I am new to the F1 comunity. I have been looking into buying one to fix up, but I dont know too much about the market. I am just looking to make this a driver and I think I probably want to keep it running like a truck.

I found a 48 F1 in Colorado. It has a flat head 6 cylinder, that was rebuilt within 50 miles or so. It is still a 6 volt system. The body is in good condition, considering the year. On monday I will have pictures, I forgot my camera today. The intereior is pretty good, it has a new floor, and seat. The back window and driverside window are both cracked, as is the passinger sides, but it has the passenger side glass. It has newer white wall tires. The underside looks very good, very minimal rust. Nothing too serious. The bed has a steel plate over the wood, the wood is rotted.

They are asking $5000 for it. Any tips on buying one, and this one would be apreciated. It looks like it might already be a daily driver.
Thanks.
Steven

 

My 2 cents worth. So much depends on what you want. I would personally not be interested in the 6 cyl motor and in my mind if it was a stock V8 the value would be higher. I am not that familiar with the 48 F1 (I have a 52F1) but I thought they came with metal bed floor instead of wood. If it is original wood and you want to restore it be ready to spend some money. The glass is no big deal, pretty cheap since it is flat. I would wonder about the new floor, was it all rusted out before they replaced it? I am going to give my opinion that the truck as described would to me be more in the area of $1800-$2500. Remember this is sight unseen but based on my experience and I have bought and sold a handful of these great old trucks. You didn't describe the fenders and box in detail so I assume they are good. Anyway, good luck and don't let me discourage you in any way. If it feels good do it. These old trucks are getting harder and harder to find.

 

WELCOME to the board. From what you have said about the truck I think that you can do better for a lot less money. It all depends on what you want. Seems a little to much $$$$ for what you have discribed above. Just My opinion..............RUSTY

 

When you get pics of the truck it will be alot easier to give you a good price on the truck. I just sold my 48 F1 for $1800. And it did not run. It need the seat redone and the brakes. Motor needed built or another one put in. Wood in the bed was gone. Glass was needed also. As far as the body, it needed worked from front to back. But it was in good shape to start a project. Look in my gallery at the 48 and try to compare with yours. The 52 F1 you will see (the blue one) I bought it last month. I gave $1500 dollars for it, and it didn't run when I bought it, but it runs like a top now. The guy I bought it from he paid $3200 for it when he bought it. I didn't need the extra parts that he had for the truck that is why I got it for $1500. As far as it beibg a 6 cyl that wouldn't bother me any. They have just as much power and torque as a flathead V8 does. The motor being rebuilt is alot of the project done. A good running F1 means alot. You need to really look at the fenders on the truck. A good set of front fenders upper and lower can run some big money for a good set. Without seeing the truck I would try to get it for $3000 or less. If you say it is in good driver condition I would try hard to stay under $3000 for any F1, b/c no matter what you are going to have to put some money in it to. Like was said before a good F1 is getting harder to find every year let alone to find good parts for one. Try to get some pics of it and post them in your gallery so we can see it and try to help you out more. It sounds like a good truck to start with for one it runs but try to see if you can work on the price some. I think you can get it alittle cheaper than $5000.

 

Thanks for the info guys. I thought the price looked a little steep too. I am a big fan of the inline 6's so I am actually looking for one. They didnt have a lot of information on the truck when I went to look at it, it is on one of those "sell your car for you" lots. They should have more information on monday. I am going to try to get the owners number to get the nitty gritty, find out what exactly has been done and what not. Any questions I should be asking? I am extremly new to this, so any help would be helpful. Thanks for the help.
Steven

 

Oh yeah, and any specific things I should get pictures of?

 

When you go check the fenders out good. Make sure the bottom of the doors are soild. They are bad to rust out. On the front fenders check around the front of the fenders above the headlights. The back fenders check around where the fenders bolt to the bed. And does it have the right bed on it. 48-49 the bedsides should have a impression on them. The 50 and up the bedsides are completly flat. And the 48-49 should have the rounded off stake pockets on them. 50 and up are squared off. This really don't hurt the value any b/c alot of people change the sides out if the truck needs them b/c the flat sides are cheaper to buy.

 

Thanks again. I cant say how much I apreciate the help.

 

the 48-50 had a steel plate over the wood from factory,why ford did this make;s no since,they went to the all wood in 51,this is in my all about f1 book.my 2 cent's is you should be able to find one cheaper.

 

Take a small magnet with you and check all the places mentioned above. They could look good but filled with bondo which will deteriorate quickly. The repairs should be make with metal patch panels to be done right. And Welcome to FTE.

 

I think this truck was mentioend recently in another thread on this forum titled. "How are the pickin's in your part of the country?". It is post #35 on that thread.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/5...country-3.html

The poster is a fellow named rhopper. You might try to hook up with him and ask if might help you locate something. No sense trying research everything if you have someone nearby that is already familiar with the market. Try sending him a private message. He lives in Peyton, CO and is redoing a 48 F1. He is installing a JAG front suspension and steering on his and is planning to drop in some sort of foriegn motor. I think it's called a Shuvrolet. anyhow, I don't know this fellow and have never corresponded with him offline but he posts a bit and sems to be a pretty good guy.

 

F250, I just responded to your pm, then saw this thread. The truck you saw is the one I mentioned in the Barrett Jackson comment. I work 100 yards from that truck, will see it on the way home tonight. It's just an old F-1 survivor, someones ranch truck, but it looked complete and is a great starting point, but not at that price. My wife and I stopped to look at it two weeks ago, and agreed that if it was in the $1000 to $1500 range, we'd buy it. $5000 is way too much for that truck, but someone may pay it. Like I said in the pm, contact me if you need leads.

 

Thank yall for your help. I got caught up at work, and didnt get a chance to go get pictures, but it really isnt worth it. Thank you.

 

This is sort of true, some early 50s got the older 48-49 beds with the raised side panels and steel floors. I just happen to own one of these 50s, and my grandfather bought it new, so I know it's never been monkeyed with.

 

The flat sided beds are actually 51-52 beds and they began using them on some of the later model year 1950 F1 trucks. The early to mid 1950 model year F1's had the raised panel beds with the rounded stake pockets. Same holds true for floor shift vs. column shift light duty three speed transmissions.

The F2's and F3's with the larger Express Beds continued to use the raised panels with rounded stake packets through I believe 1952. I used to know for sure but no longer remember.