This 1954 Ford F-250 is said to have been with the same family since they bought it new. They say that was 69 years ago so I’m assuming the current owner has purchased it within the last year, since 1954 was 70 years ago. I can’t imagine selling a truck like this for any reason but sometimes things come up that make us change our minds. Thanks to T.J. for the tip!
My grandpa was a security guard at a big gravel pit, as odd as that sounds, and lived right there during the week in a trailer. He had a slightly newer dark green Ford pickup with a utility box on the back, and I have wanted one my whole life. Not to go overboard on The Andy Griffith Show, but the first episode of season three, “Mr. McBeevee”, shows the exact truck my grandpa had.
This example has a very cool “Atlas Canopy“, or topper, or cap – depending on where a person was raised – on the back, presumably from the same era as the truck, the early to mid-1950s. It’s a basic shell (another name) but the arched top goes well with the voluptuous curves of the 1954 Ford pickup. The inside is just that, a basic shell. The seller says this truck is in very good original condition and it sure looks like it is, despite the faded paint.
The second-generation Ford F-Series pickups were made from 1952 for the 1953 model year until the end of 1956 in the U.S., and longer in Brazil. The seller says it’s a “true barn find” from Sacramento, California, it has just 31,232 miles, and has “never seen salt.” They’re incredibly stingy on photos and what is shown is at a small scale so there’s no way to really tell what condition this truck is in without seeing it in person.
Speaking of that, this F-250 is about 40 minutes away from me. If anyone is serious about it, I can try to check it out. I’m assuming the engine is Ford’s 223-cu.in. OHV inline-six with 115 horsepower. It’s likely backed up by a three-speed manual sending power to the rear wheels and is said to run great. It’s listed here on craigslist in Rosemount, Minnesota and the seller is asking $14,750. Here is the original listing. While that may be V8 pricing, this looks like a great truck.
Fun write-up Scotty, including (another) Andy Griffith Show reference. This old Ford would have been “all truck”, if you catch my drift. The mileage doesn’t really mean much on a 70 year old vehicle, but one could believe that it is correct; local low-speed driving on two lane roads was where they were happy. This generation of Ford pickups, even in 3/4 ton guise, are now comfortably five figures?
Speaking of five figures, I was at a Ford dealer this morning and saw a few Super Duties, this vehicle’s successor. One of which was (very) loaded and had a six figure sticker price. And Ford is having no problem selling them.
“My grandpa was a security guard at a big gravel pit” and he played poker Saturday nights with the Maytag repairman. “So, what’s new?” “Not much, you?” “Same.”
I like these trucks and 54 was the year my dad came home from Korea with a Purple Heart – probably why I like this year the most. Having said that, they might get their ask, but not from me. I just don’t see it
Had one in highschool. Mine was a 3/4 ton with heavy duty everything.
It had the 6, but it was mated to a 4-speed gearbox and a PTO to raise and lower the bed. There was a kind
of chute in the middle of the tailgate
so that either coal or grain could be
poured out when the bed was raised.
That came in mighty handy when Dad
and I poured fresh gravel for our driveway. It was a mini dump truck if
you will and never seemed to run out
of uses. But, all good things came to an end when my folks were selling our ’66 Caddy. Long story short, I
sold my truck to my drunken uncle
to help buy the caddy. At least I saved a beautiful Caddy from being
Smashed to smithereens, which happened a few months later when he took out a light pole on the way home from the bar. The truck was
totaled and unc’ lost his license for
2 years. Sad ending for a great old truck.
I’ll bet this truck has a four-speed transmission with a granny 1st gear.
I have had six of this era F-100 and I like them a lot. The price tag on this one is WAY too much!
Interesting old truck. From the C/L listing , it shows an Atlas topper, which are still being made. As an aside, if that were a Canadian truck it would have the flathead V-8, those OH sixes never showed up here untill around 1955 if I remember correctly.
https://atoverland.com/pages/at-atlas-truck-topper
There’s a truck in very similar condition to this listed for sale near me. No topper, but either a 53 or 54. They were asking 10, they dropped it to 8500 weeks ago. It’s still for sale. It’s been listed since at least early summer.
I guess I’ve become like most on here in thinking most of these prices are ridiculous. I’m not sure if it’s because it has patina, so they feel that makes it worth more? I love patina, when it’s subtle and nice. This is gross patina.
In high school worked at local Ford dealership and they had a 54 for a garbage truck. It was like this six cylinder with granny low 4 speed and had absolutely no brakes so every Saturday morning when I had to make the dump run, I just ran into a pile of garbage to stop at the dump. Dealership was at edge of town, so I took gravel roads to dump and back. When getting back to dealership I ran into a pile of dirt to stop still amazed that they allowed that to take place.
they don’t get more original than this. cool ride