It's a 1957 Ford Chero, it is one of 39 concept trucks made to go against the Chevy Cameo. These trucks were hand crafted using the rear quarter panels and modified trim of a '57 Ford Del Rio two door station wagon, just like Dodge did with the Sweptside. Each truck was equipped with the hi-performance 312 Y-block Police Interceptor engine, top of the line transmission-3 speed with overdrive, and high geared rear axle along with a heavy duty suspension consisting of parts from the Lincoln Continental car, heavy duty limousine class. Ford also borrowed many interior features from the new Thunderbird including center console and factory air conditioning. Ford only made the 39 concept trucks after finding out that both the Cameo and the Sweptside trucks were experiencing low sales figures and it wasn't worth doing the cost of full production.

This truck was 1 of 5, number 16 in production, bought new by Fred Usinger II, of the Usinger Sausage company in Milwaukee, for his sales staff. Fred was a very close friend of Henry Ford II. While visiting Henry II in October of 1956 Mr. Usinger took a tour of the Ford plant where the Chero was designed and being built. When he saw the truck with it's new streamlined cab and flashy rear quarter panels he told Henry they were "the coolest thing since sliced bread". He also told Ford he would like to give one of these trucks to each of his five top salesmen as an incentive. Henry II offered to sale Usinger the remaining trucks in production at a special price. A deal was struck for Usinger to get a special deal but he had to order the trucks though a local dealer using a secretive ordering system.

This Chero is owned by Evian Ruoy of Chenequa, Wisconsin. He got the truck from his father, Rodger, the original owner and top sausage salesman of 1957. This Chero was bought from the Beau Ogus Ford dealership in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. The truck has less than 13,000 original miles. It received a complete frame off restoration in 2006 at a cost of over $35,000. One of the most expensive items, and hardest to find, was the "Chero" emblem fastened to the rear most of the rear quarter panels (As seen in above photos). Fortunately, an duplicate was made using the remaining original emblem as a form. The original was sent to a metal caster, John Thomas in Burnt Corn, Alabama. Mr. Thomas is a world renowned metal caster and does everything by hand, no modern machinery. The recasting cost $3200 alone but Mr. Thomas did a superb job.

Evian knows of two other Cheros still in existence. One is in Owanka, SD still being used by the original owner's family on their emu farm to haul farm supplies and the second was just sold on the Barret Jacket auction to a California proctologist for $885,000.

Fred Usinger gave each of his top salesmen a Chero for their great work for being able to sale the baloney, just like I am doing now in telling you that this is an actual truck. I actually photo shopped images of this truck using images of a '57 truck and two different '57 station wagons. I originally posted the first picture as a little joke in another post but I thought it would fit in today, happy April 1st.

For those of you who saw this post a while back I apologize for reposting this truck but man, it took a lot of work to do.

 

I love everything about it, except the rear bumper looks out of place to me! now Bobj if you could just get it 3D scanned and reproduced I would send you a check for it but the check would be for twice the amount to cover my shipping agent to pick it up, since I will be out of the country for business!
I thought I saw it posted somewhere once before....

 

Is it still April fools day in your side of the world?Nice try,Bob!LOL.

 

cool truck let's build one!!!

 

surprised no ones ever built one, or maybe they have....

 

The rear bumper looks GREAT, as does Ranchero bed. Very nice. It needs the Ranchero front bumper to finish it out, though. That's what looks out of place.

 

You got me Bob. I was getting concerned that I had never heard of this truck before.

 

lol well reguardless the bed on that thing looks wicked!

 

Had me going all the way!

 

Bob,

My lip is still sore from the last time I swallowed that hook....LOL

When its all said and done, thats a truck that Ford should have built! It would have been great competition for the Dodge Sweptside trucks

Bobby

 

btw, if that's a shop you have great skills and tastes. If I had a '57 and not a '56, that's what mine would probably look like. Someone needs to be build that...

 

Very nice;

 

so this is a real truck or is it not

 

Only in my mind and computer.

 

Got me good. I thought it was real right up to the point when you said; "April Fool."