We all have one, a truck that we looked at and for whatever reason it got away. Maybe we waited too long, at the time thought it was too much, someone got there first..... but it still comes up in our mind's eye every so often. With the topic's in a couple other posts here, mine surfaced again. Talking about hauling big trucks with small trailers and old big Ford's with a Marmon Herrington conversion prompted me to scan pics to file and start the thread.

I stumbled on this one while on vacation years back. The size, weight, 500 mile distance and basic moving logistics kept me from buying it. I still kick myself mentally every so often. It was a '46 Ford 1-1/2 - 2 ton, with MH conversion for $1,200. Get's better. It was an old back-up county truck used for seal coat, summer only, no rust. The bed was removed already and it came with an extra engine and boxes of NOS MH parts from the county garage parts bin.

That's mine, what's yours?

(Yes, I know it's not a Bonus Built, but this is where I hang my hat most of the time and used it as the thread catalyst.)

 

hmmm where to start? LOL thats a real clean looking truck. here is the front half of a fire engine from same era for you to look at.


here is a 1940 COE dumptruck short wheel base truck that is still in the process of getting away...




and the 41-47 COE MH



and the 39 COE fire truck



and, and,



and
this 60 4X4 I could go pick up right now for 400 or less but am having second thoughts......


I need a bigger yard

 

I don't have a picture, but there are 2 that come to mind. About 3 years ago I found a 1952 F-8 online (can't remember if it was ebay or craigslist). It was a short wheelbase tractor that ran and drove (no brakes) and the body was decent. They only wanted $500 for it. The biggest problem was the fact it was a couple states away and I had no way to get it home.

The other was a 1948 F-6 COE that had a nearly complete hollow stem drilling rig on the back (type often used for water well installation). That was was of personal interest because I am a geologist and find myself working with the modern versions of these drill rigs quite often. That one was a combination of no cash and no means of getting it home (think they wanted $2700 for it)

 

A few years ago this sad old Merc came up on eBay with no good description attached to tell bidders what it was. But you'll note how tall it sits in front which tells us that it's a MH Merc that had been badly cut up. Inquiry to the seller confirmed that all the MH plates and ID were intact. Unfortunately we learned that the seller had a partner that had sold it off line without the seller's knowledge. Poof, no more Merc and the listing got pulled. Something in me knows that that poor old Merc was converted into a mega dollar MH Merc woodie and sits in somebody else's collection today. Oh well. Stu

 

Mine was a 51 Ford Panel.

Right after we bought our 51 Panel about five years ago, I saw a handwritten ad posted at Sacramento Vintage Ford for another 51 Panel for sale. I called the guy and we set up a meeting for the following weekend. I drove about 3 hrs one way as the truck was in the lower Sierra foothills towards Yosemite.

When I got there, the guy (an old timer) had a shop full of flathead parts and engines, several old Ford vehicles, and a 53-55 F100 with untility bed on it (not the Bell bed).

I looked at the Panel. It was in decent shape. Had the stock front seat. Was complete. The rear doors were in decent shape. He even had an extra V8 flathead that he was going to include. He was asking $750. I offered $300 thinking that the parts were junk. He came back at $500 and I thought that the price was too much. Needless to say, I passed on it.

That was then when I still "wet behind the ears". Had I known then what I know now, I would even think twice about paying $500, even $750, for a complete Panel truck that was in decent shape.

I still remember the town that the guy lived in, but vaguely remember his house. Plus, he spent most of the time in Idaho and came out to CA in the winter months. Maybe I should try driving up there one of these Saturdays to see if I could find the house..........

 

Well mine wasn't a truck and not even a Ford, but back in high school, (1969) I had a chance to buy a 54 corvette for $1500. I had the cash in hand and when I got into the garage to see it, I was sick. It had a Pontiac 389 in it and the guy had cut up the hood to mount one of those big teardrop scoops on it. In disgust, I walked away and have regretted it for the past 40 years.

 

Heres a couple drill rigs that got away from someone! is this first one a MH? would make for easy removal of spare parts...

 

The one I missed turned out to be lucky for me. It was a low milage Bonus Built Fire Truck. As I recall it was an F8. I was going to convert it into a flat bed. The problem was it was on the North Shore of the UP of Michigan and I'm on the North Shore of NY. We were planning a vacation in the UP and I was going to stop to take a look. I figured if it was as good as it sounded, I would buy it and drive it home. After two break downs with the motor home, we had to turn back about 150 miles from where it was because we had other commitments on the way back.

It wasn't till a few years later that I bought an F5 only 100 miles from home and drove it home. I don't think I would have survived the drive back from the UP in an F8 or else it would have taken a week. I figured it was about 900 miles home via the US route which I needed to take.

The other problem I dodged was the F5 flat bed was a very tight squeeze in the shop, and I ended up selling it after a very short time, no way the F8 would have fit.

 

I guess that I can honestly say that I haven't let any get away...my wife would add that there are many that SHOULD have gotten away but that's her story. There were some that I could not afford that I would have loved to have but I don't consider those as having gotten away.

 

Josh - I don't think we can tell whether it's a MH or not. The hubs don't give any hint that I can see, and with the hood gone the badges aren't there to say one way or the other. Sad old trucks. Stu

 

Quite a while ago on here, I mentioned a 1956 F100 long bed for $100 (too low of an offer). It's still there waiting for the right price to be offered. Second, a 1947 Mercury 1 ton a hundred miles from my uncle's place across the Canadian border. $500 was the price, and I just couldn't get transportation lined up to get it across the border.

 

dont have a pic and it's not a truck . my grandmothers old 56 ford mainline 2 door she bought new in 56 . it got sold 30 years ago to a family freind who pulled the six , dropped in a y block and painted it blue instead of the oe sage green . well long story short i know the person who did own it after the first guy , and he turned it into a custom . he just sold it for 10 large as i couldna convince the bank it was worth it and i don't have that kinda cash just laying around ..................................

 

Three of them that got away! A T bucket I built in high school and drove for 2 years, then sold to a friend, who promptly sold it for a handsome profit. A 46 Ch*&y 1/2 ton I rebuilt then sold to my little brother, who won't let me have it back. And finally a 70 Mach 1 I started restoring and babies came so I sold it to the same little brother. He won't let me buy it back either! That leads up to the 51 F-1 that NOBODY is going to get!! Hang on to 'em folks!

 

Your an awesome big brother! do you need another little brother?
love the 51's the best ever!!! btw looks like you've been around a little while but a friendly welcome to FTE a little late have any pictures of your 51?



Havi, I remember you talking about the Mercury, thats a nice looking truck! do you think it's still available? what kind of issues would/could you run into with bringing it across the border? just curious.

Cheers
Josh