Vehicle Description
When your grandparents were working to build this country into
something great, trucks like this 1938 Ford 1 1/2-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 Stake Bed 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 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 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 truck.
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 239 cubic inch unit powering
this hauler is more than capable of getting the job done. 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 1/2-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 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!