Daily Slideshow: This 1961 F-100 4WD has a Flair for Survival

Ford took a gamble

Ford took a big gamble and redesigned the F-100 Flareside pickup in 1961 with the fourth generation F-Series. Longer and lower than its predecessors, these trucks had increased dimensions and new engine and gearbox choices. Additionally, the 1961–1963 models were constructed as a unibody design with the cab and bed integrated. Unfortunately, this new design was prone to flexing under heavy loads and unpopular opinion forced Ford to revert to the traditional separate cab/bed design in 1964. 

In the early sixties, four-wheel-drive trucks were mainly put to work, mainly on farms and in industries. Most of these working trucks are long gone, which makes the low mileage F-100 above such an unusual find. According to Hemmings, "Four-wheel-drive F-100s were produced in similarly small quantities at the start of the 1960s, with just 2,809 Styleside-bodied 4x4s rolling off the assembly line, joined by 967 Flaresides. When you consider that all of these surefooted trucks were used hard, then kicked aside when they wore out, it's amazing that any still exist today." 

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High plains drifter

According to the truck’s owner, this F-100 spent its entire working life on the Ione Cattle Ranch in Nara Visa, New Mexico. From 1961 until 1981 this truck was used on the high plains to feed cattle, move fencing and find stray cows. For an unknown reason, the truck was parked in a garage in 1981 until the original owner died and the estate sold the truck in 2015. The paint color is Ford code M which is Corinthian White. It was repainted some time ago, but the reason is unknown. The truck has been brought back to roadworthiness and is currently registered. “I use it as a work truck,” says current owner Aremee. “For Home Depot and dump runs, I recently hauled twelve-hundred pounds of stone with it and it was fine.”

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Over the hill but not rusty

The seat was replaced with a nearly identical reproduction. The starter, fuel pump, hoses, belts, and battery have all been replaced. So has the brake cylinders, along with the shoes and drum hardware. The emergency brake cables were replaced with Ford OEM cables which were extremely difficult to find. “There is zero rust through anywhere on this truck,” he boasts. “Only surface rust due to paint chips and dents during its working life.”

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One time around the earth

Considering most of these early 4×4 trucks were worked to the death, it’s rare that one has survived with very low miles. So how many miles does this truck have? "I came across a receipt for tires when I bought this truck," Aremee explains. "They were installed in 1981 when the truck had just over 25k miles, it now has just under 26,000." That means this truck has traveled about two thousand more miles than the 24,901 it takes to circumvent the globe. The bias ply tires on the truck are the same tires that were put on in 1981. These 35-year-old tires have only 1,000 miles on them. "I would drive this truck with confidence anywhere. It’s stable at speeds approaching 70mph. It’s a reliable, interesting and rare weekend work truck or collector truck."

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Everything works

Whether or not the mileage is accurate, but one thing is clear: this truck has survived 57 years with very little rust. The engine is a 292 Y Block V8 and it’s got a four-speed transmission, with the shifter on the floor. The truck is equipped with a factory original Dana 24 Spicer transfer case and Warn lockout hubs, and the four-wheel-drive system operates properly. What is new is a Holley 500cfm 2V carburetor. According to Aremee, “Everything works: gauges, lights, brakes, wipers, heater.” 

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Yesterday and Today

The bed certainly does look original and is in fair condition despite a small amount of surface rust. It's rare to find a 57-year-od working truck in such good condition, which is why it quickly sold at a Barrett-Jackson auction in 2016. We are not sure where this truck is today, but we'd like to think it's proving once again that when Ford builds a truck, it builds it to last yesterday, today, and forever.

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