After living a long, happy life in California, this finely restored 1946 Ford stake bed truck is headed to auction to find a new owner.
Retired Hauler
There was probably a time when this incredibly cool 1946 Ford truck we spotted at Mecum Auctions hauled all sorts of hay, feed, dirt, or various other commodities in its big old stake bed. But after an extensive restoration, those days are probably over for good.
Photos: Mecum Auctions
One-Owner Gem
Amazingly enough, this particular truck remained in the possession of the original owner's family its entire life prior to the forthcoming sale. And over that time, it racked up only 35,000 miles.
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Sparingly Driven
For farm trucks, that's not entirely surprising. Typically, these pickups were used around their owner's property and maybe occasionally to go to town, but that was about it.
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Keep It Original
These big trucks make killer restomods and modernized haulers, but we're happy to see that this one remains mostly original. The seller took great care to retain the old Ford's character through the restoration process.
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Total Refresh
During that process, the original 239 cubic-inch Flathead V8 was rebuilt, along with the 4-speed transmission. The entire suspension was also gone through and refreshed to ensure the old truck rides like new.
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Many Options
Ford, of course, had many different options when it came to commercial trucks back in these days. This particular truck is a Model 698T 1 1/2 ton long wheelbase stake bed truck, for those into these sorts of things.
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Fresh Rubber
All six tires on this beastly rig are brand-new, but the seller retained the original spare, which was apparently in good condition.
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Better Than New
The hardwood oak stake bed, however, is brand new. And it's a real work of art, looking as nice or nicer than anything you could buy back in the '40s.
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Stick With It
Sticking with the original theme, the seller chose to respray this Ford pickup in its original light gray color, as well as refinish the interior in green with all new components.
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Belle of the Ball
If you're into old commercial Ford trucks with cool histories, it's hard to beat this '46. It even comes with many of the original brochures and manuals. Personally, we'd be proud to drive this thing around town and in local parades, where we're sure it would be the belle of the ball!
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