When is a Ford not a Ford? When it’s made in Canada and called a Mercury. Here is a rare sight state-side, for sale on eBay, a 1949 Mercury M-47 pick-up. The bidding has reached $16,600 and the reserve is not met. It’s located in Stoughton, Wisconsin, and can be driven home. But what about that Canadian connection? Well, Ford of Canada was actually founded as a wagon company in 1904, by a fellow named Gordon Morton McGregor. He purchased the rights to build Fords in Canada, offering the models he thought would be most desirable locally. After WWII, Ford realized that its Canadian dealer network – split between Ford and Lincoln/Mercury – was only selling trucks at Ford, so it rebadged the F-1 under the Mercury name and tossed it into Lincoln/Mercury. The nomenclature followed GVW, so while we all know an F-1 as a half-ton, that translates to 4700 lbs. The F-1 in Canada is called an F-47 and the Mercury version is an M-47. To spur sales, the new Mercury was dolled up with plenty of chrome trim – a sight for sore eyes after the privations of war.
While the F-1 sold state-side could be purchased with a six-cylinder, the M-47 was only ever fitted with a 239 cu. in. flathead V8. I found this exact truck listed here in May 2022, wherein the seller mentions that the motor now measures 276 CID. The bore was increased and fuel is handled by a Holley four-barrel with matching intake. And this is music to my ears: the balky post-war gearbox has been swapped out for a Chevy S-10 five-speed manual. The clutch and pressure plate were renewed at the same time. That’s not the original radiator, either. Up front, POSIES springs and disc brakes improve the driveability (the Jalopy listing indicates all the brakes were renewed including a dual master cylinder); the rear suspension is original.
The interior is grand! That’s a new gauge set, and the seller notes that the rest of the interior was refurbished. The glass and seals are all new. The bed looks great, and the tires are Coker vintage-look radials. Ford was paying attention to driver comfort by the mid-1940s, so the greenhouse is taller than its predecessor’s for better visibility, and vent windows were supplied.
The tailgate is embossed “Mercury”. Rear bumpers were showing up on more trucks by the late ’40s, though often as an extra-cost option. The older listing indicates the electrical system has been converted to 12v. An owner upgrade to dual wipers is an improvement over the factory-supplied single wiper. I love the paint, which is not “preserved” with clear-coat nor tortured into a faux patina. In fact, it was hard not to pitch in a bid. What do Barn Finders think of this rare Mercury?
Another one of those Canadian variants that actually got just as popular in Northern Montana. Being a border brat I saw lots of cars and trucks from both sides of the 49th, even a number of Mercury trucks with Montana plates. Consequently I had no idea that Mercury trucks were built only in Canada. And back to the debate on Mercury trucks and their powerplants.
Interesting that the Canadian 1/2 tons, both Ford and Mercury, in ’48 were still powered by 59AB engines. In ’49, they were a 239 but the Mercury had aluminum heads with higher compression and about 5 more hp than the Fords. The local Mercury dealer, about 10 miles into Canada, loved to lord the advantages of Mercury over Ford. He was a Kansas native and quite competitive. By 1950 you could get a 255 in a Mercury M47; the 239 was available but as a Delete Option, but he made sure that every truck he brought in had the larger motor. And I declare that I never saw a Mercury pickup built after ’50 that had anything but a 255. I might add that I knew a mechanic for the Mercury dealer who corroborated that…
I find it interesting that the owner of this truck added a second wiper to a Mercury. I saw lots of Fords with single wipers but I NEVER saw a Mercury with anything but two. They were DELUXE trucks.
Go back to the model before that, the Fords were downright primitive unless you ordered them with the Deluxe cab option. My ’47 Ford was quite well equipped with its bright hubcaps, deluxe door handles, chrome front bumper, heater, dual visors, dual wipers, cigarette lighter and ash tray, dome light and sliding rear window. The Mercury trucks all had that plus the vast majority of them had black fenders. Unfortunately the Fords still had those painted waterfall grills.
Now this truck. I like it and probably wouldn’t change anything, even the transmission. But I would paint it. When the rust comes through like that it’s pretty much a done deal and it’s time to repaint it. This would be a real nice unit, all done up.
Here’s a very nice M-47, note the single wiper.
https://www.gaaclassiccars.com/vehicles/37645/1949-mercury-m-47-pickup
You know, I just got my backside handed to me. Crow always tastes better when still warm anyways. I went back through pics I picked up over the years and found a couple more Mercs with single wipers. The only theory I can come up with was that, like other options back then, single wipers must have been a Delete option. To qualify my previous argument, the local dealer, passionate about having the upper hand, must have ordered all his trucks with everything that was available. I’ve got pics of larger Mercury trucks, now sitting in the hedgerows, all with dual wipers, but then, they also came from the one dealer.
You know, it’s funny, I’ve lived long enough to see where the interiors garner more attention than the outside. Used to be t’other way ’round. Like the truck, don’t think for a second that 5 speed is going to make this more sporty to drive, it still has 1949 handling. Not sure what “Posie” springs are, but if they are attached to a straight axle, not much gain there. Still prone to “bump steer” and disc brakes are okay, but the drums locked ’em up too. Gauges are nice,at least not some digital job, but am always a stickler for stock. Kind of an odd build, not fancy enough for todays market, and out of line for anyone still alive ( that paid $100 bucks for these) that would want a truck like this.
