David, I have no documented info here but i believe that the T214 STARTED in 1942 but ceased production around the end of the war. Some T214 models, like theWC55 were built only in 42. but the T214 covers quite a few models.
I say this in the nicest possible way, having just had my butt kicked over the FMC/FMCo. I was under the mis-apprehension that the Food thingy company made carrier parts. Its funny how we lodge these facts in our heads only to find out years later, how wrong we were. The trouble with the forum is that when we dig ourselves into a hole, every one gets to look down the hole, and some of them dont just look!
Bact to the Dodge thing if Monstermania1 has his cargo bed plate,(on the front of the cargo bed) it will have the build date on it.
The site.
www.powerup.com.au shows several in the 1943-45 range, but they have serial numbers starting 816... and 817...Im guessing 81556444 is probably about Aug/Sept 42.