Ford trucks. Who knows their stuff?

My question is simple. How common are 1942 ford trucks?

 

Don't know the exact answer but I would ***ume not very common as most auto production pretty much ceased during Wprld War II.

 

Not super common due to the War effort mentioned above...but they look much like a 41. There's still some out there...and like anything else...they're Fair Game for roddin'!!

 

Do you mean pickups or bigger trucks?

The 42 pickup shared wheelbase and front end styling with the 45 (military), 46 & 47. They had the same cab as 40-41, though they had a two-inch longer wheelbase.

 

1941 above 1942 below. I wonder if 41 fenders fit a 42? The hood looks the same.

 

I have read that the production number for individual vehicles types for '42 is unavailable because of the involvement in the war. There is some info on the total vehicles produced by engine type though.

There were some larger trucks made during the war for the war and commercial use that share the '42 style.

In '45 Ford was allowed to restart production for consumer use and I read that 19.706 pickups were made (there were other body types for the trucks also but I am just reflecting the pickups)

'46 - 75088
'47 - 62072

 

The '41 pictured above is 3/4 ton or larger. They shared that styling '40-'41 for the 122" commercial wheelbase.

The 1/2 ton pickups, with 112" wheelbase, looked like this in '40-'41:

 

The '42-'47 1/2 ton, 3/4 ton and commercial trucks shared this styling:

The 1/2 ton wheelbase grew two inches in '42, to 114"
The hood on the '41 3/4 ton and the '42-'47 are not interchangeable. The cabs on all of 'em are the same, so front sheet metal will interchange if you can deal with the wheelbase issues.

 

There Have been people that have put the 40/41 1/2 ton sheet metal on the 42-47 cabs. The frame is narrower on the 40/41 also so the inner fenders would need to mount differently on the 42/47 frame.

 

If a 42 Ford 1/2 ton has good freshly rebuilt steering and stock rebuilt brakes will they hold up with a small 70's V8?

 

The weakest link in that truck will be the rear axle BUT it will survive if you keep your foot out of the carburetor and don't use too wide or sticky a rear tire. This ***uming you are talking about installing late V8 with an adapter to the original transmission.

 

Thanks for the reply, driving it to high school 40 years ago I broke the rearend and put a 52 Packard 400 rear end in it. I've got a 88 F150 with a good 351 and auto I'd like to use.