There is something uniquely American about vintage pickup trucks. They evoke images of small-town America, family farms, and the virtues of the American spirit. While a great majority of these trucks were worked until they could serve no more, a few have managed to survive in still useable condition. A portion of those survivors are now suffering through the indignity of becoming lawn art. A lucky few have been meticulously restored, and a few more still put in a day’s work here and there. This 1952 Ford F-2 pickup has a traceable pedigree. It spent most of its life working at an apple orchard in Illinois. Now free of its agricultural duties, this turquoise truck is ready to serve a new master however it is asked. Does owning a workhorse like this F-2 appeal to you?
The truck you see is part of the first generation of Ford’s famous F-Series trucks. After the war, one of the company’s priorities was to design an almost all-new truck that would be easier and more comfortable to drive. As evidence of their intentions, Ford bragged that they spent $1,000,000 on designing the cab alone, which would be shared across all of its truck variants (with changes made for cabover models). Ford denoted the capacity of their trucks using a range of F-1 to F-8. An F-1 badge was placed on a 1/2-ton capacity truck. This truck, an F-2, is a 3/4-ton truck. At the top of the range is the F-8, which was called a “Big Job” pickup with a gross vehicle weight rating of 20-22,000 pounds.
As a whole, this truck was likely a recipient of a repaint a few decades ago. The turquoise color extends incorrectly to the engine block and the sheet metal in the bed in place of the factory wood slats. Damage from the elements has flattened out and lightened the exterior finish in comparison to the color of the paint inside the cab. The good news is that many like the weathered look when it comes to a truck like this. That is especially true when the interior is clean and well-kept.
Looking inside we see that the truck has recently benefitted from a new seat covering and is equipped with a heater. We are also told that the wiring harness has been replaced and that the new one is an original-style harness rather than one of the modern replacements we too often see. All of the gauges and lights are said to work as they should. The brakes have also been gone through and new wheel cylinders, brake shoes, lines, and a new master cylinder were installed. The seller has also installed a more modern set of 16″ rims. No mention is made of the status or location of the original rims. The tires look to be radials instead of the bias ply type that was in use at the time this truck rolled off the assembly line.
The seller tells us that this truck is equipped with a stock Mercury Flathead V-8 and a four-speed manual transmission. From the factory, an F-2 should have either a 226 cubic inch inline-six or a 239 cubic inch Flathead V-8. While a lot of bugs had been worked out of the Flathead V-8 by this time, Ford’s inline-six was a very well-designed engine capable of lasting for a long while and delivering a lot of low-end torque. Regardless, it is backed up by a four-speed manual transmission that surely has a very low first gear. The seller tells us that the truck runs and drives very well.
Good, solid trucks from the fifties are hard to find. This 1952 Ford F2 for sale on eBay in Stoughton, Wisconsin is a good-looking former apple orchard truck in an unusual shade of turquoise. This truck is advertised to run and drive well, and bidding is currently at $7,100.
Looks like the APPLE of someone’s eye, even a peeling 🙄. Hope it finds a good home
@RICK- I must say you certainly got to the CORE of the issue.
Puns like those from you two guys will never stem the bushels of laughs to follow.
GEE TANKS! What a GAS. Perhaps this is the truck that once picked up the Apple 🍎 Sisters, Cory and C. D. who were stranded CORE US girls!
Rick, that was APPLING!
Now everyone’s worming their way into the comments.
Everyone finds this a peeling, and want to get to the CORE. Except perhaps a Wine Sap! 😉
Great looking truck. One note: the 1952 six was the first year for the overhead valve six. My F-6 COE came with that from the factory, but prior to my ownership, the SD farmer had replaced it with the V8 flathead.( Probably told the spouse the crop needs to come in, your car will donate!! ). In 1952, the F-8 (maybe F-7 also ) came with the overhead Lincoln motor, a 5 speed, and a 12 volt system.
This F-2 will be a good project at presently a reasonable price.
I think the Mercury flat head was a 255 CI – this truck is cool and likeable. It’s at a dealer so I would guess the reserve is over 10k.
Nice. May it find a home where it can get exercised.
Matthew, maybe a home amongst the apple trees, with lots of plums trees,
A sheep or two, a k,kangaroo, a clothes line out the back,…..
And a Partridge in the Peàr Tree! Can’t help worming my way in to the CORE !
F8 Big Job is not a pickup.
Cool truck!
Probably one of the best designed Ford trucks of the era. Is that color apple green?
I told ya the reserve would be over 10k.
I had a 53 F-100 until a few years ago. The correct engine color is close to the color the truck was painted. It is a blue – green, known as Ford green, used both on truck engines and Mercury car engines. Some of the earlier F-1’s F-2’s were painted red while the 49 car engines were painted a medium blue and later cars sort of a bronze color, and I think some were red too. When I repainted the engine on the 53 truck, about 10 years ago, Duplicolor spray cans were available in that Ford green.