56 F100, is that truck shortened? Looks tight between the cab and fender. I have a 54 I am re-doing and want to do that.
Instead of criticizing the styling of a particular make and model, why not share what you are working on? HRP
I've been staring at this one too. Was thinking the same thing but... d'you think maybe the chop, the stance, and the beefy wheel and tire combo come together to make this thing look shortened? I dunno. At the very least there's an inch or so, here and there, shaved off this thing. A LOT of work. It's killer.
Flew to LA back in 1975, bought one and drove it home to Connecticut. Wish I'd kept in, want another . Bob
Critiquing styling to determine which is 'best' is a losing proposition. One mans beauty can be another's ugly ex-wife. While styling can sell new cars, over the long haul it seldom defines 'worth' if there's other shortcomings. While I like the '53-56 Ford trucks, I'd take a '57 Ford styleside over one any day of the week... but that's just me.
^^^^ Totally agree. Sgt wanted to discuss’56 F100 popularity and style, just keeping his thread alive with my 2 cents worth of observations. Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
My Mom bought me this same truck at the grocery store when I was a kid and ever since I wanted a real one. I brought that truck everywhere man. It was awesome.
Yeah I always thought i remembered it having the Fonze on the side from Happy Days but I guess I just remembered wrong. Good times. Haha
I got one for free so I traded it for a '56 Chevy 2 door sedan. They always looked like bulldogs to me...
At lest you are getting a free education on 1956 Ford F100 details. When the thread is over you can go back and ID the misidentified photos.
CHEVROLET had the First and Second Series in 1955, I owned a First Series, replaced it with the '56 Ford from LA, small world. Bob
I'd have to say your Wrong. It has a 53-5 gas tank fill tube where it belongs. I'd almost go out on a limb here and say it looks like the total back cab panel was changed out from the roof seam down and then the tank mounted on the running board mounts where it was on the slant cabs. Heck with the 55 hood emblems it may have started life as a 1955 and got the front half of a 56 Cab graphed onto the 55 platform. Best part is it's still being used like a Truck. In 1972 I went the other way and took one of my 55's and graphed a 56 Big Window back panel to it.
Ford didn’t make an ugly truck until 1957, and a few of them weren’t ugly. I’d take a free 40-56 Ford truck any day!
Not exactly, the F-100 taillights were so grate many were used on boat trailers and there were cheep knock off's made to look similar to them not the other way around.
Remember growing up as a little one playing in the back of my Dad's '56. He was a mason and often brought home fresh sand so we had a great time playing in this mobile sandbox ,of course with our toy cars. Loved the memory so much that I just had to build one for myself several decades later. I love the '56 and cherish that memory for me.
That 56 has appears to have the tank under the body like earlier models. I have seen one other like that. May be an owner modification? Perhaps Ford utilized some earlier production panels in the "new" 56 body style?
I doubt it was done at the Factory. That tank sits on the running board brackets. On the 53-55 those are totally different than the 56 ones plus the 53-55 are a bolt on and in 56 they got riveted on while building the frame.
Remember back in the 1950's when real men didn't give a shit were the gas tank was, then some started wearing panties that easily knotted up and bitched about everything?
Yeah, profile is everything. My '55 is raked, dropped with a '58 F100 front axle (1" factory drop! Free lunch! Well...Axle was free, and I installed it around noon...had to mill out the 'U' bolt bores 1/8" each side, '58 springs are 2"; '55 springs are 1-3/4".) My wife Joey flattened the leaves on my air/hyd. press, reversed the main leaves. She then redrilled the centerbolt holes 1-1/2" 'forward', (main leaf and 2 following) centering the wheels in the fender wells. Visually different from side view, makes the front end appear longer. Wow! Nice 4" drop...Thanks, Joey! Tire sizes (Classic Tiger Paws!) are 205/60 X 15" front, 265/70 rear...Rubber size helps the rake. 4 degree caster shims netted 6.5 degrees positive. Drives excellent, EXCEPT for the Toyota 4X4 power steering box gifted me by a former employee. Short pitman arm is horrible...so I rebuilt a '59 F100 box, ($$$) and the long pitman arm will regain the quick steering it used to have before the '55 box got 'grindy'... When I got the axle, I also got the spindles. Drivers spindle has a steering arm forged on, and on the '58 axle (1" drop) steering arm goes down lower to the drag link, lessening the angle from lowering. I get lots of comments, mostly positive...Worst ones are from youngsters (and uninformed types) that don't remember when we used to install small block Chevys in Fords! A 20 foot lightup of tires usually quells their disbelief...Yes, the Moon gas pedal works. I didn't see the Chip Foose pic of his '56 'til this morning...Wow...Major massage! I have to say my '55 looks...well, pretty good, alongside that beauty!
Seriously though, what's not to love? I mean, just look at that big fat ass, those wide hips, and that narrow waist. Kinda looks like Aunt Bea in a red negligee... umm... okay... maybe that wasn't the best reference. Some might find them distasteful, but even the ugliest old, beat up iron is better than that non-user serviceable, proprietized, foreign junk everybody is driving today, and they sure as hell cost less than a new Ford truck.
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