Cool thread and even cooler trucks Guys. Keep em coming.

 

My '53 panel qualifies. But I object to "Beater". IT'S A HOT ROD! A traditional hot rod not some new ordered from a catalog, spend lots of money, with a $20,000 paint job that you're afraid to drive.

I built hot rods in the '60's. We didn't order parts from a catalog. We spent days and days digging through the junk yards. Find something and make it work. Might not look great but it was always function over form. In fact, some of things we built looked out right strange, but they worked. The only paint most of my cars got was primer.

In later years as I got more money, went to production muscle cars and sports cars. Fun, but somehow not the same. There's something about going in the garage and doing it yourself. Guess it's called FUN.

 

When I built Homade I drove it for about a year and a half in primer and worked out all of the bugs and it turned out pretty good and I let all my friends talk me into putting new fenders and new bed on it then paint. I really liked driving it the way I did before all the new stuff went on it so after painting and making it all pretty I decided to drive it like I did before. I don't baby it cause I call it my driver and it starting to show wear and tare and it don't really bother me. I have about 24,000 miles and love to show it off but I truly love to drive it, after all that is why I built it, Garry

 

Hey Garry!! Considering the theme of this thread, why don't you show em a closeup of this sign or tell us what it says. I can't remember the exact wording, but I do remember it says something like "....but I drive this bitch". I thought it was awesome!

 

This is a great thread and awesome pics of the trucks-- it actually gives me encouragement to try and get mine done enough to take a pic of it - or even clean the garage up enough to be able to see it in a pic! dave s

 

Doc, it says that it might have some bugs on the windshied and some stone chips in the paint but one thing about it is I drive this BITCH.

 

Building mine from the engine first. The appearance comes after the driveability!

 

Ok, so I know I've posted this photo of my '53 f350 9' express a few times before, but it was such a great beater., and it's finally one from the right vintage for this page. I want to point out that when I bought it, it had a black front fender on the driver's side. Yes, the paint job on that fender is a fake by your's truly, but sometimes we want to fix one area, like some rust-through without spoiling an otherwise excellent patina. The color is rustoleum royal blue gloss enamel, but with maybe 75% flat white thrown in. Result.... Faded, no gloss light blue. Oh, and happy new year to all of you!

 

Pure poetry!

 

I started this post for this very reason....so people can express about their trucks they drive... I call mine a beater because it is not meant to be perfect...It is just a joy to drive....

 

Mine's not a beater, but she sure looks like one....

 

<a href="http://s125.photobucket.com/albums/p74/calorchard/f100/?action=view&current=PICT0021-3.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p74/calorchard/f100/PICT0021-3.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket Pictures, Images and Photos" /></a>

When it came to Cherry Valley.

 

Thats a sound looking fang face there Bud. Whats your plans? Does it drive as yet? Talk to us. Inquiring minds and old Ford nuts need to know.

 

Mine's a beater , I guess, but I love it.

 

I got a New Years Eve present last night, the young lady in Doc's post is my grandaughter Courtney and she told us last night that in August we are going to be great-grand-parents again, her first but we already have a 6 and a 10 year old great-grandaughters, I am a blessed man. I didn't mean to hi-jack the thread but I had to tell you guys, Garry