[JHFORD51]

flat sided bed didn't arrive on 3/4 ton trucks until 1953 model year; same as the block letter tailgate. Half tons got the new bed about halfway through the 1950 model year (still with script on tailgate however), but the larger F-2s and F-3s stuck it out with the older bed until the entire truck line was restyled.

I would guess that the 1942 bed was kept all the way through 1952, albeit with different fender mounting holes and a possible tweak at the tailgate area. The Bonus Built trucks of 48-52 vintage rolled over quite a bit of 1942 part nubers, particularly on the non half tons. Ford even referred to the F-3 as a Model Y, a direct holdover from the 30's.