- Seller: Keith O
- Location: Walsenburg, Colorado
- Mileage: 14,393 Shown
- Chassis #: F35J8K17783
- Title Status: Missing
- Engine: Inline 6-Cylinder
- Transmission: 4-Speed Manual
There is something very attractive about purchasing a project candidate with a fascinating history. It typically adds little to its value, but it represents an excellent conversation starter wherever the new owner takes their classic. Such is the case with this 1958 Ford F350. This truck’s active years were spent servicing the mining industry, but it has been dormant for decades. However, it is a solid and complete Truck with a low odometer reading. The current owner feels it deserves a new home with an enthusiast willing to recapture its glory days. Therefore, he has listed the F350 with us at Barn Finds Auctions.
Ford’s Third Generation F-Series range enjoyed a relatively short production life, gracing showrooms from 1957 until 1960. Our feature F350 rolled off the line in 1958, and years of exposure to the elements have faded its Meadow Green paint. Many exterior surfaces now wear surface corrosion. However, this is typical dry-climate deterioration, meaning the winning bidder doesn’t face the specter of penetrating rust. The exterior, including the prone lower cab corners, is clean. The floors are rock-solid, allowing the buyer to leave the welder and grinder tucked away in the corner of their workshop. The lack of steel penetration would enable the new owner to treat the existing corrosion to prevent further deterioration and preserve the F350 as a genuine survivor. It carries the features confirming it worked to earn a living, with the steel snatch block bed designed for heavy-duty work. The seller has since scrapped the HeliArc welder visible in the photos as it was irreparable. That probably isn’t bad because it instantly wiped 800 lbs from the truck’s weight! The bed retains the arms and braces it utilized during its working life, and the front bumper features a hydraulic lift driven by an electric motor, which the operator engages with a lever on the dash. The glass is clean and clear, and the doors open and close easily.
The owner performed detective work to learn about this F350’s history, which is quite fascinating. Its original owner was a firm called Virginia Drilling Company. Located in Southwest Virginia, it was a subsidiary of the Austin Powder Company. It provided blasting compounds and drilling services for the coal-mining industry in that region, which explains some of this truck’s heavy-duty features. It retains the faded company logo on its doors, and the dash features a “12” that may be its vehicle fleet identification number. It is believed the company withdrew the vehicle from service in the early 1970s, leaving it in a lot with other abandoned industrial machinery. The next owner spent his latter years buying and collecting vehicles of this type, and he rescued the Ford. It remains in its “as retired” state. With the growing interest in industrial history and associated plant and equipment, preservation would seem the most appropriate option for the buyer to consider.
One piece of equipment this F350 retains is the mighty bed-mounted Tulsa Winch. It means serious business, as it is driven by the truck’s transmission. The operator controls its speed with a cable-operated dash-mounted throttle. It appears complete, and returning it to an operational state might be possible as part of this classic’s revival.
F350 buyers in 1958 could order their new truck with a Y-Block V8, but the Virginia Drilling Company selected the 232ci six, hooked to a four-speed manual transmission. The six produced 126hp and 207 ft/lbs of torque. That second figure is critical because it peaked low in the engine’s rev range. That made the six ideal for crawling through rugged territory and perfect for powering the Tulsa Winch. The engine doesn’t currently run and probably hasn’t done for many years. However, it turns freely, and the transmission slips effortlessly through the gears. These old Ford engines are robust, and coaxing it back to life may involve little more than essential maintenance and rebuilding its Holley carburetor. The new owner must move this beast on a flatbed, and it appears some of the lugnuts might be seized. Interestingly, the odometer shows 14,393 miles, and the reading may be genuine. Since it seems the truck’s primary role was as a mobile drill, it would have spent more time idling and operating its equipment than traveling between work sites.
The surprise packet with this Ford is its interior. It is complete, with the floor mat the only missing item. The seat cover isn’t perfect, but there are no large rips or other significant problems. The wheel has cracked, and the floor exhibits surface corrosion. However, treating everything to a deep clean seems worthwhile. The painted surfaces look pretty good below a layer of dust, and I suspect a few hours of work with the appropriate cleaners and polish would yield positive results. Its work history means that the buyer won’t be inundated with optional extras, but they will undoubtedly welcome the factory heater on cold days.
