Ford Script Flatbed (the actual bed) - ID Needed

[28-31]

Hello All:

I frequent the Model A forum, but I'm in need of some help from the late '30s/'40s crowd.

I recently acquired an OT farm truck (1947 Dodge 1.5-Ton) from my wife's family that has a Ford Script flatbed on it.

I've attached a few photos of the bed. It's a stake-side that measures approximately 145.5-inches long by 87.5-inches wide.

The ford script appears on the back (as seen in one of the photos).

Are these beds a factory Ford part? ...or aftermarket?

Any way to determine the precise year of manufacture and application for my bed?

Any idea on value?

Is there a dedicated forum for Ford trucks of this era?

Thanks in advance!

-Jeff
Northeast Ohio

 

[Ross F-1]

The '48 - '56 forum on Ford Truck Enthusiasts (www.ford-trucks.com/forums/forum41 ) has a lot of big-truck guys who drool over script beds. I'm not the expert but it appears to be a genny script bed. Here's a pic of a friend's '49 F-4 with one.

 

[Barry-ct]

Yes, that's a factory made bed.

 

[alanwoodieman]

yep Ford bed and yes Ford did build beds all the way until the late sixties, year? really hard to tell exactly because they were very little to no differences as to years. My 51 scrip bed looks just like yours--they were made in various lengths 6-8-10-12', supossedly after 49/50 the script would be block letters, but lots of leftover rear cross members with the script writing were used up to the sixties

 

[49fordv8f4]

The Ford script bed was used until about '57-'58 when they went to the block letter style. My '49 f4 has a 9' script bed. The 9' foot beds were used on the 134" wheelbase trucks and the 12' beds on the 157" wheelbase trucks. You bed would be correct for a 157" wheelbase Ford from the late 30's to about 1956.
Your bed looks very restorable and looks like you also have the stakes, which are usually missing and can be hard to come by. My back panel was damaged so badly I had to replace it. Yours looks very straight.
Mark

 

[alanwoodieman]

a few pictures of my bed restoration, mine appears to be a little worse for wear than yours

 

[28-31]

Thanks to all!

If anyone knows anything else, please keep the info coming.

This bed is almost certainly going to get pulled off this truck and sold (we're putting a large stock-appearance oversize pick-up bed on the Dodge).

I'd like to learn all I can about the Ford script flatbed in order to make sure it goes to someone who will use it on an era-correct Ford...where it belongs!

Thanks,

-Jeff

 

[hotrod1940]

My 51 was called a produce special and was a model available from Ford.

 

[alanwoodieman]

pictures of my 122" 3/4 ton bed