The owner of this Ford F3 states that the vehicle is original and unrestored and that it has very little rust. The truck has all of its original books and receipts, including original service receipts from the selling dealer. He has decided that the time has come to part with the truck so has listed it for sale here on eBay. The Ford is located in Caspar, California.
Apart from some surface corrosion, there is little in the way of rust in this F3. The only area with significant rust is the lower apron panels, but the owner has NOS panels to replace these. There are only a few minor marks and dings on the vehicle, and the original paint has a nice, aged look to it. The timber in the bed is present, but it does look tired. It would probably pay to replace this.
The interior is said to be original, and apart from a tear in the seat on the driver’s side, it is in remarkable condition. There are a couple of options available here. You could choose to have the tear blind patched, you could fit a new cover, or you could just throw a blanket over it. I’d probably have it blind patched so that it doesn’t deteriorate any further. The rest of the interior looks good, with only a few very minor marks to consider.
The original 239ci flat-head V8 engine is still there, and it is hooked to a manual transmission. The owner says that the truck starts, runs, and drives well and that the engine has good oil pressure. It doesn’t blow smoke, and it has no oil leaks. He also indicates that the vehicle stops straight and true.
All in all, this is a really cool vehicle that has survived quite well. It is a candidate for a restoration, or it could be enjoyed as it is. Me? I’d probably replace those apron panels, have the seat repaired, replace the timber in the bed, and then drive it as it is. At the time of writing, bidding has reached $4,800, but the reserve hasn’t been met. I honestly wouldn’t be at all surprised to see bidding on this F3 push up to $15,000. Anything less than that would represent a good buy on current values.
You can tell this truck never saw a grain of salt. The F3 was kind of an oddball. It was considered a “Heavy Duty” 3/4 ton with a 6800 GVW, compared to the F2’s 5700. That’s a pretty big difference, I’m not sure how they could still call it a 3/4 ton. Most F3’s I saw were small stake beds with dual rear wheels. Even I would say, $5g’s would be a good price for a rust free example like this and I doubt it will go much higher.$15 restored? Maybe after a restoration. Images show many are kept original and it wouldn’t take much to make this a bit more highway friendly. Great find, for sure.
Lots of these out west. We called them ‘Tonners.’ Probably a carryover from the late 30s and 40s. Almost all of them had hoists under the boxes, plus sideboards to allow the farmers to haul more grain. True 3/4 ton pickups like the F2 were not common at all. This one would be a lot of fun as a running restoration. I see a typical rust problem, in the joint on the front fender(s). Not too hard to fix overall. Fairly stock would be the order of the day for me. Maybe warm the flathead up a tad but keep the T-9 crash box.
This F-1 sat in my in-laws pasture for 42 years till my wife convinced me to get it running . Flat head eight needed valves loosened up and some work on the fuel system and new water pumps.Parade duty is about all it does now.
Looks like Fred G. Sanford’s pickup truck minus the “Sanford & Son Salvage” on the doors.
The Sanford truck was a ’51. Totally different grille and hood.
Appears to have a Wisconsin title, interesting.
Hey Pop, Aunt Ester needs a ride to her church meeting. OK son,, just have her duck down in traffic. I don`t want nobody in Watts to see a Go-Rilla riding in our truck!!
B-E-A-Utiful truck!!!
I like the front ends on these. They changed it in 54 and wasn’t the same. Either way, nice truck but I know sheet metal is hard to come by.
Dan, I can not swear it is the same truck, but I live in Milwaukee & when I saw this post I thought it looked identical to one that was floating around my neighborhood a half dozen years ago or so. I stopped the owner once & asked him about it. If it is the same one, it is VERY solid & runs like a dream.
The guy who owned the one in my neighborhood (this one?) Bought it from a farm auction about a year before I asked him about it & drove it home. It came from a farm about 3 or 4 hours north west of Milwaukee. Wisconsin is known for rusty cars but the reality is a lot of the rural areas don’t use salt in the winter. I have a lot of relatives that live in rural areas & have seen the difference in cars from where they live & cars farther south in the state. If this is the same truck, she is a sweetheart.