Early/late 47 ?

[svmsr1044]

Can anyone out there tell me how to tell the difference between an "early" and "late" 1947 Ford car? Thanks

[woodiewagon46]

I would purchase the 1941-1948 Ford Book, offered by the V-8 Ford Club. It goes into great detail about the changes. It also has a page called "Evolutionary Changes" that lists all the changes in chronological order.

[corvette8n]

Originally Posted by woodiewagon46

I would purchase the 1941-1948 Ford Book, offered by the V-8 Ford Club. It goes into great detail about the changes. It also has a page called "Evolutionary Changes" that lists all the changes in chronological order.

+1 to that.

[tracktguy]

One item that comes to mind is the body side moulding on the early '47 are like the '46 and is ribbed. After that they are smooth like the '48.

[G.M.]

The 46 had a tool box under the very rear of the floor. Very early
47's used the left over 46 parts and some also had the box. G.M.

[mercman from oz]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

These are the two models that were available in 1946, 1947 and 1948. The Blue Convertible was introduced for 1946 and has Rectangular Parking Lights. The same style was carried over into 1947 when partway through the year, the Parking Lights were repositioned to under the Headlights and were Round, like on the Maroon Convertible. This model with the Round Parking Lights was continued on into 1948. So, there were two models spread over three years. In addition to the round Parking Lights of the updated 47 models, the Profile of the Chrome Trim changed, and the Strips on the Fenders were positioned under the Crease, whereas, on the 46 models, the strips were above the Crease. Also, the rear Bumper on the late 47, 48 models was positioned lower. These are the most obvious differences. In Australia, our 46 and 47 models both had the Rectangular Parking Lights. Only our 48 model got the Round Parking Lights.

[mercman from oz]

Here are pictures of the Chrome strips on Australian 1946 - 1948 Fords and 1946 Mercury, used on the Hoods. As mentioned in my Post above, It wasn't until 1948 that we got the updated 48 model. Our 46 and 47 models both had the Rectangular Parking Lights, but there are other ways to tell which are the 46 and which are the 47 models. One change was the ending of the Chrome Strip on the Hood. If you compare the 46 and 47 Strips, you will see that the ends are different.
Question :- Did any USA Fords have the same style Strip as our Australian 47 models as shown above?

[George/Maine]

I bought a 47 few years ago and was said to be a early 47.It was picked apart of this site and at car shows. One day the sun was shining at the fire wall and there was a date Sept 47 .I believe this car has a 46 nose. The ID number fits a later date like Sept 47.

[mercman from oz]

George, I notice that the Chrome Strips on the Rear Fenders on your Sedan Coupe are located below the crease, which indicates that it is a late 47 or 48 Car. Meanwhile, the Chrome Strips on the Front Fenders are located above the Crease. So, it is obvious that someone has substituted a 46 Front Clip to your 1947 Ford. Regards Mercman <><

[Pomeroy41144]

I know a guy who has a 1947 Ford with a mix of 1946 parts on it. He says the parts are original to the car after I quizzed him on it. Probably are. I always had trouble picking out the 1947 and 1948 cars from each other. The V-8 Album and the 1941-1948 Ford book is handy.

[dwick01]

My late '47 ford trim looks like the '48 in your picture mercman.

[waterboychuck]

What is the serial number of your 47? If it's an early one you could have 46 trim as the assembly plant used up their parts.
G.M. mentioned a tool tray. My 46 is an early one and does have the tool tray but they went away in 46 so there shouldn't be any 47's with one.

[Drbrown]

Often the chrome trim running across the trunk lid of the '46 shows up on the early '47's i.e see waterboychuck's avatar pic. See attached photo of my late '47 trunk.

Also, check the "bugs" printed on your side windows. The bugs on my late '47 sedan long-door coupe (still original glass except one vent) indicate all the glass was made about July-Aug '47 and it typically took 2 or 3 months for the glass to be installed in a production car.

All the side trim on my late '47 is the smooth rounded type (see "mercman from oz" post #7- he labels it "48").

[GordonC]

I read that an early 47 has a shorter distance between the windshield wiper towers than a later one if that helps at all. All of the trim pieces could be swapped out as needed but I doubt that would be changed!

[waterboychuck]

mercman from oz is showing trim that was used in Australia but maybe not in the US. Can anyone confirm this?

