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For Sale: 1938 Ford 1-1/2 Ton Pickup in Ft Worth, Texas

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!

Vehicle Details

  • 1938 Ford 1-1/2 Ton Pickup
  • Listing ID: CC-1537248
  • Price: $38,995
  • Location:Ft Worth, Texas
  • Year:1938
  • Make:Ford
  • Model:1-1/2 Ton Pickup
  • Exterior Color:Green
  • Interior Color:Brown
  • Transmission:Manual
  • Odometer:20198
  • Stock Number:5015-DFW
  • VIN:BB184294267
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