California was the epicenter of cool in the postwar period. Once the destination of Dust Bowl refugees looking for a new start, the huge boom in industry and farming during and following World War II made California the preferred destination for people looking to step up the American Dream a notch or two. One of their favorite destinations was the Los Angeles area. From this intellectual incubator came many of the automotive trends that shaped our vision of what a truck or car should be. Take for example this 1955 Ford F-100, found for us by reader Adam C. on craigslist in the beautiful area between Palm Springs and Riverside, California. While details are sparse as usual, this claimed barn find truck with a few trademark sixties custom touches is selling for a possibly reasonable $8,500. That is, if it is for sale at all…
The idea that trucks could be or should be everyday transportation is a fairly recent phenomenon. Trucks have traditionally been built for carrying heavy and/or bulky loads and used to earn a living. Thankfully, that tradition started to break down over time. Chevrolet’s Cameo, Dodge’s Sweptside, and the eventual arrival of the El Camino and Ranchero began the transition on the commercial side, and trucks like this mildly customized F-100 worked to change people’s perspective on the custom side.
Said to be a barn find, the seller gives us precious little more information. We are told that the truck is all original except for the engine and transmission. Unfortunately, we have not been told what their replacements are. What we do know is that the truck rides on older mag style wheels and low profile tires. This change alone may account for the truck’s low stance, but there may have been some lowering done to the suspension as well. The grille, curiously, looks to be a 1956 unit. This may have been a styling preference by a previous owner, or a sign that the truck has been in a front end collision.
Sometimes I wonder if sale ads like this are just some sort of fishing expedition. As is becoming the norm on craigslist, the lack of additional information is both maddening and mystifying. We have no idea what engine/transmission combo is powering this truck, we don’t have a clue as to the condition of the interior, and we don’t even know if it runs. What we do know is that the truck is rust free and that it has that sixties California mild custom look. For some, that is enough to make a phone call. If it were closer, I might have been one of those people. My guess is that these bare bones ads are doing more harm than good for sellers.
Very popular trucks in SoCal from when they were new. I wonder what engine’s been swapped into it?
At least he has the Pink Slip (ownership paperwork), Daddy…
As an aside, my father bought a ’55 F-100 for his tool and die biz back in 1957. It had a 272/3-speed and the previous owner added a set of De Soto hubcaps, glasspacks and a dropped front axle.
When he brought it home, my older brother was really excited about the purchase, telling the old man that the truck was cool because it had been ‘Dagoed’. Our dad punished my brother for saying something derogatory about Italians, not realising that the kid was referring to the popular ‘San Diego Rake’ – LOL!
I found a bunch of schoolbook-sized hot rodding magazines under the truck’s seat that remain in my library to this day.
I’d bet the pink slip is in the previous owners name. I’d want to know if there are any back registration fees due before I made an offer, those can get expensive in California.
Steve R
Yeah, that used to be common in California, Steve, although when I lived there there was no back registration fees. That sounds like my home state has taken on the NZ system of continuous registration (or vice-versa)…
We do have the option, over here, to put registrations on ‘hold’, which is handy for us collectors with way too many vehicles. LOL
You can file a non-op with the state, once you put the title in your name.
If you are even one day late paying your registration you are hit with a penalty, I think the penalties double the registration the initial registration due after 30 days, but it might even be less time than that. A car will incur the same penalty each year it hasn’t been registered. A friend recently let the registration slip on his early 15+ year old Chevy pick up, the penalties reached almost $1,000 in less than 3 years. This can be a huge problem when you buy a car where the seller has skipped registrering the car in their name, a buyer will have no one to turn to, they are stuck with the bill if they want to put the vehicle in their name. That doesn’t even take into account any other ugly surprises brought on by this practice that may be waiting for the new owner at the DMV.
Steve R
Yup, sounds like a similar situation to what we have here, re penalties. I remember buying cars in SoCal, taking them to the AAA to have their serial numbers checked and signed off, being issued new plates and taking ’em home.
Here, one has to pay the arrears before a vehicle can be registered forward. There are legal ways around this, but not necessarily easy.
After 12 months of arrears, vehicles under 40 years of age’s registrations are considered ‘stale, but in the system’, which means that the vehicle needs to be inspected by an approved compliance agency to confirm it meets NZ road regulations; vehicles more than 40 years of age get two years before they’re dropped from the system.
Recompliance is expensive and a PITA.
All I can say is : Yo Frank…………..what you smoking bro?
Cool
I have built 4 of these trucks and have a modified 53, that I drive everyday. It is too bad the seller doesn’t give any info. It is 56 grill and taillights, no problem, the 56 grill is the best looking. I like the bones of this F -100, if I wanted to start another project ,I would go look at this truck, with the intent to buy it!