1950 f1 vin questions

Firepower flyer

Firepower flyer

Senior Member
Hi gang I recently picked up a Texas f1 thats really clean and solid and untouched.The previous owner claims it's a 1950,I would like to know maybe when it was built or what plant ect.I know there's a thread on the ford truck fourm started on this but I'm not a member over there and I'm sure someone here has the answers I need. It hasn't been run in about 11 years and the engine was mildly stuck.I soaked it over the weekend with diesel and it freed right up.It started right up and I shut it off after 30 seconds,I wanted to change oil and clean the oil pump screen.I fired it back up and it runs awesome!!!I changed the points cap and rotor and it starts in a half a crank on 11 year old gas!!Ok so back to the original post,I know there some knowlegable people on here with these truck,so I would like to try and get as much info on the truck from firewall numbers ect.Here's some info of what I do know.It is a factory black truck with a v8(gold in color)3sp floor shift with a 3:92 ratio dana 41 rearend it has the ribs on the back of cab and has the raised panels on the side of bed.On the firewall above the seam there are some numbers,some very clear others not so much but I think I have it right.Here goes
DLA G3I 286
glovebox info
model 9RC
98RC *423665*DL
Thanks in advance
Joe
One more thing on the underside of hood passenger side there are grease crayon markings that shows 179 over the number
8
I'm sure it's assembly line info,any ideas?
 
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Here's a picture of the old girl,don't mind those terrible rims they are going in the scrap pile and the stock rims and caps will be in back in place.Does anyone know what the correct color of the rims with a black truck?I was thinking black or dirty white.
 
I can't locate it now but I recall one of the parts suppliers (Carpenter, Mac's, Drake) had a VIN# deciphering sheet in a catalog. I was able to obtain all the information on our '51 F-1 from that sheet. Maybe, if you contact the various vendors they could get the info for you.
 
I think it goes like this...
9= year (1950) ?
8R =8 cyl.
C = F 1, 1/2 Ton
423665 = serial number
DL = Dallas Plant
 
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More info.. others will chime in if I am not correct.

DL = Dallas

A = paint code ( black)

G = month built ( july )

31 = day

286 = production number
 
jdl has the goods for you. Nice original truck!

Engines weren't gold in 49 trucks so it's a replacement - which is normal. The grease pencil marks were assembly notes, but I've never seen any info on them.

Interesting note on the Dallas plant - early 49 they used a assembly code pattern similar to the other assembly plants but by late 49 they went their own way.

Early is: color code/ plant/ day/ month/ vehicle down the line
Late form for DL is: plant/ color code/ month/ day/ vehicle down the line.
 
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Mtflat mine is titled as a 50 can you tell by the vin numbers if it's a 49 or 50? The numbers on the glovebox,firewall and frame all match up the same.I thought I had read that it should have had a gold engine,this thing looks like it's never been touched,of course if it was done 20-30 years ago I geuss it would be hard to tell.What is the correct color for the engine?Also do you know what the correct color for the rims would be on a black truck.
Thanks Joe
 
'48, 49 and 50 used the same serial number string. 48's had their own prefix - 88RC/87HC. 49/50 both used 98RC/97HC.

We've spent 10 years sorting thru the numbers and the dividing line is fuzzy due to the fact that some states titled 49 built trucks as 50's if they were first registered in that calendar year. Your's is late enough that it's clearly a '50.

Truck engines were red. Differences were cars - and most of the engine color charts came from car clubs. Ford used a mfg rebuild program and the dealer would get whatever block Ford sent them. That said, anything is possible cause Ford made exceptions the norm.

Rims I believe were black. If I'm wrong Stu or Bob J can correct me.
 
Cool!!!Thanks to all of you for the help and info!!It's nice to know a little about what your working on and know some of the history.I have a soft sopts for the F1s,when I was in grade school my dad restored a 50 F1 and thats what I learned how to drive stick shift in when I was 10 or 12 years old and I spent alot of time riding in it.My older brother got the truck and hot rodded it and then tore it apart and it hasn't seen the road again.I always wanted one to play with so when this popped up on local Craigslist cheap I took my dad with me to go look at it and of course brought it home.Thanks again I will wait to paint the rims until I find out what there suppose to be.
Joe
 
Nice truck Firepower, I know that well . My first truck was a 48. Now 27 years later my wife and i are doing another. Good Luck Ken
 

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The rims were most likely black but that's not going to be something a fellow would have to stick to. There a few other colors that work OK with black and no one would fault a guy for being a little different from stock.
 
My brother that has my dads old truck stopped by today and brought me some goodies off of it that he's not going to use when he redoes his.I swapped out the front bumper and optional bumperette and Ford script driving lights.The stuff has been weathered and the chrome is peeling but it looks right at home on my truck.

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The picture I'm seeing shows 42-early 50 bed that uses the notched fenders. Does it have floor shift? I always understood that the late 50s had column shift and smooth side bed, but I'm not sure I ever saw one. My July 49 F-1 has the steering column mount punched out for a column shift, so they were thinking about it I guess but the truck is floor shift.
 
It's true; you do learn something new every day. I've never seen one of those "bumper guards" for an early F-1, very cool! Vic
 
Dick Webber said:
The picture I'm seeing shows 42-early 50 bed that uses the notched fenders. Does it have floor shift? I always understood that the late 50s had column shift and smooth side bed, but I'm not sure I ever saw one. My July 49 F-1 has the steering column mount punched out for a column shift, so they were thinking about it I guess but the truck is floor shift.
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Good question Dick. From what we've compiled it was the very late 50's that rec'd those changes to the boxes, but so much has been swapped over the years that any combination can show up. It's impossible to make a hard and fast rule about it. Also we can only imagine that different assembly plants used up supplies that were on hand before making line changes. Henry was too frugal to scrap good parts : )

Floor shift trans continued to be used - 4 spds remained on the floor (both spur gear and synchro'd) and probably even the 3 spd HD trans (I'm guessing on this one as the shop manual shows both floor and remote shift for these) Only the LD 3 spd was regularly column mounted in 50. afaik

Another mythical change in the late 50's was the big back window like 51/52 trucks. I have never seen one that could be verified. All I've seen are 51/52 cabs swapped over onto early chassis.
 
Vic Piano said:
It's true; you do learn something new every day. I've never seen one of those "bumper guards" for an early F-1, very cool! Vic
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Vic,

Here's another one on my 52. I also have one more stashed away for my 51. These grille guards were dealer options. I have them listed in one of my dealer accessory brochures.

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