I have the opportunity to buy this 1956 F100 up for $1,500. The title is non existent, but I should be able to get that taken care of. My plan would be something along the lines of a restomod/ratrod. My wife loves these trucks, and I already have a '67 Mustang and my Harley-Davidson. I'd like to get her a toy as well.

I'd like to pull the cab, doors, hood and bed off (bed needs to be rebuilt) and let them patina more. Maybe strip the paint a little and let them sit in the inlaw's farm fields for a a few years. What I'd really like to do is strip the frame, do a Crown Vic front suspension conversion and most likely an injected 302. Powder coat the frame and re-install the body with some patina and clear coat. Problem is I am not a fabricator and I don't know how hard it would be to find someone to do the Crown Vic suspension swap for me without spending way too much for their labor.

The truck comes with front fenders, but they are fiberglass so I'd need to find steel ones, front window glass is good, no drivetrain and no interior. Is $1,500 a decent price or am I paying too much for the work that needs to be done? He says the frame is solid and the cab already had all the troublesome rust spots redone.

Thanks!

 

Personally, I would advise you not to spend $1 on it until you are 100% SURE you can get the title in your name.

 

Like he said.

 

After seeing the snow and you mentioned you had a Harley I checked out your profile and saw you're in WI. Finding decent useable parts up in this part of the country is getting really hard to do so I don't think $1500 is too bad for parts. If you're planning to do a build with them I don't think you'd be loosing any money. As with anything location plays a big part in the value. I would think if these parts were in the sunny southwest you could get them for half the price.

I personally wouldn't let the parts sit outside and rot away. The "patina" thing, IMO, is a waste. Why screw the parts up more than they are? If you get the truck put the parts in dry storage until you can work on it. But it's your truck if you buy and you can do what you want with it.

BTW, where in WI are you located?

 

Yes, I understand all of the title issues. I work in automotive. I actually manage a sales staff at a HD dealer. So, besides the pending title headache, do you feel $1,500 is ok if it is a solid frame and cab?

Thanks

 

I should rephrase. I wouldn't want them to rot away. My wife and I just like the look of patina. I would rather have surface rust and clear over it. Or let the paint continue to fade and then clear it. I personally love that look more than a 100% restored one.

I live a little outside of Madison in the southern part. The truck is located up near lake Superior. It is owned by family of one of the employees here.

I just have zero experience with these ol fat fender pickups. My fortay is in old Mustangs and Harleys.

 

You should ask your wife, that's the only opinion that matters. Keep in mind it is likely to take $10k to get it on the road with stock suspension and boneyard engine/trans, and an Earl Schieb paint job. $30k the way most people end up doing them.

 

Ross I think you are showing your age - I haven't seen an Earl Schieb paint place in years
Are they still around?

 

Yeah. Those are the same numbers I had in my mind. $10,000 to get it moving and $30,000 for a full resto. I know I'll never get it back out again but I'm not worried about that. I can do most of the work on my own besides body and welding. Engine, drivetrain, wiring, fuel system, brake system, that stuff I can build on my own. The front Crown Vic suspension swap worries me. Don't know how difficult it will be to locate a fabricator for that. I'd like it to ride and track safer and give her power steering. Not to mention the 5" drop looks amazing.

I just don't if it's worth $1,500 the way it sits. She's on board. She likes rat rods. But the bed floor is shot, no front fenders, no interior, no running boards (I think the one pictured is fiberglass just like the fenders are). I'm not far from some major swap meets that happen throughout the year, the local county one at Jefferson and IOLA. I can find all I need there.

 

I had my '49 F-2 painted on the road for around $3K, not including all of the labor I did myself including body and paint. That was over twenty years ago when you could still find these old trucks sitting in farm fields and behind buildings. Now everyone up here thinks their piles of rust are worth as much as a fully restored vehicle. At the time I was working on my truck I could buy parts trucks for $100-200, some times free but not any more.

With your connections at the HD dealer there must be someone who can either help you do the front clip swap or at least give you some guidance. Motorheads are motorheads no matter if they're two or four wheels.

 

The frame looks alright, at least from what I can see here. Looks like the cross member has already been taken out? That should make it easier to do the CV IFS swap...

 

Welcome Gormy!

Here's a thought: take a look at a truck like this one and decide the value of patina. 1952 Ford F1 Project




The Superior truck has its charm, to be sure. Without a title, I wouldn't go over $1000 just because of the messing around associated with the process.

 

Not as familiar with 56 as mine is a 52, but it looks like the cross member is gone. Those look like after market engine mounts.

 

You want patina? Send me your good fenders and I'll send you rusted fenders from a junk yard here in PA!

I don't see how you will get that even patina look if you got a cab and bed and fenders of different colors.

 

I have to agree with Duane on his price. I just looked at your subsequent description of everything in the deal. I was thinking you were getting everything in the first picture but if it isn't coming with the fenders then it's worth a lot less.

One thing nice about the '53-56 models over the '48-52 is there is a better supply of parts for them. New steel fenders are available. Carpenter is talking about offering steel front fenders for the older models some time later this year but I bet they're going to be about twice the price as the same parts for the later models. They just started offering rear fenders for the older trucks