PILOT FORD - I am looking for one to buy

[dodge28]

☺️During World War 2 an oil company in the island of Trinidad [ British] Apex Trinidad Ltd. had a few Ford pick trucks called Pilot. The horn was from a Model A, the engine was a flat head V8 and the head light was from a model T. The box was all metal with the script Ford. It was a military vehicle. I am looking for one to buy. In England there also a 4 door sedan called Pilot.  Any luck.?

[1937hd45]

Can you post a photo? Knowing what things look like helps others know what they are talking about. 

[3macboys]

Never having heard of these I had to Google it.  Found this online along with many other versions.  Near as I can tell necessity was the mother of invention and each truck looks a little bit different but clearly fit a war time need.  Be interesting to hear more about them.   

 

[Ozstatman]

Would not be an English Ford Pilot, which were produced post WW2.

 

Ford Pilots were also known in Aussie slang, as a "P" Model Ford!😉

[60FlatTop]

I had the image of one of these in mind.

[CHuDWah]

21 minutes ago, 3macboys said:

Never having heard of these I had to Google it.  Found this online along with many other versions.  Near as I can tell necessity was the mother of invention and each truck looks a little bit different but clearly fit a war time need.  Be interesting to hear more about them.   

 

 

Looks like that one took a high-caliber round through the nose. 🤣 Seriously, I also googled some pix and it appears cutting holes in the hood was common. The pix I found look to be the British in North Africa so maybe the holes improved engine cooling in the desert.  WW2 soldiers were a pretty inventive lot.  I'd hazard a guess these kinds of trucks started as regular Ford pickups and were modified in the field to meet the need and using whatever parts were available.

[brasscarguy]

We used to own a 1951 Ford Pilot 4 door sedan. Had a later flat head V-8 with insert bearings. The body was a cross between a 1935/36 American Ford. 

The car had leather seats, a fabric insert top and a continental tire mounted on the trunk door that was hinged at the bottom.

 

Right hand drive, column shift 3 speed. brakes were 1/2 hydraulic and have cable. The dash was plastic and similar to a 40 Ford. The windshield tilted out from the top, and the wheels were '39 centerless type. 

 

It had lots of power, and get up and go. drove quite nice as well. I changed the brakes to 4 wheel hydraulic, and changed the wheels to 1935 wires.

 

A neat car and fun to drive. The hood opened at the front alligator style and the hood release was at the front point of the hood, it was an airplane that you twisted to the side to release the catch.

 

brasscarguy 

[Dave Mellor NJ]

That picture of the "Pilot" looks like it might have been cut down from a 40 car

[Ozstatman]

7 hours ago, 60FlatTop said:

I had the image of one of these in mind.

The Ford Prefect, not the one in the "Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy", but the one that's the "LittLe brother" to the Ford Pilot.

Edited January 20, 2023 by Ozstatman
Spelling (see edit history)

[Twisted Shifter]

9 hours ago, 3macboys said:

Never having heard of these I had to Google it.  Found this online along with many other versions.  Near as I can tell necessity was the mother of invention and each truck looks a little bit different but clearly fit a war time need.  Be interesting to hear more about them.   

 

 

4 hours ago, Dave Mellor NJ said:

That picture of the "Pilot" looks like it might have been cut down from a 40 car

 

The hood and grille of this vehicle are 1941 Ford pickup items, as well as the painted headlight rims, no doubt the fenders, with modified wheel openings, and the bumper.

 

[8E45E]

The only "EnFo" Ford trucks I recall seeing here were the 1/4 ton Thames pickup and panel truck from the early 1950's.  They were always a 4 cylinder engine; most likely similar to what the Ford Popular and Anglia used.  Possibly the only V8 Pilot truck would be a 'Ute' version in Australia?

 

Craig

[dodge28]

1937hd45,  I do not have a photo of it. These vehicles are long gone to rust. They were left hand drive.

[Crusty Trucker]

On 1/19/2023 at 3:10 PM, 3macboys said:

Never having heard of these I had to Google it.  Found this online along with many other versions.  Near as I can tell necessity was the mother of invention and each truck looks a little bit different but clearly fit a war time need.  Be interesting to hear more about them.   

 

 

Don't forget, when Ford phased out the V8-60, it was replaced in the light truck line with the old BB 4 cylinder inline engine, available in 1941 and 1942. The "new" inline flathead 6 was delayed in production, so the 4 was added as a stop-gap measure.   Reference below for those who are interested:

 

https://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/brochure-capsule-the-little-engines-that-could-part-1/

[Bloo]

Seems to be the 9N tractor engine according to that link? Much smaller and weaker than the BB would have been. The BB sounds like a much better choice.

 

[3macboys]

The picture that I posted belonged to the LRDG - Long Range Desert Group - from the British military formed in 1940 and initially made up of mostly Kiwi farmers due to their toughness.  Here's a wiki link about them https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Range_Desert_Group   Very interesting history.  At first I wondered about the modified civilian vehicles but realized this was before US entered the war and before the development and production of the Jeep ( though the US had started the procurement process in 1940)  It doesn't say it in that wiki story but the LRDG was no doubt the inspiration to the TV show Rat Patrol.

 

I do wonder if this below is the truck that the OP remembers though and perhaps immediately post war?

 

[Terry Bond]

They turn up for sale in the UK - the name by the way is Ford Pilot, not "Pilot Ford."  It's a post-WWII vehicle first introduced I believe in 1947 and made until 1951, although left-overs continued to be sold for a couple of years (while supplies lasted I guess).  Remember that in the UK the year often associated with a car is based on when it was first registered, not really when it was built - so one built in 1951 but not sold until a year later might indicate "1952" on registration documents as year of the car. I saw plenty of these vehicles while living in Scotland courtesy of the USN.  They were indeed produced as a commercial vehicle as well as regular passenger car.  You could also buy almost a bare chassis and many were converted into special vehicles with custom-made bodies.  I've not searched but I suspect if you want one and are willing to import one it should not be impossible.  I've always thought they were very attractive.

Terry