Vehicle Description
1946 Ford Wrecker
As the saying goes "accidents will happen" and true to this the
1940's were no different than today. The problem was a device was
needed to clean these accidents up. Thanks to companies like Manley
and Holmes, accident clean up was much safer and much easier than
in the past. These booms were outfitted on cars and trucks from
nearly every manufacturer including the luxury brands like Cadillac
and Packard. Today, those trucks are indispensable emergency
vehicles throughout the world.
NO TITLE-SOLD ON A BILL OF SALE ONLY
An unrestored rare example of a 1946 tow truck from Ford, a barn
find if you will. Purchased by our consignor in 2015 with the plans
of a full restoration and painting it to match his Shell fuel
pumps, oil dispensers, and island lights, however life got in the
way and the time just isn't available to bring this truck back to
its former glory.
Exterior
Fire up the Wayback Machine Sherman, let's take a trip to the post
war worker bee side of automobilia. Sherman, did you fill the tank
with fuel, were still in 2022 with the needle on E....you just
can't find good help these days, but I digress. Welcome to the
present with this barn find condition 1946 Ford 1.5 ton wrecker.
The 1946 Ford truck line-up was still part of the prewar design but
with some cosmetic upgrades to make it more flashy for the
returning GI's. A flat faced front end with bulbous fenders house
headlights on either side of the white waterfall grille. Surface
rust has invaded this grille and its surrounding headlight trim
rings and black steel bumper below. A custom push bar has been
added to move those wrecks off to the side of the road. Patina has
formed in the form of dents, surface rust, fading, some invasive
cancer and a healthy growth of moss covering the faded red body and
black front fenders. The passenger cab floats atop black steel
running boards which have both surface and invasive rust but still
remain structurally sound. A boom, believed to be a Manley unit, is
on the back where the factory bed would have been installed. This
is a heavy-duty unit, has many cables, and contains a winch tower
next to the cab, a hand crank, and tow clamps. Also stabilizing
jacks (distance bars) to steady the truck if a pull has to take
place on an uneven surface, or a side pull for extra blocking.
Custom fabricated fenders on the rear cover dual wheels attached
underneath and in between is a small storage area with a toolbox
mounted to the left side. All associated parts are in rusted but
usable condition.
Interior
The interior shows with exterior matching patina in the form of
fading and surface rust on the steel door panels and dash. A
green/blue vinyl bench seat presents with some rips, and a healthy
coating of grease and mold. The original steering wheel in black 4
spoke bakelite form fronts the original dash with the rectangle
gauge cluster. Surface rust and fading has taken over the cluster,
but the original black background and white numbers are still
legible. A floor shifter and handbrake are within the field of
black rubber weatherproof flooring which shows with soiling, tears
and mold.
Drivetrain
Lifting open the rear hinged hood reveals more patina and surface
rust covering the original 239ci V8. This once mighty mill is
topped with a 2bbl carburetor and an oil bath style air cleaner
assembly. Backing up the mill is a 4-speed manual transmission. A
4.86 geared rear axle finishes out the heavy-duty drivetrain.
Undercarriage
Normal wear and surface rust covers the entire undercarriage. We
note invasive rust in the flooring of the cab and rocker panels,
but the frame remains solid. Drum brakes are all around and the
ride is provided by leaf springs both front and rear.
Drive-Ability
This truck is a non-runner and has been off the road since 1973.
Assume a full rebuild will be needed on every system during the
restoration. We did note that many of the boom functions are still
operational and move freely.
This is definitely a piece of automotive history, and something not
seen every day. In barn find condition but all the parts are
available, as well as write-ups and videos to guide you through
most of the repairs. When finished I guarantee you'll be the only
one on the block with one like this, and if something happens and a
tow is needed, press it into service and charge an arm and a leg
because who gets a VINTAGE TOW??!
Classic Auto Mall is a 336,000-square foot classic and special
interest automobile showroom, featuring over 650 vehicles for sale
with showroom space for up to 1,000 vehicles. Also, a 400 vehicle
barn find collection is on display.
This vehicle is located in our showroom in Morgantown,
Pennsylvania, conveniently located just 1-hour west of Philadelphia
on the I-76 Pennsylvania Turnpike. The website is
www.classicautomall.com and our phone number is (888) 227-0914.
Please contact us anytime for more information or to come see the
vehicle in person.