The search for my favorite pickujp is over!

I've been in love with the early F-1 pickup since I saw my first one in the tiny showroom of the Ford dealership in Lone Pine, California, in 1948. It would be almost a decade before I actually had one, or more correctly shared one, with my stepdad. When I quit drag racing and started motorcycle dirt tracking in the late Fifties dad had just bought a '50 F-1 from a neighbor to use as his work car.

I'd been mooching rides to the races for me and my bike with pals who had pickups and bike trailers, and it was inconvenient for all of us. So, I cut a deal with my dad to use his F-1 on weekends. I also received permission to repaint it, from light green to white, then added big and little wide whites to the wheels which I painted red. A talented pal did some simple striping for me -- in red. No mechanical changes, just a rubber rake and a good color combo. The "old" F-1 looked as good as good as any of the F-100s in the pits, and owing to its lack of years and miles it was super dependable and always a treat to drive.

Fast forward through the better part of a lifetime, a bunch of F-100s, and one rather scabby F-1 five years ago that was far too gone to be brought back without many hundreds of hours and several thousand dollars -- just to get it presentable.

Then, last Saturday Vern Tardel told me of an F-1 that was in "very good condition" and had a righteous asking price -- right here in Sonoma County. The great puzzle was that this truck had eluded Vern and was previously unknown to him. Vern's known for a long time just how fond I am of early F-1s and he knew the story of the one I shared with my dad, who passed away peacefully just a couple of weeks ago.

The short part of this story is that we looked at the truck last night and I bought it today! It's a stunner, in as good condition as the one my dad shared with me decades ago. But more important, it comes into my life just after my dad departed. This F-1 would have put a big smile on his face, just as it does mine when I recall special times we shared that involved the first F-1. The circle is complete . . .

 

Amen

 

Yeah, Mike. I know exactly what you're talkin about.

 

congrats man, any plans for it?

 

It's beautiful. So was the story about your dad. Thanks Mike.

 

That truck is perfect. Thanks for sharing the story about your dad also.

My dad has been in love with the 48-50 F-series trucks since he was a kid also (he is now 66). I grew up hearing about the first new F-series trucks he saw in the Ford showroom.

He finally bought his first F-1 this last year. He has had F-2's through F-8's, but never an F-1. He is pretty excited about the project.

Keep the pics coming.

Neal

This one was at the LARS swapmeet area. I thought it looked pretty right.

 

I put about 200 thousand miles on a truck just like that,
all I did to it was replace a pair of water pumps.
My favorite truck I ever owned. It had stainless steel stacks and it would talk to ya, most beautiful sound in the world. I am real happy for ya and very jealous. I love my 49 sedan but there's nothing like an F-1 pickup. Kinda like your easy chair at night.

 

Just amazing . . .

 

Thats a good lookin ol hauler Av8, the last time we saw any that nice in our part of the country was 1967 or so.If we did have any that nice they would have been in side stored since the sixties.The mid-west weather has a way of making those old Fords rust out real bad in the seams of the front fenders and around the lower part of the cab.
Kinda ironic about the way life sometimes helps heal its own wounds.Good luck with the truck and have fun with it.

 

Mike- That's a BEAUTIFUL truck! Now all you need is a white paint job and some pinstriping and you're set. Congrats on a great find!

 

Beautiful truck. That's my favorite 'late model' pickup as well. I've been seriously considering one of those as my next project after the roadster, set up as a fuel-injected 5.0 daily driver. And in that exact shade of green, as a matter of fact.

So does this mean you won't be needing a '34 pickup roof? If not, drop me a line...

 

And an extra-special touch. This is the only accessory clock I've ever seen in an F-1 -- and it works, with that comforting ticking that car clocks used to have!

 

I couldn't be happier for you man. It sounds like it's really going to mean alot to you to own this truck.

And holy S#$T is it clean looking!

 

Does she have a sister?

 

wow, someone really put a lot of WORK into that PATINA!

nice truck!

 

Congrats on the find, Mike. Sounds like this one's a keeper, for a lot of reasons.

Further proof that good things really do happen to good people.

 

Wow! What a great old truck. I'm very sorry to hear about your father...but it sounds as though you have your head screwed on straight and are really dealing with things well. That's very admirable when dealing with the loss of a loved one.

Now do that truck up the way that you and your dad would have seen fit and represent him well.

 

Zonk -- The '34 highboy is on hold for awhile and is now in reduced-priority status. It will get built but not as quickly now, and I won't be needing that top in the near future. I thank you for the original offer, however.

I'm going to drive the F-1 just as it is and upgrade it along the way. I plan to replace the two-barrel with an Offy 4-bbl manifold and a smallish AFB, the stock distributor will give way to a new Mallory, and a pair of new tube headers will feed new tiny Flowmasters that will exit in -- TA-DA -- polished stainless cab stacks!

Eventually it will receive a cosmetic upgrade with a 3-inch axle from El Polacko, big and little wide whites, a tonneu cover, and plated bumpers and grille trim. But for now, it looks so wonderful I feel no need to rush into the dress-up changes.

I'm thinking about building a new stroker motor for it over the Winter, using the perfect 8CM block I got from Rocky and an equally perfect 8CM crank courtesy of Digger Dave of the North of 49 crew/crazies. This would allow us to use it as a tow/push truck for Fuller's 'liner at Bonneville next year, and there's a special connection in that sort of thing.

 

This looks like a nice place to spend a lot of time . . .

 

Finally, just a bit more of the tastiness of this sweet old truck . . .

 

All it needs is to be driven. Nice score.

 

Wow.

 

That is a great fine and in such nice condition is a bonus. Back here it seems all of them rust around the grill opening and front fenders...

So you going to reproduce the white one from your earlier days?

 

Sorry about your Dad, thanks for the story and photos, congrats on your "dream" and KUDOS to Vern for being a good friend!!

 

Awesome truck Mike. I bet your dad would have been thrilled to see you get it.

Your plan sounds solid. This is going to be a fun ride.

Post pics as you go.

-JH

 

Great story, thanks.
What a beautiful truck I can't believe the condition it's in. Here in Florida it would be rust riddled.

Talking about fathers, my old man was in hospital last week getting a heart artery stent. He's had two sets of open heart surgery in the past. I worry about him intensely. I'm trying to mend all the damage we inflicted on each other before he's gone, otherwise it will be too late.

 

cool story and very cool find, weird how sometimes things happen

 

The funny thing is Mike, I was thinking that you deserved a new project the other day after you posted pics of old Bluey. It's good to see new fire in a great guy. You can't recreate that kind of excitement, the excitement of the dream car find.

I know what you are talking about, my Dad loves the 36 Ford's....he's getting pumped that mine is coming up on the priority list.

 

Great score Mike and sorry to hear about your dad.

So what are the plans for the truck? For it to survive unmolested this long does it have a 6 or were you really lucky to get the V8?

Ive a 43 out back but that isnt going to get touched until I find an earlier nose; God are those 42-47 ugly!

 

Great score Mr. Bishop! I know she'll get taken good care of with you.

Oh, and 286, I don't think that '42-'47 sheetmetal's too awful bad....