The 01T5020 is a Ford part number for a cross member. The first part of the number, 01, is a code which will tell you the year the part is introduced. The T will be for truck. The second part of the number (5020) is the Ford group number for a #1 crossmember. My manuals give a newer number than this, so possibly there was a production change.
Ford part numbers system did not change since the mid 30s, and was still using this basic system when I was dealing with commercial Fords in the late 90s. One must note that on most newer Ford parts, the number, while looking very much like these part numbers, may only be an engineering number,and require that the proper part number be looked up in the catalogs.
Paul: There is no correlation between the serial number, the earlier DND number (ie: 42-1-101), and the later style numbering system (55-123). The change occurred somewhere late in 42/early 43, and trucks numbered under the old system were re-numbered into the new system.
By what little research I did at the Shilo museum years back, it would seem the earlier numbers were applied to whatever vehicles were in an area. I found records of many trucks and staff cars which were within a few digits of my DND number, and they were of entirely different vehicle types.
For the cab 13 F15cwts, the serial number was usually on the rear left frame near the spring hanger. But there seems to be a period in late 42 where they weren't doing this yet, I have only seen 1943 trucks done this way.
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