1952 Ford F-1

Description

Just a neat old pickup? Guess again! Someone pulled out all the stops on this 1952 Ford F-1, giving it a traditional look with plenty of vintage horsepower compliments of a stroked small block, 5-speed transmission, and all the creature comforts. If you appreciate performance hidden inside an old-school truck, this Ford is for you!

At first glance, this handsome pickup has just the right vintage look to be charming. You don't expect it to be fast, not with looks like that, but it will bring a smile to everyone's face when they see it ambling down the road. The freshened Ford face would become one of the most popular vehicles in history, and despite $60,000 worth of parts and 2,000 labor hours, this one retains its commercial good looks with correct trim and deep black paint. It's laser straight, suggesting that this one was tasked with light-duty work all its life, and when it was freshened someone took their time to get it right, because this sucker is awfully close to flawless. The 'glass fenders glisten with rich black paint, the original hood and doors fit quite nicely, and the bed has been filled with stunning wood planks with a dramatic grain structure and a clearcoat that's about a mile deep. The beautiful (and functional) polished tank in the bed provides a bright contrast that immediately catches the eye. And it's important to know that almost every fastener, washer, nut, and bolt on this truck is stainless steel.

There's not much inside that hasn't been seriously reworked. The bucket seats look right at home and come from a late-model so they're comfortable and easy to adjust. The dash is original, but the gauges inside are modern Speedhut units that seem to have been designed just for this application. Of course, as a high-end build, you get effective A/C, power windows and locks, a tilt column, and even cruise control for long-distance hauls. That shifter is linked to a Tremec TKO600 5-speed manual gear box, which includes an overdrive, so this little pickup will cruise effortlessly at highway speeds, quite unlike its siblings that run out of breath at 45 MPH. All the wiring is new, and aftermarket turn signals were added, since in 1952 they were still not standard equipment on pickup trucks. A powerful AM/FM/Sirius/iPod stereo provides entertainment, although you may not need it with the way this one dances on the road.

The engine is a 351 Windsor V8 punched out to 408 cubic inches. The result it a torque factor that moves this pickup like a modern muscle car. Fuel injection means it starts instantly and idles well even when it's cold, and with that overdrive transmission, fuel economy is reasonable, too. It's packed into that narrow engine bay, but with a custom serpentine belt drive system, the accessories tuck in tight to the block and there's a giant aluminum radiator with electric fans that has no trouble keeping it cool. The chassis is a custom TCI tube frame built just for this truck and incorporates a Mustang II front suspension, rack-and-pinion steering, 4-wheel disc brakes, and an air suspension that rides beautifully. The exhaust system is a flat-out work of art ,and the engineering is done right, because this truck cruises like the factory built it. Foose whipped up a set of custom wheels just for this truck and they're wrapped in staggered Michelin Pilot radials.

Beautifully rebuilt and extraordinarily fast, this is one vintage pickup that hauls more than tools. With over 2000 man-hours wrapped up in the build, it's every bit as nice as you think it is. Call today!