Hot Rods Can a working truck be a Hot Rod ?

Yeah that's kinda what I was getting at. In no way was I trying to be discouraging. More just curiosity what's going on with it. Whatever is under it, I like the truck.

 

Whatever you call it, it will look a lot better using it to haul to the track than a late model truck.
As was mentioned before, that bumper doesn’t really work though.

 

I'm not 100% sure, but I think that might be a 1973 Maverick bumper. They were thicker than the slim bumpers, but still not as thick as the 74-77 ones.

 

cool but -yes lose that front bumper, and possibly the wagon wheels

 

I'm all for a truck being a hot rod, like a shop truck, but if the truck looks to much like a work truck, then it's a work truck.
Just picture the truck by itself without a trailer or a load of whatever in the back, what do you see, hot rod or work truck.

 

Here in the North Wet we had a term for vehicles with Out of hand horsepower and handling abilities. They were sleepers. Those were rides that would run away from your Hot Rod and out drive you on the Mountain roads. Those are what I was known for having near all my life. Show Rods just weren't my thing. I don't need to babysit my stuff. No, they weren't Ratz just not 10's. Just performance over looks. The 40 in the picture is just a tad past my taste but just may fit the order. Looking forward to more information on it.
I was at an event in my avatar 3 weeks ago. The couple across from me had walked over twice and looked the 51 over pretty good. They had come in after I had parked. Both he and his woman had good questions each time. It was obvious they liked what they were looking at. Made me feel good. When I decided to leave, I lit it up and was letting it warm just a bit as usual when the Lady sprang up and hustled over and to me through the open window says, "Oh my God, I love that it don't sound like it looks! that's no sissy custom there!". That made me smile and once on the street just feet from them I had to light-em-up. Now that made my day and I suspect hers to being I was well within ear shot. If it aint fun, you aint done.

 

If all goes well I'll pick up this puppy this afternoon. I'm as curious as everyone else about what's under this critter. It sports a 289 with a C6 tranny, which is unusual in itself. The builder was a racer, and worked at a Ford dealer, so nothing would surprise me. Knowing he raced anything tells me that the front bumper probably also served as a pushbar. The inside has all the amenities albeit in a rather less than beautiful dash. Looks a little like a wheelbarrow full of buttholes turned upside down !!

 

I bet you'll be scratching your head over a lot of it. No doubt that with photos and a post right here you'll get some good answers. Like you I'm a bit curious.

 

I say a truck can be both. The fifth wheel and single rear tires don't match IMHO. If it is sitting on another chassis, your suspension and frame needs to be set up or substantial enough to carry the load. A gooseneck trailer will probably be overkill for your intentions so maybe a properly installed bumper/frame pull set up is what you need.

 

Not convinced that a flat rack stake bed screams, shouts or even whispers hot rod. Sometimes you just need a cool old truck to be a cool old truck.

 

Apparently, you have never lived in farm country. City folks put too many limitations on their Hot Rods.

 

Hello,

We saw this old Ford Flatbed Truck a couple of years ago in another coastal beach town, just up the coast. We had just come back from our granddaughter’s house and taking the relaxing routes home, instead of the I-5 freeway. The coastal route is always an excellent way to wind down and relax. For as long as we can remember prior to 1971, the coastal cliffs, the rocky shore and the great waves were an excellent way to relax and have fun.

Nowadays, the relaxing part is still there when the sight of the ocean is viewed coming over the hilltop. This 32 Ford flatbed truck was always wedged into a tight parking space and it stood out from the rest of the simple modern cars, SUVs, and other trucks.

There have been other flatbed trucks in the area as it is a working folks low key housing area. But, a hot rod always stands out in any neighborhood. This one instantly stood out because of the moon discs all around. Then as we blasted by, (no where to park and take relaxing photos) we knew we would see it again.

It was one of the only 32 Ford flatbed trucks that had style and attitude of a hot rod. At the time of the first sighting, it had no rear stake bed siding rails. It just hauled, (pun intended) anywhere it went. We saw it in several different areas of the whole South OC coastline locations in the next few months.

There was a long dry spell that we did not see the same 1932 Ford flatbed truck on that downhill street, or around the harbor area. So, we thought it had moved to another local city. Since that downhill street is a major thoroughfare from the ocean to many miles inland (Santa Ana), the Harbor’s Golden Lantern Street turns into Moulton Parkway that turns into Irvine Center Drive that turns into Edinger that ends up in a small boat harbor along the inland side of PCH in Surfside/Seal Beach. Ha! The coastal connections are all around us.

