Daily Slideshow: And the Beat Goes On - 1948 F1 Resto-Mod
Bargain F1 score slowly transforms into one cool cruiser before our very eyes.
F1 = First Ford
Many of us have been there. You want an old truck to work on, so you locate one and drop some cash on it. Then, you quickly realize that maybe you bit off more than you can chew. Because, well, fixing up an old truck is often a tough task that requires a load of work. But that also makes Ford Truck Enthusiasts member 48_F1's dedication to his first Ford, this '48 F1, even more impressive.
Cheap but Challenged
It all started a few years ago when the OP purchased the pickup, along with his dad, for the paltry sum of $650. It was rough but complete, with no interior, door glass, and various other small bits. But it was a cool old project, and that's all that mattered to this father/son duo.
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Solid Start
Teardown began almost immediately. The duo found a couple of stress cracks in the cab in the process, but those were easily fixed. All-in-all, the old Ford turned out to be pretty solid given its advanced age.
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Vintage, yet Modern
Even the frame was in pretty great shape. So they started there, taking it down to bare metal and giving it a few fresh coats of paint. They also installed a few modern parts including an 8.8-inch rear end and 3-inch lowering springs.
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Ford Blue, Chevy Motor
Unfortunately, the choice of drivetrain landed on a Chevy 350/TH350 combo. We're guessing because it was cheap. Regardless, the young owner at least decided to paint the Bowtie mill Ford Blue, so there's that.
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Cheap Upgrades
Another shrewd move came when the pair found a set of four wheels on Craigslist for the budget price of $100. The aforementioned rear end was ripped out of an Explorer, then treated to 4.10 gears. With disc brakes and limited slip, it was a pretty nice upgrade.
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Rat Rodded
With a focus towards the rat rod vibe, the OP patched up some holes in the firewall and gave it a cool industrial look. And the vision for this build was really starting to come together at this point.
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Weld, Patch, Repeat
Soon, the freshly rehabbed cab was mated to the rebuilt chassis. A good bit of welding and requisite bodywork followed, mostly to patch holes that the OP didn't need anymore. One of the cooler mods came in the form of an old wooden trunk used to house the fuel cell.
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Custom Touches
Eventually, this Ford F1 came together, piece by piece. With all the major stuff bolted together, the OP started working on some more mods. This included a custom exhaust that exits through the fender for a very cool and somewhat menacing look.
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Finished Product
A little over two years later, this unique Ford F1 was finished and on the road. And now, the OP can enjoy the fruits of his extensive labor. But as cool as this ride is, the fact that he didn't have to dish out a lot of coin to make it a reality might be even more impressive than the truck itself!
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For help with your maintenance and repair projects, please visit our how-to section in the forum.