- Seller: Tim D (Contact)
- Location: Campbell, Califronia
- Mileage: 41,620 Shown
- Chassis #: F10BRG96425
- Title Status: Clean
- Engine: 300 cui Inline-6
- Transmission: Borg Warner T85N 3MT w/ auto overdrive
Every so often, a truck surfaces that not only tells the story of Ford’s durable engineering but also carries with it a strong sense of local history. This 1970 Ford F-100, now offered exclusively here on Barn Finds, is one such machine. Built at Ford’s now-gone San Jose assembly plant, this truck has spent its entire life in the San Francisco Bay Area, where it was recently revived and returned to service. Sporting its original Norway Green paint and fitted with a rarely-seen 8-foot flareside bed, this F-100 combines utility, durability, and originality in a package not often found today.
At its heart is Ford’s legendary 300 cubic-inch inline-six, renowned for its long service life and torque-rich character. It’s paired with a column-shifted Borg Warner T85N 3-speed manual transmission with automatic overdrive, effectively giving the driver five forward ratios. Out back is a sturdy Ford 9-inch rear end with 3.73 gears. The seller states that the truck is mechanically sound and ready for regular driving, towing, or hauling, and it has been in dependable use since its revival in early 2024.
While this pickup presents well at first glance, the seller notes that the paint shows significant cosmetic damage, believed to be the result of vandalism under prior ownership. Importantly, the body itself is solid, with no accident damage or major rust issues reported. There is some surface corrosion here and there, but nothing that affects structural integrity. An aftermarket Barden step bumper with receiver hitch and trailer wiring has been installed, adding to its utility.
The seller provides a thorough accounting of work performed over the past two years to bring the F-100 back to road-ready condition. This includes:
- Rebuilt steering column and shift linkage with reinforcement at a known failure point.
- Repaired wiring and new turn signal switch.
- Tune-up with plugs, cap, rotor, fluids, and filters.
- Replaced tie rods and completed a front-end alignment.
- Flushed coolant and brake fluid.
- Installed a new starter, battery cables, and windshield.
- Replaced exhaust manifold (May 2025).
The truck has been used as intended, hauling and light towing, since its revival, proving its mechanical soundness.
Inside, the cab remains largely original. The bench seat has a rip on the passenger side, but a new black vinyl upholstery kit is included with the sale. Other included spares are a replacement dash cover, cigar lighter, horn button, and miscellaneous parts. The seller notes a few quirks: the horn is wired to a separate button pending a thinner steering wheel nut, the overdrive lockout cable needs adjustment, and the brakes, while effective, feel a bit soft when warm.
Overall, this is a well-documented and rare survivor-spec truck. With its factory flareside bed, inline-six with overdrive, and California history from new, it represents a piece of both Ford and Bay Area history. As the seller points out, the San Jose factory that built it is now a shopping mall—making this F-100 one of the few rolling reminders of that legacy.
Would you preserve this truck’s originality and patina, or refinish it to showcase the rare Norway Green paint in all its glory?
Bid On This Auction
54william bid $4,000.00 2025-09-17 17:10:33
HOTRODTRK bid $2,500.00 2025-09-12 14:53:28
Roverray bid $2,000.00 2025-09-12 10:40:56- HOTRODTRK bid $250.00 2025-09-12 09:34:13
Those wraparound front turn signals make me think this is a 1972 model.
This is definitely a 1970… while there certainly could have been parts swapped out over the years on this truck, this has a 1yr only front grill and 1972 has a number of other differences.
What a cool Flareside. Not as cool as the short wheelbase models, but cool nonetheless. Too bad it was severely keyed (that happened to one of my collector cars many years ago, but it needed paint anyhow, so ultimately it was not a big deal). I see plenty of additional improvements which could be done, but overall it looks like a legit example.
Watching the video with the driver running it through the gears with the three-on-the-tree was a nostalgic hoot.
Based on the grille inserts with the small rectangles, it looks like a 1970.
Good luck to seller.
All those photos, but none of the cab mounts which is usually the reason for the rag joint failure. What a shame they don’t build trucks as simple as this anymore.
What is this knob called Choke for? Where are the power window and power door lock switches? What is this third pedal, it looks like it gets lots of use? How do I tell it is in Park? Why is there a miniature window at the front of the big side window? And so forth. Time marches on.
Hey Bob, I read a story a while back about a guy that went to look at a Willys Jeep pickup. The seller was young guy in his 20s who had bought it thinking it would be something cool to ride around in. He told the prospective buyer he thought he got a lemon, said it was hard to start cold but was OK when it warmed up, the gears ground trying to get in first at a stop, thought there was something wrong with the steering and brakes as they were both stiff. Said he’d cut the buyer a deal just to get rid of it. They made a deal, the buyer got in pulled the choke fired it up pushed it into second before dropping it back in first and drove away.
