Well, I’ve heard of a Mercury pickup truck but I know I’ve never seen one in the steel. Barn Finder T.J. submitted a tip on this 1946 one-tonner and I figure that it’s as close to one as I’ll ever come so it’s worth a look-see. Located in Mankota, Saskatchewan, Canada, this old and worn pickup truck is available, here on eBay for a current bid of $4,300 (U.S.) with two bids tendered so far.

What we have here is a first-year Mercury truck, a Canada-only model that would be the one-tone equivalent of a Ford F-series. According to Mercury Pickup, “Canadian-made Ford and Mercury trucks differed, for the most part, only cosmetically. For many years it was just “Mercury” versus “Ford” letters on the hoods and pickup tailgates, plus distinctive medallions that set them apart. Often there was a bit more glitz on the Mercury trucks, in keeping with their slightly-more-upscale image“. Mercury trucks were sold at Lincoln-Mercury-Meteor (a Mercury-flavored Ford) dealerships which provided coverage to Canadian communities that had no Ford dealerships and provided what seemed like a more upscale vehicle for a lower price. Prohibitive tariffs would have made the importation of American L-M branded vehicles (or Pontiacs in the case of GM) out of reach of most Canadian consumers. The problem was solved with the passage of the Automotive Trade Agreement between Canada and the U.S. (1965). That act phased out prohibitive cross-border tariffs so the need for unique Canadian  branded vehicles was eliminated. Mercury branded trucks continued in production into 1968 and then ceased.

My initial thought was that this pickup was wearing a “posed” patina but upon further review, I’d say not – It’s just been outside in the elements too long.  The seller claims, “the front end of the truck has minimal to no rust. The floors are solid as are the front fenders, hood, and steps. The only rust on the truck is located in the cab corners and rear box sides where the wood was“. And of course, that’s exclusive of the surface rust which hopefully hasn’t progressed from surface to invasive. The body looks mostly complete though the tailgate is missing and if it’s a branded “Mercury” piece, it’s probably going to be a tough one to replace – maybe one from a ’47-’48 Ford pickup would work. The passenger-side fenders look like someone took a ball-pein hammer to them – a poor straightening attempt or just the result of a hard life? The wooden cargo bed is partially rotted away but that’s to be expected. Of note are the grille’s header and the hood center spear, both are in remarkably bright, non-corroded condition.

A non-running FoMoCo flathead V8 is under the hood, my guess is that it’s a 90 HP, 239 CI V8 as opposed to a 100 HP “Mercury” version but there’s no certainty. This truck rolls and steers but doesn’t run, no word if the engine will turn over by hand. The seller claims that the engine is complete and intact.

The interior looks like it’s spritzing itself up for a Three-Stooges episode with the exposed bare springs – all kinds of hi-jinx can come from that. More than likely, age, exposure, and rodents denuded the seat. It’s a simple, stripped environment and typical for a truck of this era. From what can be spied, however, the instrument panel looks fair.

OK, so this one’s not posed and appears to be a genuine neglected find – one with possibilities but it’s going to take a lot of work, its “good start” condition or not, to make it presentable and usable. So, what’s your gauge on this Mercury truck, does the Mercury brand make it more valuable and appealing than a similar 1946 Ford branded pickup?