Vehicle Description
Yes, you're reading that correctly, this is an ultra-rare 1945 Ford
pickup truck. Most folks think no civilian vehicle production
happened during the war, but business had to continue and trucks
made the business world move, so they were available on a very
limited basis. So this wonderful 1945 Ford combines a really
interesting story with a thoroughly updated driveline to make a
fascinating, fun hauler.
Old trucks wear bright red better than any other vehicles, and this
1945 Ford shows off its wartime DNA with pride. You'll note the
limited use of chrome, which was almost completely unavailable
during that time, but otherwise it has a look that should be
familiar to Ford fans. It's nicely refinished, having been
completely disassembled and stripped to bare metal for the fresh
red paint. It's all steel and the goal was to make it look fairly
stock on the outside while hiding the upgrades underneath. So it
has basic steel running boards, simple trim painted contrasting
off-white, and a painted grille that still looks handsome after all
these years. All the glass and rubber was replaced, so the truck
feels tight going down the road and doesn't have those annoying
wind whistles that old vehicles always get, and the bed is still
totally usable thanks to a spray-in bedliner. The only real tipoffs
that this is not a stock truck are the fat radials and two exhaust
pipes peeking out under the rear fenders. Cool!
Simple and plain was the order inside, too, where the truck's good
old-fashioned working class roots were retained and merely enhanced
rather than completely erased. The front seat appears to be the
original bench, now reupholstered in attractive pleated black vinyl
and the floors have a new rubber mat that looks right. The door
panels are steel, as they were in 1945, but instead of being body
color (which might have been too much red) they were tastefully
done in satin black to keep it looking sedate. An aftermarket A/C
system was cleverly installed under the dash and remains quite
effective, and for comfort, there's a tilt steering column topped
by the original wheel. Dolphin gauges replace the original
instrument panel, but they keep a vintage vibe going that works
well in this pickup. There is no radio, which is how this one came
from the factory, but everything else works as intended to make it
a pleasure to drive.
For power, there's a strong-running 351 cubic inch "Windsor" V8
under the hood. Lots of torque and a great V8 soundtrack are big
selling points on this engine, which makes the pickup feel quick
around town but cruises easily thanks to a C6 3-speed automatic
transmission and a Lincoln Versailles 9-inch rear with 3.25 gears
inside. The engine was freshly rebuilt with all new parts inside
and then fitted with the accessory drive system from a 5.0 Mustang,
so it offers factory-style reliability. There's an Edelbrock
4-barrel carburetor, camshaft, intake manifold, and air cleaner, a
new aluminum radiator up front, and a custom dual exhaust system
underneath. A Fatman Fabrication independent front end makes it
track like a car and 4-wheel disc brakes are a welcome improvement
on something that generates speed as well as this truck does.
Custom WheelSmith steelies provide the perfect look and wear fat
235/75/15 Goodyear radials all around.
Beautifully built and with a great story to tell, this clean early
Ford pickup is bright red fun in a practical package. Call
today!