Nice old truck. As stated before, I thought all the Canadian trucks had two wipers which means the owner didn’t add the second wiper doesn’t it? My US made ’48 Merc engine had steel heads and the only factory aluminum heads I ever saw were the ’32/’33 heavy truck engines. Right or wrong?
If you refer to the Jalopy listing for the same truck, that owner talks about going to dual wipers and even upgrading the motor that runs them.
I differ with a couple of you guys about the paint, I would attempt to wax it and leave it as is. It would live a sheltered life with me anyhow.
Michelle,
I hesitate to share this because, over the years, I’ve found people think I’m talking crazy. We, too, love original paint–even when severely aged.
Something we’ve done many times is brush paint the truck with motor oil. It works especially well if it can be left in the hot summer sun for a few days. Used oil will add a darker pigment. ATF will put in a bit of red hue, and new oil will just get the job done brightening the paint. With a little experience one can recognize a certain optimum point where the oil is almost totally absorbed and the paint can be successfully WAXED.
Think it’s crazy? Read the label on the can of wax: “contains petroleum distillates.”
Stu, I love your motor oil idea and confess I used that trick once on a part that I wanted to simply stop rusting so I could reinstall it. What a great idea to do the whole truck that way! Thanks.
Looks like the truck on Sanford & Son.
I’m with you, Geomechs & Howard-paint it! It’s too decent to keep it as a junk yard dog..
Im just sitting back with my morning cup of coffee and enjoying all the new stuff I never knew about Mercury trucks from all you guys. Especially 2 wipers. I always thought they were standard with them.
As for the 5 speed. I knew a guy who had an early 50s Chevy with the original 6 who did the same thing, it really got the rpms down so he could drive it around more comfortably and keep up with modern traffic without the engine screaming.
Great Truck, Real hard to find now even in Canada. I had for many years 51 M1 pickup 255 FH. Not bitter anymore for the garage theft, but hope karma is REAL. Still looking for a 51 M1 in western Canada.
I worked at a DX station (anyone remember them?) in the summer of 1957 and the owner was fresh out of the Air Force and Alaska. He drove a really nice Merc pickup home to Wichita Ks.
We boys at the station had never seen one or heard of one but really liked it because it was different.
Redd Foxx
Ford Flathead blocks: If you can find a 59 G, L, Y block that can be bored to 3-7/16″ Get a Murcury 51-53 crank that will struck the engine by 1/4″ Work the crank over and gain an additional 1/8″ Those blocks I am talking about were most Canada Truck blocks. In the Old days flathead were known as 1/4 x 3/16 or 1/4 x 1/4, or 3/8 x 3/8 and the biggest was 3/8 x 7/16.
Maybe the dual wipers is a Canadian thing because of our winter’s, my 1950 F6 had 2 and until today the only single wiper I can remember seeing on a Ford truck was hand operated on a Model A. Would the orginal transmission have been synchronized?
Hi Lincoln, I can say, I never recall only 1 wiper, even on the most mundane of vehicles, certainly anything after WW2. Perhaps it was a law, Wiki has quite a write-up on the “windshield wiper”, but nothing about a law requiring 2. There were some cars, like the VW Scirocco, that had one, but big enough to clear the entire windshield. As long as I can remember, it’s been 2( or 3 with my MG)
Far as the original gearbox, it would probably have been either a floor shifted 3 speed, with synchro on 2nd & 3rd, or a 4 speed with compound low( aka, granny gear) and no syncros, I believe. In ’53 they went with a synchro 4 speed( in 2,3,4)
Thanks Howard the syncro question has been on my mind for quite a while.
I love ’56 F-100’s bc they are my birth year among other reasons. But I love learning something new everyday also at 67. That happened in today’s Barn Finds forum from y’all starting w/Michelle. And a man that owned up to a mistake. How refreshing! We’ve had some doosies over the past couple of weeks. Thank you one & all! Very enjoyable reading on this Sunday.
I’m not loving that extra chrome around the frond fenders. I own a 51 Deluxe having chrome around the windshield like this one. That helps the look a lot. OK, it is OEM on the fenders, yet a step too far, and a design mistake in my opinion. Makes it look more like a Cris Craft boat, I think. If you wanted them, however, I’ll bet rare as hens teeth!
Yea it’s rare alright, but so is a two headed chicken!
Looks like the Sanford & Son truck. They called this the Redd Foxx truck.
Close, Sanfords was a 1952.
I too am a 1949 model. Already have a nice old car. If I brought this home I probably wouldn’t get any older when the wife saw it. Congratulations to the successful bidder. Keep the flattie and don’t put a bellybutton sbc in it. Btw, go with black fenders and contrasting color on the rest.
Well I have a 1952 F-1 my Dad bought new has been in the family for 71 years was born with the 216 I block till 1955 and received a Oldsmobile v/8 and still has Oldsmobile 455 and is going to my grandson next.
Lots of Mercury trucks where I came from. I bought a 1952 F1 in 1977 at an auction. Paid $250 and my father-in-law thought I was nuts paying that much. Completely stock except for an older 3 speed tranny so the shifter was back on the floor. I used it for family chores on the prairies of southern Saskatchewan until 2018 when we moved and I had to sell it. I put in a newer rear end and 15 inch radials so it could run at 60 MPH without too much effort, and replaced the rotted out box floor twice with heavy plywood. It broke a valve while at highway speeds and still got me the ten miles home. Did lots of ongoing maintenance over those 40 years but never touched the body which stayed solid. The new owner restored it and is parade worthy now. Best vehicle I ever had and boy do I miss it.