Hi,

I just bought a '46 Ford truck. I am just a little confused about what size the truck might be by the posts in this forum.

I found the VIN on the frame yesterday it is a 699Y and the VIN on the frame matches the tranny. So based on this its a 1 ton.

But I started to do some measuring and found some interesting things. The wheel base is about 112-115". The box is 6.5 ft. The center of the bolt circle front and back is 5.5" and there are both 16'" and 15" wheels on the truck.

I posted a picture in my gallery so that you can look at the front fender.

Any ideas for what size this truck is?

Thanks

 

Soule, welcome to the site! Just for reference where in the world are you? That is a 1/2 ton front fender, 1946 truck, running board is either big truck or cut off 1/2 ton, and an interesting rear fender. Someone else can say what the Y in the vin code means, as I dont remember.

 

I will try to fix the location info soon (I am in MN). The rear fender is not original -- I will be looking for these as I get further into this project -- there is a good line where the originals bolted up. I am unsure why these fenders were put on.

The quest is still on though I guess -- 1/2 ton front fenders and 1 ton running boards???

Thanks

 

Here is another question about the '46 trucks. How "straight" is the front axel supposed to be? Ie, should there be any rise in the axel on the outside of the springs?

Thanks.

 

I added a couple more pictures to my gallery --one of the right fender and one of the front axel. I think the front axel is not original, it looks like it is a drop axel to lower the front end. The engine also is not original it is an 8BA. The tag on the differential reads: W 47/11 (does this mean anything?).

As 46yblock pointed out the running boards are short -- they were definately cut off with a torch, but I am not sure how much was cut off.

Thanks again for any help identifying any of these things.

 

I looked up the VIN info, courteousy of 46fordtruck, our moderator, and the VIN number means you have a 1 ton. 699C..... for half ton and 699Y.... for one ton.
Also, that is a stock ford front axle.

 

A good way to see the difference between a big truck front fender and a half-ton is to look at my gallery. The driver side fender is a big truck and the other side is half ton. Someday I'll change that.

 

Thanks Yblock. I looked at your gallery -- nice truck. I was trying to see the differences in the fenders, but for a novice like me I still cannot see them (I think I read somewhere that even you didn't notice the difference on your truck at first). I tried to find other ton trucks also to see if I could see anything -- but no luck. Most pictures have a nice veiw of the truck from an angle which makes it hard to see the wheel opening, or they have very dark fenders like yours that blend well with the tire. I guess if I knew what I was looking for it would stick out like a sore thumb (well maybe not that bad since you don't seem to be too upset that you have one of each on such a nicely done truck).

Did you happen to peek at the picture of my right fender -- do you think they match as 1/2 tons?

So when I apply for the title what would you recommend I use for the GVW?

Again -- thanks for your help

 

soule46...very interesting truck you have there. The front fenders are the correct ones for 1/2 tons, 1 tons have at the wheel arch opening higher up. I've kind of learned to spot the differences between the two since I have been dealing in the '42-'47's for quite a while. I have a pic that I can send you of a 1/2 ton and a 1 ton fender side by side for comparison. Can't post it in a gallery here, FTE won't allow it, but I can email it to you. I'll reply back to the PM you sent me with it.
Does your state not actually weigh the truck when you apply for title? If they charge for GVW, go with the '46 GVW of 4700 lbs, since it seems your truck has the under pinnings of a 1/2 ton.
The axle number you gave, is actually the rear axle ratio, which equates to about a 4.27:1 ratio.

 

As someone has already said, the Y code denotes a 1 ton. However, the 1 ton has a 122" wheelbase whereas the 1/2 ton has a 114" wheelbase. Looks like someone shortened the wheelbase to make it look like a 1/2 ton.

 

Thanks everyone for your help with this. I guess I got more of a pile of parts than I had anticipated. The truck had a camper built on it so there have been some frame modifications. I think I know a little more about the truck than I did when I got it back to the house. I guess Johnny Cash comes to mind when I think of the truck now.

I tried to bolt up the rear axle only to find that the spring pads were on the bottom (Duh, I should have seen that) and the were spaced too far apart. Does anyone know if there is a casting number that I can find for the rear axle so I can tell what I have. It looks like its about 60" wide wheel to wheel, so I could cut the spring pads off and put them where they belong -- or else find something better.

 

But that thing has a 5 lug setup on the front so it must be a half!

 

All Ford trucks in '46-'47 had a 5 lug setup. The bolt pattern just got bigger on the bigger trucks...a 1 ton has a 5 on 6.5 pattern, while the 1/2 ton uses a 5 on 5.5 pattern. But the wheels on the truck in the pictures do appear to be 1/2 ton wheels, so it appears to have 1/2 brakes at least.

 

OK, so what is it, one of those new hybrids?

 

Haha...good one Mike.
Something just occured to me...based upon most everything appearing to be 1/2 ton, except for the VIN, this truck is probably a 1/2 ton. Human error can, and did occur on the assembly line, I have seen this personally with the VIN stampings. It is very possible that this truck was ordered as a 1/2 ton, and along the line, the VIN was accidently stamped as a 1 ton.