Hi All!,
I am new to this vintage truck thing and have a few questions about a truck I have found. It is a 53 F100 that has been under a mans house for many years(has a 63 license plate on) and looks to be pretty rusted. Believe all body panels need replaced, cab interior looks ok, scraped frame and believe it is ok. Bed I think is shot....damn shame he let it sit like that. It has 53000 original miles, 3 on tree, original glass, flathead v8..96hp on tag? Figured if I could get it for 100 or 200 max could at least get money back from parts, etc. Wondered what size flathead is it....and could I get money back from motor if a bust? Can I find panels and all I need readily?...approximate costs?....Not looking to make a showpiece out of her..but want to put her original and use her. Sorry so long winded but looking for some advice.
Thanks All!
Chris Todd(SE Ohio)

 

Chris

Welcome to FTE. If there is a 50 year old vehicle with better parts availability than a Ford truck I don't know what it is. There is virtually nothing you can not get reproduction. You have asked the cost question that can't reallt be answered. Cost of course depends on what you want when you are done. You can buy a five gallon pail of bondo, run pitted trim, cracked glass and a smoking motor and tell everybody you built your truck for next to nothing. Or you can spend 50+ grand and go pick it up when it is done. I assume you want something in between. Finding good used parts for a reasonable price is the key if you are on a budget. And of course having the ability to do most of the work yourself. The truck in my gallery and webpage is probably over 10K in costs at this time. FTE has classified ads for used parts and they even have new parts here too. Email me off line and I can give you my two cents for other parts sources. There are places I avoid but I won't trash them in public.

Dewayne

 

I just bought a '53 about 4 months ago... It was complete minus engine/tranny, bumpers, and seat for $800... All of the sheet metal is useable except for the grill... which is a '54, and since '53 was the first year of the f100 I want to keep it a '53... The sheet metal is expensive to replace so keep that in mind. Bob's F100s (www.bobsf100.com) is a good place to get an idea of price... Sacramento Vintage (www.vintage-ford.com) is also a good supplier of just about everything else... Here on the site is also a good source for parts...

Tyson

 

Chris,
Welcome to vintage trucks! The other replys gave you good advice on body and chassis info.

The flathead is 239.4 ci and was rated generally by Ford at 100 hp, so the 96 you saw is accurate. You might get lucky and have a great motor. If it is the original engine it will be the last one Ford installed in the states - EAB series - has no hardened valve seats, but the heads are best for raising compression as they have smaller compression chambers.

Is there oil in the crankcase and antifreeze in the radiator that haven't mixed? That would be a good starting sign.
Worth? Unless a block is tested by magnafluxing most flathead guys won't give more than 50-100 bucks for it. I have two cracked blocks in my shop right now. Watch ebay for a while to get an idea of the value of parts from flat motors. There are several terrific flathead bbs sites out there where you can learn the ins and outs. Email me if you want direct links to those.

You might be able to recover your costs by parting the truck out, but they are a bunch of FUN to drive. Whatever you decide, keep it Ford and keep it out of the scrap yard. I rebuilt a 48 complete with flathead V8 - put it on the road last July and in October drove from western Montana to eastern Ohio and back. Was one cool trip!

Flatheads tend to be a bit more expensive to rebuild, but there is no sound on earth sweeter than waking up a sleeping flatty.
- former Buckeye

 

Sounds like a good find if you can get it for under $500. Fords came from the factory with rust as a no cost option so dont worry about that.
Id start with picking up a Hemmings magazine at a store and then going thru all the Ford truck supplier ads, there are a ton of them, excellent to brain dead and dishonest.
If a small town store doesnt have one, you can buy a single issue on their web site www.hemmings.com or Barnes & Noble.

The first thing is to get the engine running. If you get to that point ask here again and several of us will suggest the steps necessary to do it safely.

Unless you are loaded with money I would say to stay away from trick parts and pro builder shops. Nothing wrong with pop rivets and Bondo if that is what it takes to get it on the road and inspected. Restoration comes later and in stages.