[Graeme / New Zealand]

Originally Posted by mercman from oz

George, I notice that the Chrome Strips on the Rear Fenders on your Sedan Coupe are located below the crease, which indicates that it is a late 47 or 48 Car. Meanwhile, the Chrome Strips on the Front Fenders are located above the Crease. So, it is obvious that someone has substituted a 46 Front Clip to your 1947 Ford. Regards Mercman <><

and no stainless around the windows.

GB

[Graeme / New Zealand]

Originally Posted by waterboychuck

mercman from oz is showing trim that was used in Australia but maybe not in the US. Can anyone confirm this?

Mercmans pics don't show the other sort of trim ie the flat profile trim found on the "early true 47" ( round park lighs) models. Suspect they never got it in Oz, but we did in NZ across the "ditch" from them.

GB

[mercman from oz]

[IMG]https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=307190&amp;d=148878217 7[/IMG





Here are some more photos of Chrome Strips on Australian 1946, 1947 and 1948 Fords. You will notice that the Strip in the lower photo shows two Ridges. The 1948 Ford Strip that I have in my collection does not have these Creases. Australian 1948 Fords are few and far between, so I don't know what is correct on these local cars, Plain end or with Ridges? All I know is the one in my collection is off a local 1948 model and lacks these Ridges. Is one correct for a 1947 Ford and the other correct for a 1948 Ford? do USA Fords have the strip in the centre illustration, that was correct for our 1947 Fords?

[mercman from oz]

This picture of the 1946 Ford Strip got missed from my Post that I just sent?

[big job]

Originally Posted by G.M.

The 46 had a tool box under the very rear of the floor. Very early
47's used the left over 46 parts and some also had the box. G.M.

Ok I have a 46 and I can't find any tool box? sam

[mercman from oz]

Here are a pair of 1948 Australian Fords, a Super Deluxe Sedan and Deluxe Utility. These 1948 Fords are rare in Australia. Notice that on both cars, they have the Chrome strips on the Hood with the Smooth end. It is my observation that these were the usual Chrome strip fitted to Australian 1948 Fords. Notice that in Australia, we got carry over 46 style Bumper Guards/Over Riders? The Ute has incorrect 1941 Ford Hubcaps fitted.

[waterboychuck]

I other item that I noticed is that the you also have a 46 hood ornament on the top of the hood and a 47/48 on the front of the hood.

[Rustedjunk]

The ignitions are different. The early 47's like mine have the switch that you flip before you start it. The later 47's and 48's had an entirely different system without the switch.

[mercman from oz]

Rusted Junk, you are correct, in that in Australia, Ford never updated the Hood Ornament, but continued on using the 1946 Ford Style Ornament for all 3 years.

[Bill]

Just to bend the thread a little did anyone else notice in post 21 the 55 Cdn. Meteor ambulance in the background with 55 Ford Fairlane side moldings? No wonder people get confused trying to identify early Fords.. ;-) Bill

[mercman from oz]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Another difference with these Australian 1948 Fords is that they retained the 1946 Ford style duel chrome stips on trunk lid on all models to the end of the 1948 models. Also, the rear Bumper was not lowered, as it was in the USA, and we kept the 1946 Ford style Bumper, less the Ford Script, plus the 1946 style Bumper Guards/Over Riders. This car has a 46 Front Clip fitted to it, including the Chrome stips on the fenders, which are fitted above the crease. The Chrome Strips on the Rears are correct and sit below the crease.

[Graeme / New Zealand]

Originally Posted by mercman from oz

[IMG]https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=307190&amp;d=148878217 7[/IMG





Here are some more photos of Chrome Strips on Australian 1946, 1947 and 1948 Fords. You will notice that the Strip in the lower photo shows two Ridges. The 1948 Ford Strip that I have in my collection does not have these Creases. Australian 1948 Fords are few and far between, so I don't know what is correct on these local cars, Plain end or with Ridges? All I know is the one in my collection is off a local 1948 model and lacks these Ridges. Is one correct for a 1947 Ford and the other correct for a 1948 Ford? do USA Fords have the strip in the centre illustration, that was correct for our 1947 Fords?

Mercman the one with the ridges on the end is an early round park light 47. It should have a flatter profile than the later 47 round park lite/48.

I have 2 of those strips on my 48 hood. It is wrong for the car year as all the rest of the stainless is a rounder profile that has a slight peak in the centre.

