Daily Slideshow: Most magazine custom trucks from the '60s are long gone. But this famous Ford looks no worse for wear!
Magazine Model
Thanks to Ford, the average working person could finally afford to buy their very own automobile once the legendary Model T entered this world. And it wasn't long after that when people started cutting them up, mixing and matching parts, and creating what we now call customs.
The best of the best eventually began landing on magazine covers, helping to spawn the burgeoning hobby we continue to enjoy today. And this wild, one-of-a-kind 1937 Ford pickup, which recently crossed the block at Mecum Auctions, is one of those famous rigs.
Photos courtesy of Mecum.
Overnight Sensation
Better known as the FoMoCo Freighter, this pickup wound up on the cover of the August 1962 edition of Rod and Custom magazine. And when you consider the depth and amount of work that went into it, it's very easy to see why this pickup was such a sensation in its time.
>>Join the conversation about this 1937 Freighter Pickup right here in Ford-trucks.com.
Unconventional Build
Incredibly enough, it wasn't even some experienced custom car builder who constructed the FoMoCo Freighter, either. The man behind the build was Ray Nish, a service manager at a Lincoln-Mercury dealership in Oakland, California. It also took Nish a whopping 13 years to finish his masterpiece, which seems like an eternity by today's standards.
>>Join the conversation about this 1937 Freighter Pickup right here in Ford-trucks.com.
Ahead of Its Time
The interior is a striking work of art, just as much as the exterior. There you'll find a combination of Pearl and Byzantine that adorns virtually every single surface. But this truck is also all about luxury, a true visionary that was ahead of its time. So you'll also find power windows, vents, and antenna.
>>Join the conversation about this 1937 Freighter Pickup right here in Ford-trucks.com.
Mix and Match
Parts for the inside were sourced from a wide variety of vehicles, but it all works seamlessly together. The custom dash is fitted with gauges and switchgear from a 1961 Thunderbird, while the seats came from a Mercedes 220. Completing the look is a steering wheel that came straight from a 1961 Mercury Comet.
>>Join the conversation about this 1937 Freighter Pickup right here in Ford-trucks.com.
All FoMoCo
The same goes for the drivetrain, of course. Under the hood, you'll find a 368 cubic-inch V8 from a 1957 Mercury Turnpike Cruiser, which is backed up by a C6 automatic transmission. The Powr-Lok 3.31 rear end came from a '57 Lincoln, while a '61 Lincoln donated its power steering and brakes for the build.
>>Join the conversation about this 1937 Freighter Pickup right here in Ford-trucks.com.
Matching Threads
The most radical thing about the FoMoCo Freighter, however, is its appearance. Covered in an attractive two-tone Pearl and Byzantine Gold, the body has received a slew of custom touches, including Carson-style rolled-and-pleated upholstery along the bed tonneau and tailgate covers that perfectly matches the interior.
>>Join the conversation about this 1937 Freighter Pickup right here in Ford-trucks.com.
Back to the Future
The first thing you may have noticed is that the front of this truck certainly doesn't look like a '37 Ford. But that's because Nish fitted a 1940 Ford Deluxe hood and front fenders to the truck to give it a much more modern appearance.
>>Join the conversation about this 1937 Freighter Pickup right here in Ford-trucks.com.
Truly Unique
Other unique touches include a custom fabricated firewall, radiator, rear fenders, and bed. The pickup features removable running boards and has a 2-inch chopped top as well. And the whole thing rolls on a chopped and narrowed 1956 Mercury frame, just in case it wasn't unique enough already.
>>Join the conversation about this 1937 Freighter Pickup right here in Ford-trucks.com.
Survivor
Even today, decades after its completion, the FoMoCo Freighter is a truly impressive machine. You simply can't help but appreciate the work and the vision that went into its creation, and we're certainly happy to see it alive and well today!
>>Join the conversation about this 1937 Freighter Pickup right here in Ford-trucks.com.
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