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An Early Armored Pick Up Truck?


yellaheep
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Went to a Swap Meet today.  Unusual truck for sale........ 

 

It's a '48-'50 Ford F3....... ARMORED TRUCK.  I'm stumped as to what it coulda been used for.  It's got a massively heavy bed made of thick diamond plate and solid plate.  The rear of the cab has a gun port just like the doors do.  There was no title and the owner said he got it off a farm who's owner had passed.  No one knew where it came from, where the previous owner got it, or what it was used for. 

 

There was no opening tailgate, but it had 2 half doors on the sides behind the cab to enter the bed.  The top of the rails have had lots of things dragged across them for a long time..... not sure if it would have had anything else built onto that bed since it has a rear window and rear gun port.  

 

Can't imagine what anyone would need to haul out in the open that would require an armored cab and open bed.  Especially in the late '40's early '50's. 

 

On the rear of the bed lightly covered with white paint,  I could make out "DENVER R_ESD"..... couldn't make out what that letter was next to the R.

 

Anyone?

 

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Came up kinda empty handed as well. Perplexed. Thinking the R_ESD,  ESD stands for Emergency Services District. R,maybe Rural? Missing letter F? For fire? An article I found said they were first responders to fires and accidents in the 50's from Denver areas. Not sure what the use of an armored car would be with gun ports. It also says Unit 1 on vic which would be a tie in to the emergency services. Probs just a surplus vehicle they purchased to transport equipment..IMO..! Hope someone else can find out more info. Cool find!!

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Maybe an early Armored Car company vehicle?  But a demolitions transport truck makes more sense given the area.  Old explosives weren't as safe as modern explosives now.  The armored bed could be to protect bystanders and the armored cab is to protect the driver/passenger.

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Maybe an early Armored Car company vehicle?  But a demolitions transport truck makes more sense given the area.  Old explosives weren't as safe as modern explosives now.  The armored bed could be to protect bystanders and the armored cab is to protect the driver/passenger.

seems bout right

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