While many people focus on smaller vehicles when selecting a project candidate, a dedicated group of enthusiasts prefers larger classics like this 1958 Ford F350. The beauty of these trucks is that they aren’t sophisticated, allowing owners to adopt a hands-on approach with many of the revival or restoration tasks. Values are climbing steadily and have done so for at least the past five years. There is no evidence of slowing trends, suggesting that this F350 could be an excellent long-term investment. The winning bidder’s most significant decision will be whether to preserve or restore. Returning it to its former glory would be tempting, although it might command greater respect as a proud survivor. You will undoubtedly have an opinion, and submitting a bid could make your vision a reality.
Bid On This Auction
Dan bid $500.00 2024-07-01 13:34:19
Good writeup Adam (I assume it’s you Adam). I enjoy seeing work trucks like this, visualizing the jobs they might have done. And thinking of the hard-working people for whom this was a “tool”, to help them build things, or fix things, or service things. You know, honest, hard-working types providing manual labor. As opposed to today’s “influencers.” But I digress.
Hey, hey, a local truck, and not far away. Being in trucking and going to gravel pits, mines, etc., I’ve seen many of these “yard trucks”. Mining and gravel pits have a lot of equipment, that breaks down on a regular basis. This truck went from one side of the facility to the other repairing that equipment. I’ve been to some mombo sized operations, and this was the service truck. I bet it was never even licensed and never left the yard. One correction, I believe the motor is a 223, not 232( typo?) and by the looks, some sort of rigging with the winch, or pulling some equipment onto the bed. I believe the Tulsa winch is a tractor unit, and 20,000 lb pulling cap. Regardless, it’s heavy duty.
Colorado, I’ve found, has, or had a LOT of mining operations, and they all had trucks like this. It’s a great find, for the truck part. Unless you have a need for the truck as is, otherwise, the F350 was a great mid range truck, and make a great small dump truck or simply a flatbed. These trucks are all but gone, especially like this, except for maybe a fire truck, the sky is the limit here.
This truck’s engine is a 223.
Ford did have a 3.8L V6 from 1981 through 2007, which could be called 232 cubic inches.
AMC had a 232 L6 from 1964 through 2006.
Fun toy to get running and driving again, after that I’m not sure what I would do with it, other than take it up in the Hills to pull cyber trucks out of pot holes
So in order to bid I’m forced to sign up for an account with a monthly charge AND pay a buyers fee??? No way. Good luck to anyone that would list a vehicle here.
Hey, look at the bigger picture, pal. 1st, when becoming a member, you help the site and the excellent writers pay. 2nd, here, you aren’t dealing with some faceless entity like a big auction house, these people are our friends and the site attracts plenty of viewers. Last, I’m not sure of the success rate here, but must be adequate or they wouldn’t feature it. I believe classified ads are free to members too. Not sure what you are used to when selling a car, but short of a sign in the window on the front lawn, it’s going to cost you to get any coverage.
Wait, excellent writers pay may be taken wrong. I’m not sure what they make, but membership and fees helps pay them.
I’m not your pal… Being rude to the visitors is never a good option. NO other reputable auction sites charge monthly membership fees. Buyers premium should be 10% and maybe a $5 bidder fee. Good luck till then.
These are cool trucks and there is a site for people that love these vehicles. I happen to be one of those people having owned a 59 Model back in the 80’s. I bought it in Provo, Utah from a cattle rancher who had it set up for hauling horses. I drove it to Everett, Washington in the winter of 83. On the way I crossed a portion of Idaho and over some mountains into Pendleton, Oregon. a state trooper stopped me coming down the back side of the mountain and wrote me a ticket for loud exhaust but told me of an exhaust shop in Pendleton Oregon where I could have the repairs done. That’s when I had the dual stack exhaust system installed. I then took the receipt to the local police station where the ticket was squashed. I the proceeded across the Columbia river across a portion of the Majave desert in southeastern Washington, over the Cascade mountains and on to Everett , Washington. I secured a mountain cabin east of Everett and began cutting and hauling firewood to a local BBQ restaurant in Marysville. A couple years later in 1985 I started a long journey down through Oregon over the mountains into California across the Sierra Nevada mountains to Arizona then across the interstate to Memphis, Tennessee, then south eventually landing in Miaami florida pulling an 5’x8′ covered trailer all the way. My truck had a 390 V8 and 4 speed manual transmission.
God Bless America
what great memories.
For a long time, this generation of Ford trucks was underrated and underapreciated, but they have gained popularity, they’re good looking trucks, they were also the most modern at the end of the decade. It’s a small version of what’s commonly seen in the oilfield, with the winch, gin poles, and tail roll. The unit on the front is for a snow plow. What would you really use it for at this point? I would remove all that, restore the truck, and install a nice flatbed. And a V8. Although I’m still not sure what I would use it for