1948-1950 ford pickup question

[vonpahrkur]

Been checking out these pickups and noticed some cabs are smooth in the back and some have strengthening ribs toward the bottom-could someone tell me what the difference is.
Is this a difference in particular years or in size of truck?
If it is by year, what year did they begin having these strengthening ribs?
Thanks in advance

[vonpahrkur]

anyone?

[27TV8]

Hello. Mine is a 49 and it has them.
Thomas

[Ken Crans]

Early 48's didnt have the strengthening ribs, but i believe late 48 and up had them.

[sagil]

My pickup is a '50 F-1 . It is an early production unit with raised bed sides and steel bed floor. It as 3 of the stiffeners on the lower portion of the back of the cab. I know this does not answer your question but that is the way mine is.

Gil

[Harley Dean]

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My early 48 has the smooth back. I'm sure it was built Dec. of 47. Dean

[mtflat]

As noted the earliest didn't have them. From memory, some plants produced them earlier than others. It may just have been due to the amount of stock on hand when the running change was made.

Dean, how did you determine the build date of your truck? It's possible but I've never seen solid evidence of one.... at least one with the F1 styled sheet metal. They didn't hit the showrooms until January 16, 1948. I've heard rumors that some early 48s were produced with 42-47 sheetmetal, but that could happen from licensing jurisdictions that titled a truck as the year when it was purchased.

Thanks - I'm always interested in learning new factoids about these trucks.

[Dick]

My '49 has 3 ribs. Also found these stamps on the firewall above the pinch weld below the driver side wiper arm. 6 23 9 ?? The trim inspector must have had an easy job!

[Harley Dean]

mtflat My 48 glass is dated Nov. 1947 and it has two water drain tubes on each side of the windshield that exit on the side of the cowl. The back of the cab is smooth, no ribs, like a 47.It has one w. wiper and no hole for a right side wiper. The truck was built at the Kansas City plant and has vin # of 661.When I blasted the cab on the in side of the fire wall was the date 12-8 Dean

[mtflat]

Thanks Dean, I appreciate your info. It stands to reason they had to start putting them together a short time ahead. Your vin follows the standard F1 form of 88RC 661? That's the earliest one I've ever heard of. Are there any stampings on the firewall similar to 7KC8M 1234?

My 48 is late - 133000 and has the drain tubes from the windshield and a smooth back. It had a stencilled date on the firewall of 11-11-48 and my firewall is stamped 7RH12L 6025

[Harley Dean]

mtflat I blasted my firewall and there were no stamping at all. Dean

[mtflat]

It seems to be about 50/50 that the firewall/cowls were stamped. When stamped they tell color, assembly plant, date of assembly and vehicle down the line