Projects FACTORY FLATBED TRUCK?

I had an alternator fail so I took it to my favorite repair shop only to find they no longer do starters and alternators. I checked around town and no one does any longer it seems. I guess that is a sign of the times in a break it/replace it world. But as with dark clouds often there is the opportunity for a silver lining and it took the form of this little beauty this morning alongside his shop.

39 Ford truck, all original but has had a repaint in the past. Original (he believes) flathead that still runs and drives. Other than that riding mower in the foreground and a derelict in the background it looks pretty cool with the old house and shop, everything coated in PNW moss.

The only dent I found was in the right front fender and it was minimal and hardly noticeable in the picture. Solid cab corners and running boards. Just an original blank canvas waiting for a Hot Rod Renoir to put a brush to it.

But this was odd and admittedly I know little of these trucks but he said it was a factory flatbed and that the rear of the bed had "ford" stamped in it and that it did.

It was owned by his father and he is selling it but hasn't advertised it as yet. I wasn't aware of factory flatbeds. Are they rare? I don't need it as my golf clubs would roll off the back at every corner and I haven't even got the one I have close to done yet.

 

There's quite a bit of info on Ford script flatbeds on the internet, if you search for it.

 

I had one years ago. That one looks very solid.

 

Surely you will be looking for another project soon?

 

IIRC the '39 factory flatbeds had rear fenders with a relief on top for the outside flat bed rail. But maybe not all. Flatbeds with the Ford script were used for a bunch of years so really hard to say for sure if its original to the truck or not.

 

That's a beauty

 

That's a neat find. Good luck with that alternator.

 

The book “Ford Trucks since 1905” by James K. Wagner shows the 1939 flatbed just like with the same rear bump strips identified as a type 86 122 inch stake. They do not show rear fenders on the 1939, there are rear fenders shown on the 1938 models, it may be related to the load rating on the truck.

 

I read in a Ford book that addresses with or without fenders and it said 1/2 Tons came With rear fenders. Big trucks 3/4 and 1 Ton did not. There are different running boards for the big truck in that the free end has a Vertical flange down and the top ridges stop 1.5" from the flange. In other words the running boards are finished off, not just cut off.

 

P.S. 3/4 Ton trucks came with different wheels and floating rear axles. Also a totally different rear Axle housing.

 

I really like the rear fenders and long running boards on that! It makes it look much more finished. There should be space under that floor for golf clubs, right? Maybe add a club door on the right side for the bag drop.

I did note on the 39 this morning that the running short boards had a rolled edge that appeared factory. Here is a pic I failed to post earlier. They are also very curvy up under the cab. Cool bed bracket in the pic and you can see the nice corners on the cab and solid doors.

Here is a close up of the end of that running board

 

You posted that while I was uploading the picture of the same thing. Hard to slip one past you Wizz!

 

Dang that’s a nice truck.
I’ve seen a factory flatbed with the fenders.
But I believe you could order whatever you wanted.
Or as a cab and ch***is.

 

He pointed out extra brackets on the right rear under the bed for an auxiliary tank that this truck does not have. Makes sense if it was commercial. Did all 39 trucks have the main tank under the seat?

 

That bed looks really good in the pics, they are usually all bent up and welded on. I think it was in the maintenance manual that you were supposed to back into something solid where the ford script is on the back, or the warranty was void

 

Can you believe that an E-Pay retailer would not guarantee the alternator? I was surprised. It said buy with confidence. Oh well, any body need a chrome alt for a dune buggy? Worked when purchased. Buy with confidence!

 

Did some work on my neighbours 37 factory flatbed with original rails and rear bumper , special rear fenders that are factory notched to clear the flatbed rail

 

^^^^Wow! I see this one has a tank on the left side like a 40 1/2 ton. And is the box under the bed metal or wood? Do you recall @wood remover ?

 

They are also entirely different fenders then @51504bat posted. Those are more like 40 truck fenders. The ones that @wood remover posted are more like earlier truck fenders.

 

I believe it is wood with metal cross braces

 

You can see the notch in the top of the fender to clear the bed , that is a factory ford fender .

 

1/2 ton p/u's had the tank in the rear with the fill neck in the driver's side rear fender. The big trucks had the under seat tank. The OP's truck shows the filler in the cab and a floor mounted e brake handle. The 3 speed 1/2 ton p/u's had the e brake handle under the dash near the driver's door. Don't know if the 4 speed crash box was an option on the 1/2 tons. If so that would explain the floor mounted e brake handle.

 

That's gonna take a LOT of polishing!

 

Somewhere along the line it got a 24 stud motor . Drove the truck a few times this summer . Lubricated and adjusted the brakes (mechanical) removed electric fuel pump 7lbs
Rebuilt the stromberg 94 carb , new points wires plugs and caps , Boy it ran along sweet .

 

As a moss covered yard find, how would you go about washing it? Or is it part of the patina, not to be disturbed?

 

Art's Electric in Longview still does starters, etc. They are a bit expensive but do quality work.

 

Good to know, I play Three Rivers quite often, it would be easy to run it over to them. I will call. Thanks for the tip.

 

They are on Industrial Way. I believe they changed to Art's Automotive.

 

Never seen that new of factory flat bed, have seen a 32-34 Ford factory flatbed, cant recall the exact year and it still had the original flatbed rear fenders on it. It was buried in a mess of other cars and trucks.

 

1955 Factory Flatbed 3/4 Ton. Probably not the last year either.