dodge28 Posted January 19, 2023 Share Posted January 19, 2023 ☺️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.? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1937hd45 Posted January 19, 2023 Share Posted January 19, 2023 Can you post a photo? Knowing what things look like helps others know what they are talking about. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3macboys Posted January 19, 2023 Share Posted January 19, 2023 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. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozstatman Posted January 19, 2023 Share Posted January 19, 2023 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!😉 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
60FlatTop Posted January 19, 2023 Share Posted January 19, 2023 I had the image of one of these in mind. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CHuDWah Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 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. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brasscarguy Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 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 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Mellor NJ Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 That picture of the "Pilot" looks like it might have been cut down from a 40 car 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozstatman Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 (edited) 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) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twisted Shifter Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 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. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8E45E Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 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 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dodge28 Posted January 20, 2023 Author Share Posted January 20, 2023 1937hd45, I do not have a photo of it. These vehicles are long gone to rust. They were left hand drive. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crusty Trucker Posted January 21, 2023 Share Posted January 21, 2023 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/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted January 21, 2023 Share Posted January 21, 2023 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3macboys Posted January 21, 2023 Share Posted January 21, 2023 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? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Bond Posted January 21, 2023 Share Posted January 21, 2023 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now