Has anyone ever seen a 57 shortbed F100 with 4 wheel drive?
And I don't mean one that's been converted by an owner!
I know there were Napco conversions, but I've only seen 1 or 2 58's that were Napco converted, never a 57.
I've seen a bunch of 59 & 60's that had factory 4 wheel drive too, all long beds though.
The reason I ask is because I saw a 57 sitting in a field on a recent out-of- state trip.
Stopped to look at it and it blew my mind when I looked in the cab and saw the shift lever for 4x4 sticking up through the floor next to the 4 speed gear shift.
After that I saw the locking hubs and big front axel and transfer case underneath all intact.
It had dual cab mounted spotlights that looked factory installed which makes me think it might be an ex-forrest service truck.
Cool truck!
If anyone has any knowledge about 57's with 4 wheel drive please fill me in!

 

Might have been marmon-herrington(sp?) conversion. It would be rare since it's a shortbed, if it was converted by a company and not an individual. I might try and dig up a pic of a '57 in a book. I have no guess as to how many were made. -4speed

 

This did'nt look like it was done by an individual or previous owner mr4speedford!
This looked like it came that way from the start, at least to me anyway.
Also I can't picture someone going to all that trouble to try and convert one on their own, but I'm sure it's been done before!
I could tell this truck has sat in the same spot for quite awhile.
Had alot of weeds growing up all around it. Inside the cab was covered with alot of dust on the dash and what not.
What I liked about it was the fact it was a Custom Cab with big back window, chrome grill and front bumper, etc. The spotlights were cool too!
It was in pretty good shape, did'nt look like it needed a whole lot of work to make it a decent ride!
Any idea what it might be worth?
I'd like to go back when someone is around the property that I could talk to about it, there was nobody there the day I looked at it.

 

Oh, its a big-window! Open the doors, glove compartment and so-fourth to see if you see any plaque from a manufactor. If it's indeed a bigwindow, short bed, V8 powered 57 it's worth quite a bit of money and is considered to be a rare truck even without the 4x4!
Permitting it's a factory conversion(I'm sure it is by the way you talk), and is at least 90% complete and as original as it gets, I'd say $3500-6000 depending on where the rust is at, how original is it(motor and trans.) A truck like that deserves a correct restoration and no modifactions! Very cool find, -4speed

 

Wow, if this is in CA and you arent interested in buying it, I sure am! Let me know

 

Oh it's very complete!
I don't know if it's a 6 cyl. or V8 though, I did'nt lift the hood. I wished I would've!
It was definately a 4-speed with stock shifter sticking up through the floor.
The cab looked excellent, no rot on the cab corners and from underneath just surface rust, no holes through that I could see.
Paint was peeling on hood & top of cab,but not really bad. Could use a paint job!
It was painted a silver-green color. Not a stock color.
The doors were nice, but I did'nt open them.
Side glass on drivers side was cracked. The rest of the windows were fine.
Passenger fender was rusted at the bottom (typical) but nothing a patch panel could'nt cure!
Tailgate was trash, bed looked good with minor surface rust inside the bed & along the back bottoms, not rotted through though!
Homemade back bumper. (Looked like a big long piece of pipe. Yuck!)
Emblems were all intact & chrome looked great for sitting outside!
Gun rack inside mounted by rear window.
Factory door panels looked worn out.
I thought the seat was stock but noticed it was split in the middle of the backrest, looked like you could fold either side down, so not really sure.
Dash was cut for aftermarket radio (darn!) but radio was gone. Not too big of a hole.
To be honest, I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it, I have no idea if it's for sale or not.
I left a note on the owners door with phone #, but as of yet I have'nt heard anything.
I'm back in Calif. now, but will be heading back within a couple months.
I plan on going to see the owner with cash in hand.
Either way, the next time I see it, weather it's for sale or not, I'll have my digital cam to snap some pics so I can post them here!
I think it's a fairly rare 57!

 

Nice find I would also like to see some pictures of that truck. A 4wd 57 would be very rare. That truck needs to have a good home I hope you can get your hands on it. Did it have a devorced transfer case?

 

I don't know if it was a divorced transfer case 57 ford!
I only got under the passenger side of the truck to look to see if the underside was rotted out but to my surprize it looked to be in great shape from what I saw!
I saw the case underneath but so many weeds in the way was hard to really tell what kind of case it was, and I did'nt spend very much time on my hands and knees, just long enough to get a quick look.
Darn I wished I had my camera with me at the time! But was not expecting to run across something like this either!
I had a feeling as soon as I saw it that I'll probably never see another one like it!
I'll definately snap some pics for you but won't be for a month or so before I can get back there!