Yes, it's the best image we have unfortunately. We appreciate everyones help and hope not to strain anyones eyes too much with squinting to see what they can make out.
My Father said he remembers: - Headlights protruding from the fenders - Turn signal lights on top of the fenders
Last edited by RockyMountainMan; 02/12/2109:09 PM.
Yup, agree with Gene. It's a 41 to 46. And it's a 3/4 ton pickup, model 3604. And equipped with standard 15" wheels and hub caps. Swift's Red with standard black fenders and running boards.
Look close, pretty sure it has the second "upright" at the front edge of the rear fender. The 1/2 ton didn't have that. They used the same hub cap for 15" and 17" wheels so the cap looked smaller set into the larger wheel. Also, 7.00-17 truck tires really filled the wheel openings. I'm attaching a few pictures from a google search to show what I mean.
It will take some work, patience and luck, but they are out there! My brother has a Canadian model. Original survivor, good shape and nice runner. He found his at a farm auction sale in the south part of Saskatchewan. My guess is that your best bet would be to look out Kansas way. That's where my 3/4 ton stake came from.
PS I see you are in Colorado? You are probably close to the best place to look. The plains of eastern Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, etc.
Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, eBay, Hemmings, VCCA membership to see classifieds, Classiccars.com, AACA, etc.
The internet is a double edged sword when looking for a particular classic car. There are an unbelievable number of sources that will consume your time. Hopefully one of those leads will be what you want.
I have learned 3 rules from the great members of this Chat site about looking for a classic vehicle.
1) Learn everything you can about the vehicle you want before you start looking. Sellers will tell you anything to make the sale. Just because a person owns a certain vehicle it does not make that person an expert. Auctions are probably the worst place to find “experts”. There are good deals at auctions, but you have to determine that for yourself.
2) You will kiss a lot of toads before you find your prince or princess. That is not necessarily a bad outcome because I learn more about what I am looking for every time I look at a vehicle.
That may be true for 1941, but for 1946 artillery wheels were not used on 3/4 tons. That year 3/4 tons used wheels like the 1946 3/4 ton 15" wheel pictured below. The 17" were just bigger in diameter in the area outside the hub cap.
In 1946 the 3/4 tons with 15" and 17" wheels used the same hub cap, which was a different style from the 1/2 tons. The 1946 1/2 ton 16" wheel still used the 1941 style hubcap. The 1941 hub caps may well have fit the 1946 3/4 tons, or they may not have. I don't think so, but I really don't know for sure.
Ole, I'm not seeing an extra stake pocket. There is some blurr at the front of the fender but I don't think it is a pocket. I'm sticking with 1/2 ton. In 1941 (42?) 3/4 tons still had 6 hole 15 in wheels. They were longer but I am not sure if the had the extra stake pocket. My friend bought a 41 years ago and I could never figure out why it was extra long with 6 hole wheels. It was much later after the truck was long gone that it dawned on me that it was a 3/4 ton.
Could be I was factoring in the oblique angle the truck is sitting at... which we can see by how wide the grill and bumper appear. I figured that due to that angle, the distance in front of the fender will appear shorter than it really is. I still think I can see the shadow of the stake pocket, but I guess that's up for debate. Sure wish the picture was just a little clearer.
I blew up your first picture, and to my eye I still think I'm seeing the extra stake pocket/upright in front of the rear fender. It's impossible to tell from the picture, but smaller hubcaps would suggest 1941, larger would suggest 1946. (I know... I'm probably trying to deduce too much from what we can see for sure.)
An interesting aside though... Was the farm in Colorado? If so, that color license plate appeears to have been used in 1953 and 1957. Either of those match up with the age of the fella in the picture?
Hey Ole! This is in Wisconsin. That little guy is my Father. I'd say he's probably about 3 years old there, which makes it about 1953 at that point in time.
I think we've made the most out of a few frames of video, the only images of the truck we've ever been able to find. You've been a great help. Hopefully we can find a decent not too fancy example to return to the farm (which we still have), to enjoy and connect future generations with those who preceded us.
Thanks much!
Last edited by RockyMountainMan; 02/17/2105:47 PM.