Vehicle Description
When your grandparents were working to build this country into
something great, trucks like this 1938 Ford 1-Ton Stake Bed were
responsible for all the heavy lifting around town. Capable of
moving massive loads, they were perfect for hard work in the days
before Eisenhower brought us interstate travel. Today, they're
incredibly fun yet still very practical, and this 1938 Model 81-Y
is actually pretty darned rare, too. Whether you're looking to
promote a business or just show up to Home Depot in grand style,
this gorgeous Ford truck is up to the task.
Ford restyled their trucks in '38, and this 'Tonner' was the
freshest face in the workforce with its bulbous front fenders, a
brand-new cab, a new pickup bed (for non-stake bed trucks), and a
completely redesigned front end that featured an oval grille and
first conventional front-opening hood. It remains one of the most
popular looks, and it's easy to see why. Sleek and modern,
particularly compared to the Model TT (the last 1-Ton produced by
Ford a decade prior), it has an honest face that looks like it
doesn't mind a little hard work. The dark green paint is nicely
applied, not over-done, but about what you'd expect from a
blue-collar worker like this. Black fenders and running boards are
the perfect complement to the green finish, and the old-fashioned
door decal is a nice touch that harkens back to a time when these
work trucks were all over the road. In 1938, chrome was starting to
get expensive and scarce, so a lot of the brightwork was painted
contrasting cream, but a few shiny bits like the grille outline and
windshield surround managed to get onto the assembly line anyway.
The fresh-looking wood stake bed is practical as well as handsome
and is perhaps the most appealing aspect of an old truck like this,
combining the warmth of natural materials with a vintage look that
most folks find hard to resist. Black steel slats form the
structure of the stake walls and the wood-bed floor, matching the
fenders and exposed bed frame, and the bright chrome bumper, hood
ornament, and period-perfect headlights really dress things up on
this gorgeous 'Tonner'.
Inside, the cab was restored back to stock, which means spartan
surroundings that have a clean, utilitarian look. The simple bench
seat was wrapped in durable brown vinyl, the door panels were
finished to match, and even the headliner and back of the cab was
lined with matching materials - somewhat of a luxury for work
trucks of this era. The color-matched green dash and black steering
wheel are more stock elements that we absolutely love, and the
rubber mat on the floor means that it can still work in the field
without worrying about soiling new carpets. Basic, round original
gauges are fitted ahead of the driver, featuring an all-in-one unit
to the left and a speedometer to the right, while the tall shifter
for the 4-speed manual transmission is just a short reach away.
That floor shifter, firm clutch, and torquey 1st 'Granny' gear need
some deliberate action, (these were trucks for 'real men' after
all) but you'll get the hang of it easily, and for such a big rig,
it's actually easy to drive and quite pleasant considering the
weight.
For a truck of this vintage, there's nothing I'd rather have under
the hood than a Flathead V8, and the 221 cubic inch unit powering
this hauler is more than capable of getting the job done. With 85
horsepower on tap, it's not exactly a screamer, but with loads of
torque and a legendary reputation for dependability, it's a no-fuss
powerplant that's a perfect match for this 1-Ton. The engine shows
very little signs of use, and still inhales through an oil bath air
cleaner and single downdraft carburetor, and has a nice trucky
grumble from the single exhaust that fits it quite well.
Underneath, the suspension is heavy-duty enough to support a
railroad car, and the dual rear wheels mean that you can load
everything you own into the bed and it won't even blink. The
thorough nature of the restoration is obvious from underneath,
where it's clean and tidy with all the original equipment in place.
7.00-20 BFGoodrich Silvertown bias-plys wrapped around 20-inch
black steel wheels are likely a bit larger than what would've come
stock (most of the 1-Ton trucks came out of the factory with
17-inch wheels), but they certainly look the part and finish off
this beautiful hauler perfectly.
Heavy-duty haulers like this are the next big thing in car
collecting, and this '38 Ford is a great place to start. Call
today!