GB

[mercman from oz]

Bill, This is the car in the background that you were referring to. This particular Ambulance was built especially for the Snowy Mountains project down in southern New South Wales. If Bill is confused, so am I. The owner classes it as a 1958 model, and it does have the Hood and Grille as fitted to the local 1958 Fords which were called "Star Model" because of the Star in the Grille and Hubcaps. They got this title because as Bill correctly pointed out that the Grille was first applied to the 1955 Canadian Meteors. As Ford Australia didn't want to go the expense of tooling up for the all-new 1957 Fords, they decided to make do with the 1955/1956 models for two more years. The Side Chrome Trim on this ex Ambulance is what was fitted to Australian 1957 Ford Customlines, but was originally fitted to the 1956 Ford Fairlanes in America. The 1955 Meteor Grilles were only used for one year, being 1958. So, this particular vehicle has a mixture of both 1957 and 1958 Ford parts. Our local 1957 Ford Customlines got Chrome Plated Headlight Rims.

[mercman from oz]

Here is another Ambulance that was built for the Snowy Mountains Project. This time around, it is all 1957 Ford, including the Grille and Side Chrome. what is interesting is that the Hood with the small "Fairlane" Badge, Centre Hood Trim and Painted Headlight Rimes were only on the Mainline Utes. The 1957 Ford Customlines got a large Ford Badge on the Hood plus a very different Hood Emblem as well as Chrome Plated Headlight Rims. This vehicle may have started off as a Mainline Ute which does make sense, as the Mainlines had en extra X in the Chassis. like on the American Convertibles.

[FortyNiner]

Originally Posted by big job

Ok I have a 46 and I can't find any tool box? sam

The replacement trunk floors for the 46s from EMS have two version: with and without tool boxes. I understood that this was an early/late 46 change.

http://www.hotrodssheetmetal.com/19fosh.html

[waterboychuck]

Here's a photo of my early 46 trunk area showing the tool tray.

[mercman from oz]

I came across this ex New Zealand 1947 Ford last week. If you look closely, you can see that there are two different profiles for these smooth Chrome Strips. The one on the door (left) is thicker in the middle than the ones on the right. If you rub your hand over it, there is a distinct Crease down the centre that the flatter Strips don't have. I was told that this Crease was for added strength. If you compare the end profiles, you can see that the one on the left is much thicker and comes to a peak in the middle. I was told that the Strip on the Door is the revised 1948 Strip, and is less susceptible to dents?

[GordonC]

One other difference between the early 47 and late 47 that I didn't see mentioned is the distance center line to center line on the wiper towers. The earlier 47 is closer together. The later 47 is farther apart. Don't recall the measurements or if the earlier cars dimension is the same as the 46's or not.

[TJ]

The tool tray went away after Ford used up the '42 bodies for '46. Only very early '46's had the tray. Later 46's did not have it.

[bobH]

In my opinion, this thread is 'muddled'. The original poster has PA as his location, and is presumably inquiring about US cars. There is a lot of info here that I find 'interesting', but it applies to non-US cars. If the poster is indeed inquiring about US cars, it will take some 'interpretation' to know what applies to his situation.
The V8 Times once published the running changes for 46-48, and I assume the same info is available in the club book. I submit there is no such thing as 'early 47' vs 'late 47'. Sure, there is the thing about the 46 trim vs the 47 trim, but there is so much more with all the running changes. There have even been examples posted here of a 47 that came with 47-style belt molding on one side of the car, and 48-style molding on the other side. Ford made it difficult to positively say that one is 'correct' and another is 'incorrect'. Just my opinion.

[edhd58]

it is my understanding the 42, like mine, and the early 46 have the parking lights above the head lights in the filler panels. Late 46 the the lights were moved to below the headlights. i know nothing about the trim.

[TJ]

Originally Posted by edhd58

it is my understanding the 42, like mine, and the early 46 have the parking lights above the head lights in the filler panels. Late 46 the the lights were moved to below the headlights. i know nothing about the trim.

Late '46 into early '47 had the parking lights in the filler panel just like the early cars.

[Graeme / New Zealand]

Here to add the confusion. In New Zealand on the smooth grill round park light 47/48 we did not get the hood ornament with the blue plastic insert. We got the 46 "bird" style ornament but the "8" badge was deleted off it because it was on the "shield" like the US late 47/48s had.

GB