(first posted 3/12/2011) I originally bought my ’66 F-100 for dump runs. We had an acre in Los Gatos then, and I paid $500 for it in 1987 to haul off brush and tree trimmings. Anyway, that was the excuse I needed to finally fulfill my desire for an old pickup after living in crowded LA. And I still use it for that purpose about as much as any other. Endless remodeling and sloppy tenants make me a fairly regular fixture at the Lane County Transfer station, where one sorts recyclables and dumps the rest into the giant pit, in the bottom of which a giant Cat lives that pushes it into big trucks that actually haul it to the dump. Anyway, I often meet kindred spirits there. And sometimes ones with a story to tell.
I backed in next to this fine veteran that is right up my alley patina-wise. I got to chatting with its owner, as owners of old Ford trucks are likely to do, as they check each other’s ride out. Or more like checking out the more interesting of the two, which his undoubtedly is.
It’s his first vehicle ever, bought 33 years ago. That would be 1978, when this long-lived truck was still almost youthful. I snapped a few shots and then we headed to do our business at the pit.
As we met up there again, our conversation continued, for quite a while. He showed me pictures of his home-built camping trailer that folds up to look like a covered wagon, with its propane tank hidden in an old wood barrel.
He told me about some of the modifications he’s made, like a limited-slip axle that he picked up for free in someone’s yard. I should have asked to look under the hood, but I know it’s the six, which would be the first year for Ford’s new OHV engine, which came in a 215 CID version that year.
I’ve always been more of a fan of the Chevy trucks of this vintage; well, in fact I called the ’51 Chevy 3100 CC “My All-Time Favorite Truck“. For some reason, it seems like the Chevys of this vintage always outnumbered the Fords by a huge margin.
Well, ugly or not, you gotta love a truck with this kind of history and patina. How many paint jobs are trying to peek through here?
After a while, he said he needed to get back to work; and as he said it, he pointed in the direction of the bottom of the pit, where the big Yellow Cat sat waiting: “I drive that thing”.
Cue the ‘Sanford and Son’ theme… which I will have in my brain for the rest of the morning. Now, so will you! 😉
Actually the S&S truck was a year older, but you get my drift.
Bahhhdabaaahdabahhh http://www.hark.com/clips/nnrzwjggnf-sanford-and-son-theme-song
Try the extended version:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-fqf_TTJO0(Sorry, you’ll have to copypaste)
’70s TV show themes kick massive butt, ‘specially when written by Quincy Jones.
My first thought as well. “Hey, Lamont . . . . “
The inside shot of the cabin reminds me of what drew me to cars as a kid…it’s irresistable.
Btw, still have the acre in Los Gatos? I was up there yesterday…quite an appealing area.
No. It was our house, and actually quite close in to town. The house was built in 1866, one of the older ones in the area. Sold it when we moved up here in ’93.
I’ve got a 2004 F-150 purchased in 2006. Its a basic model, manual windows, bench seat, rubber floor covering… I honestly hope to have it as long as Paul and our Cat Driver have had their trucks.
How about a CC on your 66 Paul?
I loved the 61-66 Ford/Mercury trucks. Especially the early Unibodies.
I had a 63 F350 briefly. Hard truck to drive, it was a farm rig all it’s life so I’m pretty sure most of it’s parts were swapped in at some point. It was equipped with the 262 six, 4 speed(3 speed w/granny low) and a 5.38 rear… I was lucky to hit 40mph in that thing.
Inevitable. One of the last chapters of the Auto-Bio covers it (and coming back for a repeat eventually), but maybe we’ll do it and the “slicks” some other way.
Paul, is your pickup the car you’ve owned the longest? If not I bet it’s in the top two. I think it’s great to see vintage vehicles being used for their original purpose. The ’52 and your own pickup are proof that you don’t need to have a 350 Chevy and THM for reliability in an older vehicle.
