Finding a second generation Ford F-series pickup that hasn’t been hot-rodded or modified can be difficult. This 1955 Ford F100 is listed here on Hemmings Motor News in Omaha, Nebraska for $7,600 or best offer and seems to be mostly original.
It’s hard to imagine a time when equipment such as heaters, arm rests and sun visors were considered amenities in a pickup truck but when this F100 was built, someone checked the boxes on the order form to get a fairly comfortable ride. But in 1955, the term “radio and heater” told you almost everything you needed to know about a vehicle.
Also a step up is the V8 engine that resides under the hood. The standard 223 cubic inch straight six wasn’t good enough for our buyer, so he chose the fairly new Y-block either in 239 or 256 cubic inch displacement. I can’t tell from the photo which engine it is, but I’m sure our knowledgeable Barn Finds readers will know.
The light blue and white two-tone appears to be original color of the truck and the paint has worn away on some of the horizontal body surfaces, giving it that authentic look currently in vogue. The bed may or may not be original since it is a different color. The rear bumper is unusual the way it is bolted into the rear fenders.
The seller says that it is, “fresh out of the shed” and that it runs, drives and stops. What more could you ask of a 63 year old pickup truck?
This is too close to me for comfort and I will be in that area next Saturday. It looks nice but shouldn’t the grill have a V8 symbol when it comes from the factory with one?
Jimmy,
If you’ll take a closer look
It’s there
…..don’t get in trouble when ya pick it up!
Good eye, yes it should have the “V8” in the V of the grill.
It does, you can see it clearly in the Hemmings ad.
I think it’s a 239, added later, as this was a 6 cylinder truck. I read the 256 was a Mercury engine, and had “Mercury” on the valve covers. The bumper is unusual, but not original. I don’t think these had rear bumpers. I guess mid 50’s trucks are hot, and why shouldn’t they be? Forget the AH 3000 or the Landie,, and go for the big bucks. Buy for $1,000, sell for $7,500. Pure genius.
The Hemmings pics make the V8 emblem fairly clear. Likely the engine is a 272 or 292.
Looks like a V8 symbol to me; it’s just in the shadows. I’ll have to side with Uncle Bob in that it’s likely a 272. The 239/256 was–to my knowledge–a ’54 only.
Nice truck for sure. It would be a welcome addition to my collection. It would be a running restoration project. Use it, fix it, and most of all, have a good time with it.
Interesting truck, it is a deluxe cab as it has the interior chrome on the dash and garnish moldings, but no radio, t does have a heater, hard to tell from pictures but the blower motor switch doesn’t appear to be there. First impression, maybe over-priced, but not that far off, it really appears to be very complete, and save able.
That year was still 6 volt too if I’m not mistaken.
The 239 was used in some 1955 trucks. Not sure if the other y blocks had the exhaust pipe crossing over the front of the engine.
We had a ’64 F-350 with a 292 Y-Block, and the crossover ran in front of the engine.
Oh no, I should not! :-)
I am very tempted! :-)
the bolted on rear bumper was a dealer add on, the crossed over exhaust was on all pick ups from 54 to 60 with the ” Y ” block , earlier on mercury pick ups , I have my grandads 55 he bought new .
If this is the original paint, then
This engine is a 272 as only they were painted yellow
The 292 was painted blue.
Does this truck still have its glove box door? If so, is the rating plate still on the inside of the door? If so, what is the VIN? That will tell you which engine the truck was equipped with originally. The number should be something in the form of F10e5pnnnnn, where the e is the engine, p is the production plant, and nnnnn is the sequential production number.
There were 3 standard options for engines in ’55 – I6 223 (code D), V8 239 (code V), and V8 257 (code Z). The intake manifold in the pics looks yellow, which would make it a 239.