1955 Ford F100 Hits all the Right Nostalgic Notes
All the right changes, and none of the gaudy ones. This truck is as simple and pure as they come.
Sometimes we come across trucks that hit right in the nostalgia: this one did just that. We were fortunate enough to have a great father who saw fit to keep a 50’s era pickup around. Though that truck had a different badge on the fenders, it was basically the same truck as the one we found on the Classic Cars’ auction site. This 1955 Ford F100, while not quite bone-stock, is taking us back a few years.
It’s all there: the three-on-the-tree three-speed manual, the straight-six engine, the single barrel carburetor, and the 6- to 12-volt upgrade. This trucks takes us back to early morning swim practice in high school, trying to find a good radio station. The owner has the radio tucked in a wood box right at the driver’s left knee. Not a bad spot, since this was long before DIN slots in the dash.
These trucks were from the era where the seat provided most of the suspension comfort for the people inside, and the truck only rode well with a load. The principle still applies today: take a leaf-sprung pickup of any kind and drive down a rough street. Not much fun is it? Well, in the 50’s the F100 was made for work, and it rode better when you were working too. Now, repeat the rough street test after putting a few heavy things in the back. It’s gonna have to be at least 200-300 pounds to really give you an idea. It’ll ride like a dream.
Remember we mentioned a 6- to 12-volt conversion? Well, in the 1950’s just six volts were fairly common for an ignition system, and while you can find 6-volt batteries there are downsides: headlights aren’t nearly as bright, and the starter cranked over much slower. Not a big deal, but we’re guessing the owner wanted a faster crank from the starter, among the other advantages (that radio is probably expecting 12-volts too) and did the conversion. Other than that, the truck looks pretty stock. Just the way we like it.
What do you think about these classic F100 pickups? Join us in the forums and let us know if you’d change anything else.