Then one day, while we were driving around, my wife said that the cool white 32 Ford truck was parked ahead. She has a better hot rod sight line, as I am concentrating on driving and not getting a ticket in these old age driving days. So, while we were driving by, a quick photo from the digital camera was taken.


Jnaki

Now, there are some nice wooden stake bed side rails and it was hauling, another pun, various car parts and such. Primarily, two steel crates and red taillight lenses, etc. were the main item seen.

In recent times, again, my wife mentioned that… “a funny looking toy car was in the flatbed area of that cool white truck.” It was the same 1932 Ford White Stakebed truck and this time, had a Maroon color, quarter midget sitting in the flatbed.

When I gave my wife the digital camera to take a couple of photos while we stop at the red sign, her mistake was to look in her outside rear view mirror and see this monstrous SUV on our bumper. Now, it was panic mode and those huge SUV vehicles actually are scary in the right circumstances. (Especially with a small blonde lady barely able to look over the top of the steering wheel.) For my wife, it was a point and shoot as fast as she could. But, I knew she was not liking the situation with the huge SUV behind us.

We had no time to stop and take more photos. The traffic was piling up in the whole intersection. Especially that blonde haired lady in the big, honking, Pink or White CADILLAC SUV that kept inching closer.

That wider than a pickup bed on the 1932 flatbed truck has seen plenty of different items to move from one place to another. But, a quarter midget? Wow, shades of those early days at the So Cal Los Alamitos Raceway for Quarter Midgets and some little kid ripping everyone a new attitude, in winning the races we saw back in those very early So Cal days.

It is a true “hauling” hot rod flatbed pick up for the times… YRMV

 

Grew up on the farm, still farming, drove numerous international, ford and dodge stake and dump bed trucks for work and play because there was nothing else to drive. Love trucks to a fault. Brought this home yesterday, to the farm, but even it doesn’t have a flat bed. Draped my coat over the roller mag in case I had to post a picture on the hamb. My mind remains open, maybe I can be convinced.

 

Well, as the saying goes, shit happens....... I had not picked up the truck as of yesterday, but was on my way to Oregon yesterday to pick it up. We had agreed on a price and particulars, but I was going to give him the cash upon arrival. I lead a rather hectic life, but won't go into detail. I was in constant communication with the seller. long story short, he allowed some guy to come take a look at the bugger, and the rest is history. Rather than call me, he sold it out from under me. Mind you, he had decided we were best buds, and wanted to keep in touch, and BS.... That's all fine, but then he goes and sells the truck to a total stranger who is willing to screw someone out of the deal. Go figure.....
Thanks to all my HAMBer friends for the comments, and sorry it can't continue as a cool story.

 

That one hurts. I know it is not a bus, but I hope another one comes along.

 

That's a bitch for sure...sorry the world is full of ass hats in all sizes

 

Can a working truck be a hot rod? Yes, one of many examples of my 52 GMC hauling stuff.

It sucks the seller sold out from under you when you had an agreement.

 

Well, that's a bummer. What ajersey!,

 

That sux cabong. Had that happen to me back in the spring on a used riding mower. Had a day set to pick it up, called to let them know I was coming, told me it was already sold. Gave the bitch a piece of my mind, didn't help but made me feel better.

 

Man, that sucks for sure... Ive had it happen time and time again, GREED!!!!

To answer your orig post, yes hotrod haulers are real...
Over 1k in the bed as shown here...

 

You dodged a bullet on that one.
I really think you would have had a case of buyer's remorse after the goo-goo eyes went away.

 

Yea needs a proper push bumper.

It seems to me that I have owned a lot of work trucks over the years that were "hot rods". My last was The Pusher. It drug race cars, and hauled hot rod projects, and hauled ass with the best of them.

Nothing like lightin 'em up with your parts hauler.



Oh sorry to the guys who do not consider a late model a hot rod.

 

Maybe not a hot rod to some but it does it for me. All loaded up here for last weeks swap meet.

 

Surely a crappy thing to have happen, but at least you didn’t find out after showing up.
I know many grew up and lived with word/bond. There’s many that don’t as well.

 

Both, but Loose that late model bumper, it's killing the 40 looks.

 

You can always hope the truck turns out to be a cobbled up piece of crap and the buyer gets hosed on it!

 

I think you dodged a bullet. That bumper was too much.