As iconic as a '53 Corvette or '59 Cadillac, the 2nd generation Ford F-100 holds a pivotal role in America's automotive history.
Oldie With Air:
1954 Ford F-100
Panel Truck!
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Quite bulbous-looking, with an almost comic-like appearance, the F-100 would fit beautifully into a Disney movie, driven by Grandma Duck on her farm.
In 1954, more than 100,000 F-100 pickups were produced, however, a mere 8,078 F-100 panel trucks left the factory. Today, there's just a handful known to exist.
Rare . . . you bet!
Reportedly a lifelong California resident, this '54 F-100 panel lived a sheltered life in beautiful Artesia, garaged and protected from the elements. A truck that's never known rust or accidents, it was the recipient of a sympathetic yet comprehensive restoration, beginning in 1991. Due to the owner's passing, the work was to be completed years later, by his son.
Motorvation comes from its original engine, the tried-and-true Ford 223 cu. in. (3.7-liter) Mileage Maker inline-six, mated to a bullet-proof, three-on-the-tree, manual transmission.
The engine starts on the button -- and it's a chrome button -- and runs beautifully, cold or hot, with a mellow sound to boot. It doesn't smoke, doesn't leak fluids, and there are no untoward noises of any kind to report. We splurged and had the carburetor rebuilt at Pacific Carburetors in Ventura. We also installed a new battery (the truck has been upgraded with a 12-Volt electrical system and modern alternator), spark plugs and plug wires, points, rotor, and condenser, to complete the tune up.
Best of all, the undercarriage of this 62-year-old is all original, unmolsted, without any rust or accident repair anyhwere. Only in sunny Southern California can you hope to find a treasure like this!
Above photos showing the undercarriage in more detail.
A straight as it gets, this F-100 has never been abused, and it shows. Hood, fenders and doors are all original. We've not been able to detect any signs of body repair anyhwere, and we've checked her out like Mr. Trump checked out Melania before signing on the dotted line.
She rolls on brand spankin' new steelies, fitted with equally new stainless steel beauty rings, hubcaps, and B.F. Goodrich Silvertown radial wide whitewall tires on all four corners. Fronts are 7x15s with 225/75-15 tires, rears are 8x15s with extra meaty 255/70-15 tires, with less than 25 miles of use.
Finished in Coca Cola Red, the paint, although several years old, still sparkles like Ivanka's teeth. There are no dings, dents, scratches, or imperfections of any kind worth mentioning. The entire truck has been color sanded with 2000-grit and buffed to a high luster. Add your company's logo to the sail panels, and you're good to go!
Extra cozy is the inside.
The original dash is just about perfect in its simplicity, a trait often associated with early Porsches. Even the steering wheel is original, just a modern-ish stereo with cassette player has been mounted below the dash for more refined listening pleasures.
Breathtakingly beautiful Art Deco gauge cluster. Note that this truck has a new air conditioning system that blows ice cubes on demand!
Driver and passenger enjoy the luxury of captain's chairs, dressed in silky gray velour. There are no rips, tears, or imperfections of any kind here. The driver's seat is 4-way power operated and works perfectly.
Back in 1954, most F-100 panel trucks came equipped from the factory with a tailgate. Only a tiny fraction had these oh-so-cool refrigerator-style barn doors!
There's plenty of space inside this truck! It will outspace your neighbor's SUV by a mile, and rates close to a full size van when it comes to useable cargo space. The Panel would be perfect for camping trips as well. Or load your vintage Motorcycle and head for the next Sturgis meet.
All the interior has been covered with gray velour materials. This truck could easily serve as a very cool mobile business advertisement (and its purchase might even be tax-deductible!).
Pretty ain't gonna get you nowhere, so how does she drive?
Marvelously, thank you for asking. In fact, she doesn't drive like a 62 year-old truck at all. Thanks to a rebuilt suspension and front end, the F-100 can be driven spiritedly and with utter confidence, all the way across the country if that's where you live.
There's not too much vagueness in the steering, and the brakes anchor the panel with authority. Better yet, everybody loves this truck. Cruising around mission town San Buenaventura, the panel received more smiles and got more thumbs up than a "Baywatch" model.
The rarest among the rare, this '54 F-100 panel checks all the right boxes. It's fully sorted, looks stunning, drives as good as it looks, and needs nothing but a new owner. Parts supply is superb, and you can be sure that it will be a good financial investment as well.
Opportunity is knocking . . . are you ready to answer its call?
Addendum:
We sold this amazing F-100 early in 2017 to a customer in New Zealand.
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