The COE, or “Cab Over Engine” truck, is not, to be charitable, the most beautiful or the most well-proportioned rig on the road. But it’s still super cool. This 1955 Ford C-600 is one of those trucks that makes me wish I had 40 acres to store things, because I’d pass many a blissful hour just driving it around the property in one of its lower gears. Most of the time, I’d simply look out over the pastures and be glad I had it sitting there. Of course, many of you out in Barn Finds land might find a better use of its time, or as the eBay seller in Eureka, Montana, suggests, you may customize it into a hot rod hauler. I’m never that guy, however, so I always hope that someone sees a truck like this as a reminder of a different, perhaps simpler time and enjoys it as it sits. Either way, it’s going to take $5,999 to park it out on your lawn.
Big Ford trucks of 1955 had a choice of five engines: a six, two Ford Y-Blocks, and two Lincoln-based Y-Blocks. The sales catalog says that the C-600 was available with the two Ford V8s, and although the seller thinks it’s “probably a 272- or 292-cubic-inch” version, they weren’t available in 1955 C-600s (not that one couldn’t have been installed later). You could, however, buy a 132-horsepower 239 or a 140-horsepower 256. Whichever one it is, it’s hooked to a five-speed manual, which was an option on the mediums of this era. The seller says it starts and runs well, although there’s a little smoke on a cold startup. It “runs smooth” with “no major leaks.” The brakes don’t work, but the seller has used the parking brake to stop it; in other words, plan to bring a large trailer to pick it up, and start determining how you’ll rebuild an undoubtedly archaic braking system (the seller does say that it’s easy to upgrade to a modern power brake system, although I’ve never looked into that). The engine is running on the truck’s fuel tank and lines, so you shouldn’t have to worry about fuel delivery.
The seat will need to be reupholstered, but there is so little trim on a C-600 that you won’t need to do much else. There are some holes in the driver’s floor, but anybody with a piece of sheet metal and a MIG welder should be able to figure out a repair without much trouble. The door glass needs replacement (are those bullet holes I see?), and the cab corners are a little thin, but the cab and frame appear to have weathered the last 70 years with aplomb. The Treasure State surely never salted their roads, which undoubtedly helped.
The eBay ad includes several pictures of cabovers that have been customized and parked on a modern chassis, and the implication is that the buyer will be interested in doing that. Maybe I’m an anachronism, but I much prefer the truck as it sits, as dubiously useful as it would be these days. Even if it doesn’t quite have a face that would launch a thousand ships, it’s beautiful to me.
You could make it like this –
Angligt…… 10 thumbs up for that one!!!
Give me 40 acres and I’ll turn this rig around.
You miss a turn in that and you don’t make a u turn, you go around the block. Like driving a Ram 3500 dually
Drop a coyote motor in it and let the good times roll.
One thing that is common, people sure have some lofty visions on what this stuff is worth. These were called “helmet head” trucks, because of the bulbous, rounded cab, and cabovers were wanted, not for the weight or length requirements, but just a lot easier to get around the farm. Cabovers allowed a bigger cargo area, but the last concern of a farmer, LOAD THE WAGON! Another of these with bad front cab mounts, very common, but repairable. The C series had a plethora of applications, but most were stake beds like this was, and most stored inside, only now seeing the light of day.
The only practical use for this, and I’m sure the 260 viewers interest, is to make a modern unit by dropping the cab on a newer chassis. It’s certainly worth saving for that, but better start the price slashing. Nobody wants this as is anymore.
Some trivia, what did it say on the glovebox door, and who can tell me what the “poor mans” cruise control on this truck is?
… the ‘Throttle’ pull cable on the dashboard…? (if connected… it wasn’t on our 1949 Ford F-1 pickup.)
Yep, many people don’t realize how useless the throttle was, and was on the floor ‘pert near all the time anyway, pulling the throttle cable gave your foot a rest.
Did it say “Big Job” Howard?
Good one, but not sure the “C” series was part of the “Big Job” trucks in ’55, but I had to look it up, apparently, it was a chrome “Ford——–V8”.
It said “Do not roll down windows at speeds in excess of 120 mph”.
Oh wait….that was on a Porsche I saw one time.
Also seen on some Studebaker Avantis. The reason: Air pressure at that speed could blow the rear window out!
If it was me, I’d make the necessary repairs, (cab floor, brakes etc.) shorten it to acccept a dually pickup bed and run it local as a pickup truck. Sure start a lot of conversation when you back up to the dock for 20 bags of steer fattener!
likely a 239 – 256 was a Mercury offering
They were both offered in the medium trucks, Rusty. By 1955, Mercury was using the 292 and Ford cars the 272 (except for the T-Bird, which used the 292).
