1955 Ford F-1

Description

Bright red is always the right color for an old pickup, and this great-looking 1955 Ford F-1 has exactly the right look. Aside from the flashy wheels, it's actually quite stock, so it fits in just about everywhere it goes and you'll quickly learn that pickup trucks were pretty darned nice in 1955.

The restoration is a few years old, but thanks to expert maintenance and a sheltered life, it's holding up quite nicely. The high-quality paint job shines up beautifully and the gloss seems to emphasize the F-1's awesome cab-forward shape. These trucks are popular for a reason, and the look is a big one. Looking closely at this truck, you'll be hard-pressed to find any mistakes, from the big hood that fits extremely well to the crisp lettering on the tailgate, making this truck stand out everywhere it goes. Note that correct welting was used between the bed and rear fenders, the unique chevron-shaped taillights, and simple bumpers that were painted to match the body, just to make it a little different. In fact, there's not much bright work on this truck, which is largely how it came from the factory, although the shiny V8 emblem hovering in the grille and Ford badge just above it make a bold statement. The wood bed has a bit of patina, but for a truck like this, maybe that's a good thing; you wouldn't want to be afraid to use it, right?

There's a Thunderbird V8 under the hood, so why not dress up the interior in a similar fashion? The red and white vinyl bench is surely a lot brighter than the original upholstery, but it definitely works here. Matching door panels use contrasting white paint that stretches through the dash to brighten the interior, which makes the simple driver's compartment look far more upscale. Gauges are all housed in a single pod and it covers the basics but little else, but that's how they came when they were new. And in 1955, radios were still optional, so they cleverly hid the modern AM/FM/CD stereo system out of sight and kept the stock looking dash. An under-dash heater unit puts out enough BTUs to cook a turkey and rubber floor mats remind you that it's OK to work for a living.

The 292 cubic inch V8 was part of Ford's Y-block family and is easily identified with the unique wrap-around exhaust manifold system. This same engine powered the Thunderbirds, and we believe this is the original engine. It's not totally correct with all that chrome, of course, but given how well this sucker runs and drives, you won't even think twice about it. It was rebuilt to stock specs about eight years ago and for a truck motor, it's remarkably smooth, with a nice V8 sound from the single exhaust system. A 3-speed manual transmission with a column shifter makes it entertaining to drive. The undercarriage looks largely original and in good order considering its age, and with rigid axles at both ends, it delivers that old-fashioned truck feeling that no resto-mod can duplicate. Flashy chrome wheels with baby-moon hubcaps update the look and it rolls on wide 235/70/15 Uniroyal radials at all four corners.

A neat old truck in excellent condition, this Ford proves that you don't need engine swaps and modern suspensions to have a fun, competent, and stylish old hauler. Call today!