18-4674577 would be a '39 Ford...the 18 prefix was used for all 221 Fords. "32 numbers end somewhere in the 200,000's.
The "bellhousing" numbers were used for trucks....Which is why you can find ******s with no numbers on them. It's also likely that when rebuilt trans was installed, the vin was never transferred to it. I found 3 1940 frames with no numbers on them....The were good rust free items,...so the # had not been rusted away. P*** cars all had them on frame rail, between firewall and radiator. 4TTRUK
A V8 trans with no number is likely either '48-52 (they used body tabs) or a parts counter trans...technically, B and many of the four speed trucks (some years of those had integral bell, others same basic trans with separate bell) had the number on an intermediate bell casting, but I call'em trans numbers. Ford numbered the power train when it p***ed inspection, then that number which was technically the primary number was transferred to the frame when the engine/trans ***embly was installed. Trucks and cars '32-48 should all have the frame number, but who knows what happened whenever the ***embly line speed exceeded the stamping guy's caffeine level. B's are the only ones with a main number readable from under hood, but most models up to '48 had provisions by removable or bendable tab on floor to allow V8 numbers to be checked. Engines headed for cars all had the engine/trans ***embled at engine plant and numbered as units...probably some very few industrial and COMPLETE replacement engines were numbered on block. Anything less than a runnable engine like a replacement block, trans case, or shortblock got no number...Ford numbered only complete running units, not parts.
Prior to about the first 62 thousand cars the prefix used for the 4 cylinder was AB. Post, PM me, or see "The 1932 Ford Book" from the Early Ford V8 Club if you need the exact change number. Charlie Stephens
The Jalopy Journal
