Ford introduced the Mercury pickup in Canada in 1946. They were identical to the Ford trucks except for a fancier chrome grill and trim. This pickup was left in a barn at the end of its useful life. It’s listed on eBay and looks complete down to the hubcaps. Bidding is almost up to $3,000 with no reserve so this will sell for what people think it’s really worth. It has the usual rust in the cab corners, but the rest looks pretty solid.
It looks like much like it did the day it was parked, completely original. There might even be interesting things in the jockey box. The seat upholstery is tattered and the steering wheel has the typical cracks, but it looks like a blanket is all it needs to be ready for work.
The sellers haven’t checked to see if the engine is seized. It was rebuilt at some point. Otherwise, it’s mostly all there with the same bits it left the factory with along with layers of dust and oil.
If you’re into patina, then this truck should look about perfect. There’s no word on how long it was parked or how it was stored, so there’s no way to know what shape the engine and other mechanicals are in. Perhaps someone will restore the mechanicals and enjoy it. That one-ton suspension will be pretty bouncy but some of us actually enjoy driving old vehicles. Others would rather build a resto-mod, perhaps even mount the cab and bed on a modern chassis. It would be interesting to know what the new owner has in mind for this pickup.
What a fun business to be in, bringing old trucks over here from Canada. These guys got it going on. Does anyone wonder why the floor is wet? Perhaps the seller did that to make the floor and any rust stand out in a picture? Theres another couple of guys in like Norco California doing a similar thing, BF has had their trucks too I believe. Or are these the same guys? Maybe somebody knows whether a Columbia 2 speed rear end ( or similar)could go in one of these. I’d hate to have to do 40mph all the time.
You are right, it looks like he has found his niche in the market. I hope he makes decent money doing this.
Steve R
I think it’s great what these guys do. I’d love to do that, scour Canada for trucks, as clearly, all the US ones have been found. Kind of the last frontier for trucks. This HAS to be in geomech’s back yard. I like the Mercury trucks, as it seemed, they were the “GMC” of GM trucks, a bit fancier than the standard Chevy. I’m sure it’s wet inside, because they blew the crap out with a pressure washer, a great find, at a plausible price, as long as the vultures don’t get it 1st. Clever they hang a plate from the year of the truck, but I doubt it was used for one year, and that tailgate door looks added, so you know, with side boards, this hauled some big loads. Looks to have a locking steering column. Was that a Mercury plus? Little unusual for 1947.
I can’t say for sure about the locking steering wheel on this particular model, but my dad said he had one on a 37 Ford 2 dr. sedan that he owned back in the 50’s. He said he lost the key to one time when he was baling hay. He figured that key ended up in a cow’s belly (!) He said he took a hack saw and cut the lock off the column.
Hi Howard. Ford locked it’s steering columns/ignition switches back into the thirties. My ’35 and my ’47 pickups have locks. A good friend of mine, over in Havre, has a ’35 sedan that he resto’d some years back. He no longer used the ignition switch but he always locked the column when he locked the car. He had a couple of surprises when he shot gunned out of the driveway in reverse and forgot to unlock the steering.
I might add that we had the remains of an old ’20s Chevy in our boneyard on the ranch and it had a locking column.
Locking columns go way back to the 20’s,? You guy’s and barn finds make me and i’m sure other people smarter everyday.
Drive through mid-Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta and you’ll probably see a bunch of these old work trucks
Great business these guys have
When I was growing up it seemed like every second farm had a tonner of one make or another. Predominately Fords but there were enough Chevies, GMCs, Dodges and Binders to round everything out. When I start counting, the number is astronomical. Down our road alone, there were eight along a 20 mile stretch. Start branching off and I’m counting 10 more. Go east along the Border Road and there are at least 20 (that I know of) before you get to the Sweetgrass Hills. Mostly Fords, although there are some GM and IH products and (1) lone Dodge. Sorry, (2) Dodges; I just thought of another one. Most of them are gone now. I do know of a couple of places where there are some interesting boneyards but nothing is for sale and you’ll need permission to view them. I might add that the owners of both places are good shots; their husbands are too….
As a Trucker running from VA to Calgary every month (for 5 years); it sounds like you’re describing Shelby, MT.
I noticed east of there on US 2 (Malta area), there must have been a Studebaker dealer. I saw a bunch of Stude trucks from the 30’s, 40’s, and 50’s. They ranged from 1/2 tons to 5 tons. Always wanted to bring some of that Montana gold back home with me, but alas, never had enough room in my trailer.
Hi Clint. Shelby is definitely in the region. It’s interesting that you mention the Malta area being populated with Studebakers. The first time I saw a big Studebaker truck would have been in the Glasgow/Malta area. Head west of there and you start running into Ford/GM country, with Binders and Dodges scattered here and there. I guess it had a lot to do with the dealer(s). Some medium towns along US-2 were well established with dealers back in the day. I remember Chester, about an hour east of Shelby, until as late as 15 years ago, had numerous car and farm equipment dealerships before they faded completely away. Shelby just lost its GM dealer, last place in town. You either have to go to Cutbank, about 30 miles to the west, or Great Falls, 90 miles south to buy a new vehicle now. The place north of the border used to have everything, similar to Chester, but is now down to one car dealer and two farm dealerships, which still sell a lot of stuff into Montana.
As much as I love the chrome grilles in ’46 Chev. trucks ,this grille is a close second ( maybe equal) .
It looks like it will go for good money for being rare, as well as cool looking. Restomod the driveline/suspension, rust treat the body, but leave it to lightly surface rust, scuff the paint, to glossy, then clear coat everything after the rusting shows up, easy money. Maybe put a Vintage Air system in.