Yup. And the whole idea with it has been to do the least possible to it; just to keep it running as a hauler. I’ll write up my experiences with it soon: I’ve spent maybe $1500 total in repairs and maintenance over those 25 years. Cheap haulage!
Good heavens. I’ve spent more than $1000 keeping my Ford running just this *year*.
I had two old Ford pickups; a 1950 that looked a whole lot like that one, and a 1951. The 1950 was a V8 with a 4-speed granny box that preferred the driver to double-clutch, and a ratchet rear end. It was a tough old rig that I once used to pull a stalled loaded F5 flatbed off a railroad track. All it took was a couple of guys in the pickup box to give it some additional weight; the granny first just eased it right off. This truck was pretty mean-looking too, faded paint, no straight body panel or uncracked piece of glass on it, and a heavy steel framework/rear bumper around the back of the box. My 1951 was an old federal government truck that had lived in dry eastern Washington, and was a 6-cylinder 3-speed. It showed less than 40,000 miles and the doors and windows worked like new, the seat was nice, all the sheet metal was straight. It had brand new tires – including spare. I haggled with the salvage dealer who had the truck, and after we made a deal he came out of his office, looked it over, and said, “Well, you got a good deal there!” I took it home and washed it, causing the moss-green paint to become several shades darker. I got it painted in 1966 Chevy Aztec Bronze with black interior, put chrome wheels on it, drove it for a year, and sold it for more than I had in it.
As a 52 F-3 owner, seeing one of these trucks warms my heart. Its defiantly a 215 six, if it was a V-8 it would have the V-8 logo at the front of the hood instead of the wings. Whats really cool is that the carb on that motor has a glass float bowl, makes working on it so much easier in that you always know if its getting fuel. While a 215 is not as cool as a flathead V-8, the horsepower ratings are almost the same. Its also a base model, as it only has one stripe of chrome on the hood, the higher trim levels have 3 rows of trim.
Hey, Thanks for the compliments. I’m that guy who owns this old truck. I had googled images of “covered wagon camp trailers” and I see a familiar pic. Kinda wondered if I’d see pics of my camping wagon since I’ve had a few folks take pics of it. Never thought I was gonna see pics of my pickup.
A quick little history for those who might have questions
Bought it in ’78 for 200 bucks, and drove it home on a freezing cold day in December. (no pass. window and a cracked left wing window)
Had the ? original 215 , but with a tag on the block saying it was rebuilt. Also had a column shift 3spd. trans. Didn’t have the glass bowl but found one in a junkyard and the owner said I could have it for free.
Drove it a year with a rattling wrist pin bushing
Overhauled a 223 OHV 6 and bolted it right in. Also installed a 4spd. (double clutcher)
1982, drove it up the Alcan to Fairbanks and back
Retired it from about ’89 – ’99 (harder on it than if I had kept driving it)
’99, put it back on the road
’01, drove it from Oregon to Madera CA, then to Salinas CA, then up the coast, through 2 Redwood trees and back home
Continually get people asking if I want to sell it, uh, that would be a NO. Too much history with it.
Look me up on Facebook and see more pics of it and my wagon camp trailer.
Hey Cat Guy; glad you found the post I did on your truck. I never did have the chance to ask you about the engine. Thanks for stopping by.
was gonna post a pic but it didn’t work.
Had a friend in western Ks who had the spitting image of this truck. He had a welded locked rear (he said) and he called it his coyote truck. He hunted quite a bit but hated coyotes. IIRC there was a bounty at that time. The rear was different to drive on the street. Hated turning.
This grille is monstrous. I wonder what the inspiration for its design was. I am thinking of prehistoric fish:
Another great old truck. That shot of the two Fords side-by-side is gold.
+1000
Another very cool classic Ford. I love the overt grilles and bodies on these. Where I am, rust would have devoured this truck, long before it had a chance to show it’s uniqueness and patina.
One has to wonder if the car manufacturers really want to see a less damaging alternative to road salt. As many of us would be choosing to drive classics on the weekends. With say a 10-15 year old car as our daily driver.