The reason there are no pictures of the cab mounts are likely because it’s a truck local to the Bay Area. It’s not something that would cross the mind of the seller. I live in the Bay Area, I’d never heard about rusty cab corners until I read it on forums, same thing with rust on early Toyota pickup frames. About the main extent of looking for undercarriage rust it typically crawling under and taking a quick look, the area under the front and rear window as well as trunk on a car are where you focus your attention.
Steve R
I can take pictures of the cab mounts if needed. Steering coupler/rag joint was replaced only because the shift tube was broken and so I rebuilt the entire steering column.
As this truck has never left the bay area it’s not rusted out in places that are common to these trucks.
When the windshield was replaced recently I expected there to be some rust around the window frame but I was pleasantly surprised to find there wasn’t a single spec of rust.
Was so disappointed to learn this evening that my offer of $5,700 from yesterday did not go through due to an “offer they received just prior to getting yours.” Talk about timing! I thought the listing was still live and was eagerly awaiting to hear back. So bummed to have missed out on what I was already calling my “Dragon Wagon.”
Since it did not sell in the auction, I re listed the truck in a few places and ended up selling it last week.
rare find here. never see these anymore. seller should spring for some poverty caps and a frt bumper. it would stand out and give that fresh off the lot look
It really does need a set of hubcaps!
Unfortunately something I do not have for the truck.
I went on ebay to look for the correct dog dishes, assuming they would be common and therefore cheap. Apparently they are neither.
Thanks Tim D for chiming in.
How heavy is the clutch? I drove a ’70 F100 years ago and the pedal was really heavy and I was a strapping 20 some year old at the time.
The clutch in this is actually surprisingly light.
The negative battery ground cable looks original minus insulation, but underneath is a red felt anti acid. Watch out when using jump cables here. Sparks may fly. Was someone upset and your truck got “keyed”? I know it doesn’t take much even for a stranger to attack. Decent paint otherwise and nice truck.
I replaced the positive cable to the solenoid and the cable from the solenoid to the starter. I don’t recall why I never replaced the ground cable to the engine, but the additional brown ground wire goes directly to the solenoid/chassis (I added that to make sure the starter solenoid got a good direct ground).
The damage to the paint precedes my ownership of it… I can tell someone was upset at the owner (the windshield was damaged too but I’ve replaced it) but I do not actually know the circumstances that led to the damage. Despite the scratches the truck is still presentable and it’s made me less concerned about putting a scratch or two in it when actually using it as intended,but a fresh coat of paint on this would certainly make it pop.
Dad had the short bed I thought was a real nice looking truck. I think the proportions are a little off on the long bed, it gives it a very utilitarian look like the engineers won out over the stylists.
Nice truck!
Nice clean truck and all manual options. Kids these days would not know what to do!!
Dang, what a gem. When I initially started looking at the photos on my phone, I got the impression that it had been re-painted, until I read and saw the imperfections. It presents well as is and sincerely hope its next caretaker just leaves it alone. The scratches could be carefully painted in with a fine model brush and then machine polished if desired.
The upper portion of the seat (and even lower) also seems like it could be the result of vandalism. Seems odd that it would tear there and that large. I wonder if that upholstery is still available, but perhaps not if the seller opted for black.
Does the seller know any of its history that can be shared?
I had actually thought of trying to do something like that to fill in the scratches but there are so many of them that I’m not sure if the end result would be more uniform paint or just a bunch of painted lines… Interesting idea though.
I am not sure if the seat was vandalized or if it split open due to rodent activity, because this truck was rescued out of a yard that was a rat’s paradise…while I did not actually find any animals in the truck there was plenty of evidence of them (there was a nest under the dashboard and they’d ruined the ribbon cable on the speedometer and chewed through a number of wires, which I’ve repaired/replaced).
As far as I know, none of the green interior pieces for this truck are available… I’ve seen a few colors available but not green (and if you look closely you’ll see that everything on the interior has the same green: door panels, arm rests, window crank knobs). I got the black vinyl seat upholstery with the truck but haven’t had it installed because I’d really rather get something custom done that is closer to the original.
As far as I know this truck was in the same family since new, but I don’t know much beyond that about it’s history.
What we have to here is an honest seller, willing to mention rodent damage even when unseen. Replaced damaged parts. This is way to sell and make purchase. Good to read this.
I’m definitely not trying to hide anything on this truck! I do think it’s a great truck overall and want it to go to a good home!
Tim, your truck is definitely intriguing. I don’t recall ever seeing one like it before, and the condition, even with the vandalism, is great. It’s nice to see a survivor like this has been unmolested. I love the fact that it still has the 300. What a great motor.
1 hour left! Happy to answer any remaining questions anyone has about the truck!
This truck has actually been sold already!
I am trying to get BF to update the listing.