1956 Ford F100 Hot Rod Pickup

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This awesome 1956 “Effie” is another vehicle from our personal collection on offer as we make some room around the old warehouse for new purchases.

The Tale of Two F100s: I bought my wife an unrestored 1955 F100 for her birthday a number of years ago. Problem it was a pretty mint original paint truck, with original upholstery, and a 3 on the tree. And all that great originality made her too nervous to throw some bikes in the bed or leave it parked anywhere. So the search was on for an Effie to make a “driver” out if. And I also decided we needed a ’56 as it is “the” year Effie to have. By some stroke of luck I got lucky and found this one-family owned California ’56 and bought it for the Mrs. Totally rust free and with no damage ever it was an amazing specimen of this most desirable year and model. It also happened to be in its original and super cool Spring Mist Green color, not to mention the optional Ford-O-Matic transmission which was simply perfect for the trucks intended purpose.

Of course, since the truck had been sitting for the better part of the last few decades it needed some serious mechanical help. Its original Y-Block’s cooling jackets were filled with sludge and rust and the fuel tank filled with acorns. Yes, acorns. How? I have no idea. So we yanked the truck apart and are built it into a period-style mild “hot rod” with a few added tweaks. The original Y-Block was bored out to a 312″, had its oiling system modified to fix the Achilles heel of these things, stuffed with a hotter solid lifter cam, and topped with a Mummert aluminum dual plane intake and a Holley 4 barrel carb. It exhales through beautiful cast iron “rams horn” headers and a custom dual exhaust with proper Cherry Bomb glasspacks for that true period sound. The original Ford-O-Matic was completely rebuilt, the driveshaft balanced, and everything else that moves serviced to perfection. A hidden power front disc brake conversion was added, as was a trick modern power steering setup that is almost invisible. New gas shocks were put on all four corners, as well as all new suspension bushings throughout. A custom aluminum radiator keeps it all cool, and a staggered “big n’ little” 15″ wheel and radial tire setup keeps it all on the road. The transformation in the way this F100 drives is quite amazing if I do say so myself. It no longer drives, or stops and steers, like a truck! Better yet is how it performs. That hot rod Y-Block just gets it now. This is one quick old truck, and it does it all without a modern powerplant but rather its original motor that was built right.

None of this would matter, of course, if the body and chassis weren’t any good. And of all the F100s I’ve owned this one has the cleanest original body I’ve ever seen. Zero rust. Zero damage. Check out the photos of the floors, cab corners, and body panels. It is everything you’d expect a life-long inland California ranch truck to be.

On the inside this heater delete and radio delete rig needed no more than recovering its original bench seat in damn near unobtainium NOS red and grey upholstery, sourced and carefully sewn together in the exact correct pattern and with great care. The rubber floor mat its original and even the factory cardboard heater blanking plate is present under the dash. Oh, and we added three modern seat belts for safety.

Our goal was to turn this great old truck into something that was fast, reliable, and easy to drive with a period-correct look,  but also something that didn’t look restored or fluffed up. I think it worked! People just love the look of it, the sound, and the patina. And if that doesn’t do it for you a little time behind the wheel certainly will.

And, I can tell you this from first-hand experience with this very rig that it couldn’t be duplicated for anywhere near the sale price here. We’ve had a ton of fun with the old gal…and now you can too if you’re so inclined.

-SOLD_

Price: $ 55000
Year: 1956
Mileage: 56,000 mi
Condition: Unrestored
Exterior Color: Green
Interior Color: Red
Transmission: Automatic
Engine: Hot Rod Y-Block
Drivetrain: RWD

Price: $ 55,000