There were several more engines offered. The largest was a 317, which we had in our F-600.
I like it
The last thing I would let this truck become is lawn art. It’s still in pretty good shape and could be restored and repurposed into something highly usable. I sure wouldn’t be in favor of yet another chassis relinquishing its body to be dropped onto another Dodge 3500 chassis. Here’s a shot of what a COE was used for and could still make that claim today. Yes, I know it isn’t a Ford, but all of those “Helmet Heads” (thanks Howard for reviving that memory) could have a classy life.
This truck; I wouldn’t have any qualms about installing something bigger in that engine bay than what’s in it. By the shards of yellow paint still visible, I’d guess it to have had a 272 installed at some time, which will take you anywhere you want to go and bring you back albeit not very fast. Saw a lot of guys running 312s in their F-600s, which really woke them up. I would definitely change out that exhaust system to duals and get rid of the forearm burner.
I like the way that gal on the ladder fills out her shorts. Yep, they sure don’t make ’em like that anymore….
Her grand daughter.
56 Cali plate with a 62 sticker.
Summer / fall of 61.
I too was wondering what the focus of that picture was.
Geo, you, like me, were born 30 years too late. I think it’s great you show abstinence in caving in to modern conversions, but, you know as well as I do, the future holds no place for a truck like this. Heck, may as well go back to rotary dial phones while we’re at it, and how many younger folks think today. Many think of this truck as the “good old days”, but rest assured, this was a hard life and THESE are the good old days.
What do you mean, Howard? You mean that there’s something beyond dial phones? I thought we really advanced when we went from a Bakelite phone body to plastic. Next thing, you’ll be talking wireless…
Hey, with all the problems I (we) have, and the “this call is being recorded” on a personal call, I’m ready to go back to the 2 tin cans and a string,,,
Had a 56 like this for awhile. Same floor and brake problems. 272/5spd. Have a 52 now, flathead V /4spd/ 2 spd rear. Shortened to 101” wheelbase, flatbed, 12 v, headers, stacks. Fun truck to beer run, truck shows, but pretty limited for real work in its present power train.
Wouldn’t mind having this, decent price, cleanup, fix, drive!!
Could be a stubby Bob relative.
What is the old boy in the background of the first picture? There was a girl in Sturgis that drove one of these as her daily driver. It had a 2 speed rear and the cable was stuck in low range. Good thing she lived close.
Hi John, I saw’r that too. It looks like a 1935ish Chevy 1.5 ton.
I was 5 then and my dad was the plant manager at a manufacturing biz that always had 2 16 foot stake trucks, an 8 footer and one pickup… all bought new and replaced as necessary. One day I was at his work and saw a brand new one of these, red, and thought it was the coolest thing in the world. It bumped an aging Federal Styleliner into #2 position and it remained for a few years. The Ford truck made regular runs of 100 miles each way with stuff that was sent out for processes that we couldn’t do. It wasn’t long and the Ford was in the shop for engine work and not making its’ runs, messing up the work flow. or they used the Federal. Whenever I mentioned ithe Ford truck dad grumbled something about a ”car engine” that couldn’t do the work. I did get to ride on it a couple of times on the runs. Pretty sure it was replaced by a 58 Dodge …and the Federal just kept running.
Looking at the pictures… I loved that instrument cluster and those round pedals…. and climbing up into it….
What has not been said yet is that those 5* Firestone split rims, real split rims not snap ring tube type rims, would have to GO!!!! They are the true Widow Makers!!! Not too much of a problem as there are motor coaches with the same bolt pattern.. I still have them on my 55 F-600. This truck will make some hobby farmer a great work horse that will also make a good conversation starter at Cars & coffee and local shows. Fix it up and enjoy it!! It will not take up any more room to park than a 3500 quad cab with an 8 ft box.. depending on how high a body you put on it, It will also fit in a garage with 8 ft high doors..
Kinda expensive for a lawn ornament.
I was able to find 19.5 tubeless off a a Winnabego to replace my Widowmakers on my 52 COE. Also the shortening of the chassis for a flatbed eliminated the need for a carrier bearing. Looks like a fun project.
I have a 1949 Tonka pressed steel toy truck that looks just like this ‘55 C600
his listing was ended by the seller on Tue, Oct 28 at 2:29 PM because there was an error in the listing. Will it be resisted? we’ll see