I look forward to the CC article on your F-100, I would love to read about its drive up here.
I have seen a lot of these old trucks with the added taillight panels. I’m pretty sure these were aftermarket or home mede. I like the “Passing Side” note under the tailgate.
There was probably one over to the right that said “Suicide”. Anyone else remember those signs?
My whole life, everyone has always gone gaga over the 1953 F-100. I have always thought that the older F-1 was a better looking truck. The newer one always had too much front overhang to suit me, made the thing look awkward.
An enjoyable story to go along with a great old truck.
I agree, but I bet it had to be lengthened for the upcoming OHV V8’s of ’54
If I haven’t screwed up my camera settings, I’ll have a CC on a ’51 Ford F7 coming sometime in the future.
I like those 50s pickups somebody forgot to send Fords here from the bonus F1 model we got Inters Chevys and Bedfords but no F series unless privately brought in usually from OZ.
. . . and the name of this particular Quincy Jones piece is appropriately “The Beater.”
Off topic but I agree about 1970’s TV show theme songs; they’re great. I especially like the theme songs from Barney Miller, The Bob Newhart Show, and to a lesser degree, Taxi. All had great opening montages too, some now interesting, but then not unusual, autos were shown. Nothing I recall though had the “panache” of Fred and Lamont’s F-1.
Thats what I like, an honest to God pickup truck. One for earning its owner money for a living. I was in the local Chevy dealership last year getting a part for a car I was working on and while waiting for the parts person to return I wondered into the show room and saw this Chevy 2500 with ever option(except a sunroof) you could get for that truck. The price was just under $60,000 before taxes and tags and that other BS. If I owned a $60,000 pickup truck, it would never leave my drive way let alone haul stuff.
I bought a used 2010 Ranger work truck for my Home Depot and other hauling duties.
A friend was dumping stuff at the Lane County Transfer station when a fellow started unloading a 1936 Ford sedan, cut into sections. A deal was made on the spot and the old Ford parts were delivered to my friend’s house. Another old Ford saved, sectionally.
If this old iron truck was melted down, 16 modern cars could be made out of its metal. (5 alone from the grille). Additionally 2000 pennys could be coined out of the wiring.
I’m intrigued by the combination wrench on the tailgate. The photo is a bit too fuzzy to see the fastening scheme… bolt/nut? magnet? magic?
Classic American made,American designed,American as apple pie Ford.Ford and America and apple pie go hand in hand….I don’t think that can be said with a “foreign ” auto…..Seeing this truck just makes me proud to be an American….Brings a tear to my eye just knowing America and Ford and GM and Fiat Chrysler for that matter build the best products in the world…..I think I’ll go out and buy a new 2020 F150 just because Ford builds the best truck around.
Today – not sure that can be said of an “American” auto…..
My favorite pick up ever. I love the styling. Sanford and Son made it better. That my favorite uncle had a 51 Ford F-6 just puts it over the top. These were beef for breakfast trucks.
Paid $50 for a 1951 F-1 back in 1972. Flattie 6, 4 Spd, Powers utility body and one big wooden push bar on the front with cut-up old tires for padding. Slow as molasses, crude as a flint axe and with so much play in the steering box that staying in one lane was a real challenge over 40 mph. But it was cheap transport to job sites for my summer gig driving a dump truck. After pushing an F-800 tandem all day, the old F-1 seemed like a sports car at days end when I drove home. The effect lasted about 2 minutes. I happily sold it at the end of the summer when school restarted. Back to my part time bus driving job and the free pass that was a perk of the job.
Great to see 2 real trucks doing what trucks are meant to do. Most pickup owners in the US could get by with a Fiesta, what with they use them for.
I like his Peterbilt floormats, and the tailgate cover.
Note the aftermarket turn signal switch on the steering column. My dad had a 55 F100 with a similar setup. I hard to believe that turn signals were not standard equipment well into the 1950s.