Ford's 1953-1956 F-100 is arguably the best looking truck ever made, and this one remains pretty much the way it came from the factory.
Stunning Result
In the world of hot rod trucks, few models are as commonly chopped up and customized as the 1953-1956 Ford F-100. But these pickups look so good in stock form, we often wonder why. Thankfully, this beautiful Waterfall Blue '55 F-100 that we spotted over at Hemmings was mostly left alone during its restoration, and the result is something truly stunning.
Photos: Hemmings
Exhaustive Effort
This particular F-100 has always been a California truck, originally produced in Long Beach and later found in a garage in Los Angeles. After picking it up and taking it home, the new owner's plan from the start was to restore the truck but leave it in its correct stock setup. The result was an exhaustive effort, which even involved tracking down original-pattern upholstery for the interior.
Photos: Hemmings
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Spare Parts
After sitting for 25 years, the truck wasn't in the greatest shape on the outside. Thus, an additional parts pickup was found to donate some needed pieces, which included the hood, front fenders, and heater grille. All of the glass was replaced, the Ford lettering on the tailgate even repainted by hand. And all of the trim and bed floor was replaced with brand new components, of course.
Photos: Hemmings
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Impressive Replication
After a good bit of research, the new owner enlisted a custom upholstery shop to replicate the F-100's original herringbone-pattern, woven-plastic seating surfaces originally made from a material marketed by Dow Chemical as Saran. Most everything else is new as well, including the seals, rubber floor mat, headliner, and door panels. The original gauges, spotlight, and dome light are still present and working nicely.
Photos: Hemmings
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New or Redone
Every component of this classic Ford was gone through. In the end, the owner went with a new windshield-wiper motor with new wipers, rebuilt shocks, rebuilt front suspension, and new brakes. A fresh set of Firestone bias-ply tube tires look period-correct but offer up reliable operation. And there's a new heater inside in case you want to take a drive on a cool fall evening.
Photos: Hemmings
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Cost Clipper
What you won't find in this F-100, however, is V8 power. Instead, the F-100 chugs along with Ford’s basic Cost Clipper straight-six, which utilizes a single downdraft carburetor to produce 118 horsepower. The engine has been rebuilt and retains its 6-volt electrical system, and is backed up by a column-shifted three-speed manual transmission.
Photos: Hemmings
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Bucking the Trend
The seller of this gorgeous F-100 certainly didn't have to go to the lengths they did to make the truck this pristine and original. But we're certainly glad they did. After all, there are plenty of custom Fords of this vintage floating around. But how many original ones are left? The answer - not enough!
Photos: Hemmings
>>Join the conversation about this 1955 F-100 right here in the Ford Trucks Forum!
For help with service of your truck, check out the how to section of Ford-Trucks.com
