing rig. Add a gooseneck, pintle, receiver, maybe even a fifth wheel for occasional off road use, (no air brakes.) I'll probably take the PTO winch off of my C600 and mount it on there, too. Shorten the boom and make it quick detachable. That'll give me back the full 14' of bed on the cabover for hauling milled lumber. The old girl kinda looks like she might like stacks, too.

Anybody know if a lincoln 430 will mate with the bellhouse from the 317? If the motor doesn't work, that is. I realize that there are many other issues, but to me the bellhouse is the most difficult to overcome. Everything else is a lot easier for me to fabricate. If not, I definitely wouln't mind having a diesel. I kinda like the idea of keeping it stock, though. I've never driven anything with the 317 in it, just 279s.

Are you still going for your crew cab conversion? That sounds pretty cool, although the drawing with the sleeper looks great too. I have been thinking about trying building a crew cab for a C750 fire truck that I have. You'd need a high garage ceiling to tilt that up. Probably won't ever get around to it, though - too many projects.