Vehicle Description
There are new trucks you can buy on the showroom floor that aren't
as nicely finished and comfortable as this 1956 Ford F-100. Packing
big block V8 power, a high-visibility paint job, and an old-school
vibe, this beautiful pickup is one of those trucks that really can
do it all.
There's no denying that the mid-50s Ford pickups were some of the
best-looking tools ever built. With a pugnacious forward-canted
attitude, the curvy bodywork has a classic old pickup look that
also manages to be sporty at the same time. This one is an older
build that tastefully updates the 62-year-old shape giving it a
lowered stance and covering it with a bright red paint job that
simply blazes off the sheetmetal. Fit and finish are pretty good
all around, and while it does show some signs of age, it's exactly
the kind of truck you can get in, turn the key, and drive
cross-country, all the while collecting thumbs-up gestures along
the way. Note how well the doors fit, how the big domed hood sits
flush with the fenders, and the neatly finished bed whose slight
patina works quite well with the vivid red paint. The chrome grille
still sparkles, and simple chrome bumpers fore and aft reinforce
the fact that there's just no way to make these trucks look bad.
Nothing radical, just a subtle tweaking that gives the truck a bit
more attitude and a lot more performance.
The interior is a mix of technology and old-fashioned hot-rodding
ingenuity. There was obviously a lot of money spent here to get it
into its current condition, and while the build is perhaps 20 years
old, it looks a fraction of that age. The gray cloth on the custom
bench seat and door panels looks upscale and wears like iron,
although this is one area that could use a little attention today.
The original instrument panel has a cool '50s shape, and it's
joined by a few auxiliary gauges built into the dash and a
column-mounted tach. That column is a late-model tilt unit that's
topped by a fat wheel with a whimsical Alfred E. Newman horn
button. Hurst supplied an old-style shifter T-handle for the
4-speed manual gearbox to reinforce the old-school vibe, but the
bottom line is that this truck is as comfortable and as familiar as
your modern F150.
Power in the form of a 390 cubic inch V8 from a 1968 Ford Torino
means that this truck moves with genuine authority. The
forward-tilting hood covers the big engine without restricting
service access, and it looks right tucked back under the cowl. A
few chrome dress-up parts add some flash and the red theme
continues with matching details like the dual electric fans and
decal-covered air cleaner. Underneath, the Ford's original frame
was fitted with a modern front clip with independent suspension,
power steering, and disc brakes. There's a Mustang Toploader
4-speed manual transmission and a 9-inch rear end with 3.50 gears
inside, so it definitely feels like a muscle car from behind the
wheel. A custom dual exhaust system uses glasspack-style mufflers
and side-exit tips ahead of the rear wheels for a fantastic
soundtrack and there are recent shocks all around. That's a giant
26-gallon fuel cell under the bed and it sits on shiny chrome
steelies with staggered 15-inch Mickey Thompson radials.
Classic trucks never go out of style, and this one has all the
right ingredients to make it as wonderful today as it was when it
was first built. That also means all the bugs have been worked out
and it's ready to enjoy. Call now!