My present truck is a 54 F-350, 54K on the original 239 OHV, 9' p/u bed and a dump lift. Minimal rot since it was a seasonal landscapers truck and I paid $1300 for it 18 months ago. Ive about $300 into parts to make it reliable and roadworthy and have a ball with it as a real work truck. Hauls engines, gravel, bldg materials, dump runs, dirt bikes, and just about anything else a normal home owner/hobby nut would want and Ive yet to get it to complain!

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 24-Dec-01 AT 09:22 PM (EST)]Hi 286merc I read the reply you just gave and couldn't agree more
I have a Mercury M350 which is the same truck as your's. mine has only 44,000 orginal miles and I bought it off the son of the orginal owner like yours this was a seasonal truck with dump it was used to haul grain from the field or to town. I was amazed at orginal paint in the wheel wells. I'm doing a full restoration of the truck. Just bought a new (Used) drivers door and left front fender. as it had a crease that would take to long to pound out. Paid $100.00 for both. Lots a parts around still for these old trucks.
forgot to mention bought a complete motor and trans from a F100 for $150.00 Canadian> I only wanted exhaust manifold and carb The rest is for spare parts or swapping.

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 25-Dec-01 AT 08:49 AM (EST)]CTodd;
Well after 6 attempt's at getting in and finally had to go back for new password. anyway sound's like good project.
I am working on 53 that I bought this fall. Body has already bee off frame resto to about 90%. Presently has '72 351w & fmx. Neither of which I know condition. Has Locar shifter, Headed for VDO gauges, Ron Francis Wiring kit. Recently acquired 9" 3:10 axle for future use.
Recently met another buf in yhis area thatis working on '55.
I'm in Centerburg, oh other fellow in COLUMBUS.
Maybe we can get together and swap do's & don'ts.
chuck contact thru message center ?


:-X12
Ps This message page seem's like it's been changed a little oh well

 

Well I have a 48 but the price of getting it going and making it look nice should be about the same. I probably have about $10,000 into mine right now and even though my original intent was to just get it running (not caring about the looks)....my intent changed through the years. Now it is getting to be pretty close to original/stock. Once I got started it was hard to not just keep going and putting more into it. Sacramento Vintage was my place to go for most parts. My Flathead 6 is running great....no way will I change that and put in something newer. I agree with another's response, there is nothing more pretty then hearing the clop, clop, clop of a flathead. Keep it stock....jim

 

I found that the original cost of the two trucks I bought to make one was insignificant in the final tally. I paid $200 for a 55 without drive train, and $1500 for a 54 running, but smoking, and holes in the cab. Combining the two, I didn't have to buy any body parts except for the new bed. But I paid $300 to have the cab sand-blasted, another $200 on patch panels, etc. Then when I had the final body work done including paint (again not including the bed) it cost me $2500. I stopped adding the cost after I passed $12K. I believe I have less than $13K, but can't be sure. I have bought probably hundreds of dollars worth of small parts like stainless bolts and screws, sandpaper, paint, welding supplies, etc.

It took me 4 years and probably 1000 hours.
Good Luck.

Winford
(gallery Winford's trucks or www.winfordr.com)

 

Chris

I neglected to ask you if you are aware of Hot Rod's F100 parts near Dayton Ohio. He does not have the huge inventory of West Coast Vendors but his prices are better and he is able to work with us Mid-West guys on shipping charges. You will find S/H will take a big chunk out of your budget. He has done things for me like ship a front fender UPS when everyone else has to truck ship at twice the cost or more. Rod's phone is 1-800-236-0046. Winford is very right about the cost of the project truck becoming a mere footnote if you do a full tilt resto.

Dewayne

 

Want to say thanks to all.Was much more interest and input than I got from a Chevy discussion group when I was looking at a vintage chevy a while back....lol... I think I'll make an offer to the gent and try to dragggg her home. If I do am sure I'll be back. Hope everyone is having a nice holiday!
Chris:-X12