Dodge Fargo Kew - need help identifying year and model

Hi all,

I have recently moved to a rural property that has some local historical significance. I was looking for an old truck to park next to the burnt out ruins of the old buildings and by chance came across this old Fargo Parrot Nose through an old business acquaintance.
The faded sign writing on the door shows that this truck actually came from the next town down the road in a previous life, so it is fitting it has now returned to its old work area.
Now, some kind person has removed all the identifying plaques from the engine bay, so all i have at the moment is a belief that this truck is early 50's and an engine number.
Hopefully the brains trust here can assist me and point me in the right direction in identifying this old girl.
The engine is a flathead six , the engine number is prefixed with a 'C' separate from the main number which is T181 1397 C
I am not sure whether this is a Kew engine or a Canadian engine.
Its wheelbase is around 160 inches. I'll have a go at finding the chassis number if anyone can give me a heads up on where to look before i start scraping 60 years of road grime off the chassis rails.

I am also tempted to try and fire her up. It has Lucas 12v electrics but with anything of this era from England i am unsure if its + earth or - earth, again if anyone knows, I will appreciate the heads up.

many thanks

Hi and welcome. I would normally assume +ve earth, but check the coil to make sure (not an absolute guarantee, but a strong sign). +ve to the points would signify +ve earth. You may have to pull the head to free some valves, but that's relatively easy on a sidevalve.

Jarrod.

Chassis number might be on passenger side chassis rail ( outside) just back from the bumper bar. I have a Canadian Dodge from this era and that is where it is. If you can find the tyre size I should be able to work out model number. Does it have a two speed diff?

Your engine is a Canadian built motor from a Dodge DC-6 3 tonner of 1949/50. Could well have been original as they used them in UK as well a the KEW.

This list is useful

dodgepilothouseclub.org/know/DE-FE_Export_Serials/Serials.pdf

Lang

Thanks, all for he quick responses,
Jarrod, assumed as much as I have an mg from the same era, will check out the coil to see which way it is wired. Edit - negative to the points and +ve wire from coil is not part of original wiring loom and goes into dash, will need to check out the wiring further.
Atkipete, it’s shod with 8.25-20 tyres all round as far as I can see, it doesn’t have a 2 speed diff that I can tell. I’ll have a look on the chassis where you suggested - that’s the same place where it is on my mg , so an obvious place to start looking, thanks
Lang, interesting that it is a Canadian motor in an English assembled truck. The only other I have seen had KEW in the number. The ‘T181’ in the engine number is also part of the engineering code for the 3 tonne Dodge, Fargo, and DeSoto 1950 models from the list you referenced. I had read somewhere else that different engines were used in different models.

In better light this morning I have found some numbers stamped into the firewall passengers side, ‘5836 40’ any clues as to what they are?

Also good news, I the engine turns over freely by hand.

Cheers, David

Hi emgee48,
I own a Kew Desoto. From your picture, I think you have a model 103. Probably a mid range truck in the Kew series. It's not the lightest in the line up with 6 stud wheels ( I see yours are 8 stud) and yours is a single speed axle? The chassis number should be on the left rail, between the bumper and Spring hanger, as atkipete suggests. That's where mine is. I think that number on the firewall is a body number, but not the serial number, which would have been on one of those missing plates.
If you have any questions, just ask.
Good luck
John