Vehicle Description
Don't look now, but handsome Ford F-Series 'Bumpside' pickups like
this 1968 Ford F-100 Custom Cab long bed are quickly becoming
valuable, high-end drivers and legitimate collector-grade pieces.
We can't seem to keep them in stock, and while it took a while for
them to catch up to their Chevy competition, they represent a great
way to get some vintage iron for not a lot of cash. With a gorgeous
Wimbledon White-and-Peacock Blue paint job, a comfortable interior,
powerful 360 V8 engine, and a host of provenance, it's one of the
best, well-rounded Ford trucks we've ever featured. The early 5th
generation Ford F-Series pickups have always been the most valuable
of the bunch, and this gorgeous long bed is a fine example of Big
Blue at its best.
The biggest problem with collecting old pickups is finding truly
solid and clean examples, and quite frankly, we can't remember the
last time we saw an original long bed this dialed-in. Long-bed
workhorses in particular were rode hard and put up wet in their
day, some were used to push a plow, or just ignored while tools
beat up their beds. Fortunately, this F-100 Custom Cab seems to
have been treated fairly well for most of its life, so the bodywork
is in very solid order and the truck as a whole doesn't feel used
up at all. The classic Wimbledon White and Peacock Blue paint job
is a top driver-grade finish that was completed not long ago, and
it recalls the glory days of early working-class pickups - with a
vintage presence about it that makes it look right at home out by
the barn, or on a Saturday night pulling up for diner at a fancy
restaurant. It was repainted by professionals but has been driven
and enjoyed ever since, so it's not a show piece, but it still
shows incredibly well in person and a professional cut-and-buff
might even elevate up a notch or two. The bright aluminum grille is
nice and shiny (the '67-'69 grilles are by far the most desirable
and hard to replace), the bumpers are likely newer reproduction
pieces that shine up bright, and the rest of the brightwork
(including the hard-to-find profile trim) was polished brilliantly
and provides the perfect contrast to the light, two-tone finish.
Take a look at how straight and practically dent-free the inside of
the bed is, further proof that this F-100 has been babied since
new, and it was coated with color-matched spray-in bedliner that
will protect the sheetmetal forever and allow the next owner to use
this truck, well, like a truck.
Working class accommodations don't have to be crude, and the
comfortable interior was finished mostly back to stock, highlighted
by the comfortable black bench seat. Today it's protected by a
traditional pleated black vinyl seat cover that gives it a familiar
look and is actually rather luxurious and supportive. Simple steel
door panels feature new hardware and matching black arm rests,
fresh black carpets line the floors and are further protected with
Ford vinyl floormats, and a new black dash pad was installed over
the beautifully repainted dashboard. Speaking of that dashboard,
it's in excellent shape as well, with lots of bright accents and
clear, crisp factory gauges in front of the driver, while the
factory steering wheel was restored and is punctuated by a chrome
horn ring and center cap that looks fantastic. The original AM/FM
radio is long gone, swapped in favor of a retro-style AM/FM/AUX
unit that's in the dash now, and it powers tunes through the custom
speaker boxes stacked just below. There's no A/C (typical of
working-class haulers from this era, but the heat/defrost unit will
sweat you out on a cold winter's day. Simple and straight to the
point inside, this Ford LWB truck is a great place to spend some
time.
Ford trucks got their own line of engines, and the Code Y 360 cubic
inch V8 engine under the hood of this beauty was a popular choice
for those that wanted big, yet manageable power and torque. It's
quite neatly dressed in the engine bay, with a correct Ford Blue on
the valve covers and block itself, and an original snorkeled air
cleaner complete with correct '360' decals - just like you'd see in
1968. The motor fires to life with ease thanks to an upgraded
alternator, and with the help of a stock 2-barrel carburetor it
runs incredibly well, and although there are no power options this
truck is still very easy to handle out on the road. Stock exhaust
manifolds feed into an upgraded exhaust system with a chambered
muffler that sounds exactly like it should, with just enough rumble
to get the driver excited when the pedal is all the way down. The
chassis is quite solid, with signs of maintenance throughout the
years, further evidence that this truck was purely transportation
and not a workhorse, and the smooth-shifting 3-speed manual
transmission spins a virtually indestructible Ford 9-inch rear end
out back. Even with that long body it has just the right stance to
look sporty, and we absolutely love the traditional white steelies
adorned with proper Ford chrome hubcaps and meaty 235/75/15 radials
all around.
The collector's market has definitely noticed these Ford trucks,
and this dialed-in, long-bed beauty is about as solid and clean as
they come. Trucks this gorgeous and well-sorted don't tend to last
long with us, and this one has a leg up on the competition with its
great provenance: an original bill of sale, original warranty card,
original owner's manual, and a stack of build receipts and
maintenance records. Call today!
