School me on front-ends
 

Hi everyone.

My name is Yan, I'm new to the forums. I've been looking for a 51-60 truck project and I really love the straight hood with single headlight grill look. I'm relatively new to these trucks so I'm hoping clear up the front-end differences between the years. Here's what I've gathered during my research, but please correct me if any of these are wrong.

- 57-58 had the straight hood
- 57 had the single headlights
- 58-60 had dual headlights
- 59-60 had the lipped hood

Is that all correct? I believe I also read the fenders are different on the 57-58 than 59-60 so if you wanted to have a 57 front-end on a 59-60, you'd need to swap the fenders as well (possibly other pieces)?

Thanks for your help!

Staticpulse Welcome to the orphanage.
I pulled these off the gallery. At the top of the page. You can view more just select the year you would like to view.
Yes the front fenders are different, 57-58 round park lights/59-60 rectangular lights.
Two different Hoods 59, one with center ridge like 60 the other with smooth center

1957 --https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...208285.520.390
1958---https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...187735.520.390
1959--https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...245481.520.390
1960---https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...243070.520.390

Thanks teddy. I've been looking at pictures of these for far too long now. Can't wait to get my hands on one.

So knowing all this, what are my options for having the straight hood lip with single headlines? '57 only? Will the '57 grill fit the '58 without too much modification?

It's probably safe to rule out the '59-60 since too many part would need to be changed.

Yan the grilles will swap all four years. Just cant mix and match front fenders and valences, between 57-58 with 59-60.
Good luck in your quest!

I have found 1960 models to be the most plentiful and 1957 to be the hardest to find of the 4 years. You could use a 57 grille and 57-58 hood on a 59-60, you would just have rectangular turn signals instead of round.
I'm probably going to end up with some mix of parts on my own, can't stand the 60 and always wanted another 57. I ended up with a pretty decent 60 and a 58 parts truck. Also a good friend has a real nice 59 chrome grille. Soo.., not a 57, I know, but my 60 may very well end up with a 58 hood, 59 grille and some custom turn signals.

I was skimming some other forums the other day and noticed a post that said something would match up (or would need to modified) on the 59/60 to accept the 57 grill. I can't seem to find it right now, but I do recall them saying that the fenders weren't the same.

I agree '57s are hard to find. I've managed to find a good deal on a '59 but wanted to make sure I would be able to get the '57 front end to fit perfectly.

[quote=willowbilly3;11726009]....... mix of parts on my own, can't stand the 60 ...... quote]

That hurts Bro! You just have to learn to see the beauty that is there! :-X04

[quote=spurredon;11727476
That hurts Bro! You just have to learn to see the beauty that is there! :-X04[/quote]

As a '60 owner I have to say that's extremely difficult.:D

Sorry guys, poor choice of words on this forum, should have been more sensitive to knowing there would be many owners here. It's actually just the hood and grille I don't like as well as the clean, smooth lines of a 57.
Reminder, engage brain before expressing thoughts.

I think the nose of a '60 looks like a cross between a Fridge and a space heater! How much more adorable can you get!

If you want "cutsy- woosty", go talk to the fat fender '53-'56 crowd! LOL!:-X04:-X04

(pssst..I never really liked those as much as the 57, even in the 60s when they were all the rage on the west coast and my cousin had one with a 392 hemi)