New guy with an old truck.
 

I started seeing this truck around 2006, when I began working for an old school but excellent auto parts store. They had storage units in back. A dirt floor pole barn. Well, it just so happens that the storage had been delinquent on this truck, for over a decade. There it sat until Oct. of last year, when I finally asked the store manager about it.

You could only see it from the gap on the door and I didn't even know what it was. I walked around the side of the barn, and there was a 3/4 inch hole in the wall. Through this hole I saw the nostrils and grill bars of 48-50 Ford F-1, and I knew I had to have it. $500, and it was mine! It is rough, but I enjoy a challenge. It's my first time for owning a flathead engine, and a vehicle this old. I had a few 60's and 70's cars before, so working on old cars is nothing new to me. I also have a bodyshop background, and own more than your average amount of tools. You could say I have enough experience to be dangerous, hehe.

So, here it is in all it's rusty glory. It will get upgraded enough to keep up on 65mph highways. If it was a small town I might leave it stock, but you'll get rear ended if you drive below 60mph around here. I also want to upgrade the heater and a/c unit if possible. Right now I am tearing it down to the bare frame, which will take me a month with the amount of free time I have. Small steps..

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n...ps2642560f.jpg

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n...psfcf4b09d.jpg

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n...ps214618de.jpg

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n...ps2098742a.jpg

http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n...ps63a95625.jpg

Re: New guy with an old truck.
 

Great find. Best wishes on your rebuild.

Re: New guy with an old truck.
 

have fun with your project. Great truck!

Re: New guy with an old truck.
 

looks to be pretty solid!

Re: New guy with an old truck.
 

It has more rust on the right side, including the front cab mount. I can weld in new metal thankfully. I have a welder and all the cutting tools. There's also rust holes in other places too, but I can fix them all one by one. Thanks for the compliments!

Re: New guy with an old truck.
 

Good Luck

I had one just the same years ago

Re: New guy with an old truck.
 

Brings back memories from 15 years ago when I found my '48. It took me a year and a half to do a frame up rebuild. Enjoy!!

Re: New guy with an old truck.
 

Excellent project, have fun with it.:)

Re: New guy with an old truck.
 

Good to see another F1 getting a second life - and Sheridan blue, no less! Not sure how much disassembly you'll yet need, but the front clip (fenders, grille, valances) are quite easy to remove as a single piece. You've already gotten to some of the tough -and always uncooperative - fender bolts.

Enjoy the journey!

DW

Re: New guy with an old truck.
 

Great find, keep us informed on progress, thanks for posting!!

Re: New guy with an old truck.
 

Re: New guy with an old truck.
 

That's a great project to start with. The best part will be getting it back on the road and driving it! After tearing three or four of these old Fords down to the frame, and spending the time to get some of them back together, my preference now would be to get a vehicle like yours mechanically sound and safe, and drive it like it is. I love seeing these old Ford V8's running around in their original aged patina. I would walk past 10 original high point over restored vehicles to see one like yours. Welcome to the Fordbarn!

Re: New guy with an old truck.
 

FC,
I had a '51 F-1....loved it. It's amazing the power that can be generated
with a mild 8ba. Best thing I ever did was switch the rear end which had 4:27's to a
Ford 8" with 3:30's.
Great truck have fun with it !!!
Charlie ny

Re: New guy with an old truck.
 

You have the nack to work on old trucks ( 3rd Picture)

A ~B F H~ & A 4" Disk grinder

The only thing you are missing is a big roll of duct tape O wait thats for reassembly LOL

Re: New guy with an old truck.
 

So was Sheridan blue a special order color?

Re: New guy with an old truck.
 

Ford Custom
Welcome to the barn.
I like your F1 find.
I have two of them. The first one "Green one" had more rust than yours. The red one was from Phoenix Arizona, great shape.
Have fun.

Bruce

Works good
Lasts long time

Re: New guy with an old truck.
 

Another F1 will breathe again! Great story and the best of luck with your truck!

Re: New guy with an old truck.
 

Welcome aboard. As you plan your project may I suggest that you study the threads on here about the T170 3 speed O-drive trans and the S-10 trans. You have gobs of room in that old truck where you can fit just about anything. If I had to do it over again and knew about the T170's I would have put that in my '36 because you can make it look stock. Then with a 3.70'ish rear end gear you can have good accel and cruise.

So, if you decide on something like this and find a cache of 170's here in Texas, let me know because I am thinking about re-working my truck with one.

Re: New guy with an old truck.
 

I believe that Sheridan was a stock color. Unfortunately, I've lost my old reference docs due to a hard drive failure (yeah, I know about backups). These are close and should help your efforts:

http://www.clubfte.com/users/earl/Re...aterial_2.html

http://paintref.com/cgi-bin/chipdisp...d&info=&page=3

Re: New guy with an old truck.
 

Yes welcome. The hardest part of this king of restoration is derusting everything to find out what is usuable. Fortunately most everything is available for it. This unfortunately takes deep pockets. It's aldo time to consider modifications. A good example would be to use a 525 Sagna steering box. and especially the F150 RTS T 170 transmission, It's a 3 speed with OD and looks stock and will work well with your present rear axle ratio. Improving your braking is another option along with a nice set of seat belts. I'm in the process of doing all this for my grand children..
There are allot of people on the barn here than give you allot of help along with good and bad ideas. Take care.