I’ve been on the forum for a while with my 77 150. Then I bought a 95 7.3 and now this, 48 F1. Just got it yesterday, I’m sure I’ll be asking a lot of questions.

 

Welcome to our side of the forum! Lots of questions is what we live for. Your new truck looks sweet. Tell us more. What are your plans for it? Does it run and drive? We love details, and lots of pictures.

PS, we have several members who live in your neck of the woods. Chances are they'd be happy to meet you in person and check out your truck, give advice, etc.

 

Thanks for the welcome. The truck seems very original and my plan is to preserve the history. It’s been a Colorado truck it’s whole life and that’s where I’m keeping it.
It runs, actually very well, and drives but I do have trouble shifting without some grinding....
The first things that need doing besides the usually fluid changes are;
Passenger door glass is broken, tail gate hinges were homemade and one side is broken, gas gauge and temperature gauge don’t work. (Oil pressure and amp meter do) and before it can be taken anywhere but the neighborhood it needs tires, didn’t even bother looking for a date code but the sidewalls are cracked.....

 

That 48 looks in real good shape, no visible rot from you're posted pics... and no door handle sag!

 

No real rust through. Not sure about the floor under the rubber mat. Haven’t got that far but under the seat looks great.
‘speaking of doors here’s my first question. It has a exterior lock on the passenger side only, is that original?

 

Welcome to the 48-56 sub forum!

Thanks for the pics. The 48-50 guys can help you here. Show us pics of your tailgate hinges.

 

Door lock was only on the right side for the F1, not sure what year they changed to both doors.

 

 

Thanks. To my modern way of thinking it’s odd that it’s on the passenger side, maybe to force guys to be a gentleman​​​​​​?

 

I know 53-56 Standard Can trucks had only the passenger door lock. Custom Cabs had both. I THINK 57-60 trucks are the same. Again, I THINK, starting in 61 both doors got locks. Hopefully someone who knows for sure will check in.


Some say it was a safety thing forcing driver's to slide across the seat and exit the passenger door thereby not getting out into traffic. But my comeback is, so Ford didn't care about the safety of the Deluxe Cab and Custom Cab owners that had locks on both doors? And besides how many construction workers, tradesmen, and farmers locked their doors? I've owned my 54 since 1977 and may have locked the doors 3-4 times.

 

LOL...I haven’t thought of that. The thinking was that it’s dangerous to get out on the street side, so you’d lock the drivers door then slide over and get out on the sidewalk side. In case you think that’s really dumb, they also believed if you saw an accident coming, you should lie down on the seat to avoid being thrown through the windshield. It was also believed that being thrown from the vehicle was better in an accident.

Welcome and enjoy the 48, she looks great!

 

As noted, it is original and the way they were made. Be advised, using the inside handle lock and the outside key lock are two, totally separate functions on these old trucks. If you lock the handle, you cannot unlock it with the key, and vice-versa. So whatever you do, do not lock the drivers handle, then slide over and lock the passenger handle and shut the door. There's no getting back in without breaking a window. If you decide to lock your truck, lock the drivers door, then lock the passenger door with the key only.

 

Thanks for that warning, maybe that’s why the passenger side window is broken. I just discovered how the inside handle lock works today when I was adjusting the drivers door latch.
The truck will be living at my cabin in a small rural town so I doubt I’ll ever even feel the need to lock it.

 

I use to leave one of the vent window's unlocked..... sense of false security I guess. LOL

 

Welcome on board, thats a nice looking 48. Getting close on my 48 and getting ready to start the next. I like the creative farm fix on the hinges. That will work till it doesnt and we will fix it again.