Man, there’s a bunch of things goin’ on here! While this 1969 Ford F-100 has undergone significant modifications and updates, its original form alone still makes it one of today’s most popular collectible pickups. Yeah, it has that whole patina thing going on, and I gather many aren’t down with that, but no worries, that’s just a small part of this truck’s identity. Cibolo, Texas, is where this Ford hangs its ten-gallon hat, and it’s available here on eBay for a BIN price of $40,000, OBO.
Ford had a bang-up year in ’69, selling 343K F-100 pickups – and that’s just the half-ton variety, not including the F-250 or F-350 versions. Two different models were offered, the “Styleside” (our subject) and the “Flareside”. As for lengths, Stylesides were offered with six-and-a-half-foot length cargo boxes (115-inch wheelbase) or an eight-foot box (131″ wheelbase). The hot ticket today seems to be the shorter cargo box, but no worries, there’s a cottage industry involved in shortening the longer trucks into the preferred short-box model, and that’s exactly the case here. The seller states, “This truck began life as a nice two-owner long bed. Most the sheetmetal was blasted clean, to make room for the boxwood patina paint work. Frame was shortened and Tig-welded to convert from long to short bed. Bed is an uncut shortbed we had from previous build.” The metal work necessary to shorten the frame and adapt the cargo bed is impressively done; numerous underside listing images are worth reviewing. If you think this truck’s stance has been altered, you are correct as the seller adds, “DJM lowering beams and axle flip got this farm trucks stance on point.” Back to that patina business, the seller tells us, “Most the sheetmetal was blasted clean, to make room for the boxwood patina paint work.” Clearly, the look is intentional and I’ll leave it at that.
Just as old Ford passenger cars such as ’32 coupes, for example, end up Chevrolet-powered, the trend continues with, wait for it… “Put an LS in it,” as so many commenters on this site recommend when engine swaps are considered. In this case, a GM 5.3-litre V8, attached to a Hydramatic 4L60, four-speed automatic transmission, are now providing the motivational force for this Ford. The listing does not elaborate on the running or driving attributes of this F-100, but does mention the switch to front disc brakes; that should help when it’s time to put out the anchor.
The interior is a mix of old and new. It has maintained its stock bearing but features, “nostalgia air ac, refinished seat, new vintage gauge cluster, modern wiring…” The simplicity of it is perfect; it’s a very clean and uncluttered environment, and even the original Ford column-mounted gear selector is still in use!
I really appreciate the fabrication work that has gone into this truck. As for the engine swap, it’s hard to deny the flexibility of GM’s LS series engines – I couldn’t care less about the GM-Ford rivalry though I’m sure it will wrankle some. If you’d like to see more, here’s a thorough video of this truck sitting and moving, with a full explanation of all that has transpired. I give this one two thumbs up; how about you?
Ford make a lot of great engines, I’m not a fan of Chevy engines in a Ford.
When is the last time you found a Ford engine in a Camaro ?
There’s a reason Chevy engines are put in everything, they’re plentiful so relatively inexpensive to acquire, they’re cheaper to build up and they’re reliable…
You said it. They’re cheap…
Why on earth would you put a LS in a Ford truck and make it unreliable? Keep it Ford so you don’t need a tow truck on speed dial
From what I understand, in the old days Fords were geared high at the rear end and Chevy motors turned faster than Ford engines, so it was a good swap..talking ’30s and ’40s here.I don’t know about this truck though..it was done because..customizers gotta customize!
i would rather have the way it was before it was butchered up and to add insult to injury put an L/S motor in it. really? how about a coyote motor?
Regular cab long bed pickup is the way it was, and we liked it!
Yuck, there I said it.
Not a fan of the faux patina either. But nice truck anyway.
Look how nice the fresh (and un-“massaged”) Boxwood Green paint looks on the rear of the cab….
I like this truck, and even the fact it has Chevy power…but definitely not enough to fork over $40k for it. And since it’s converted to Chevy power, why didn’t the seller go whole hog and put a Godzilla motor in it? There’s plenty of room and those trucks could be ordered with a 360 or 390 Ford big block.
I’m surprised they didn’t use a Crown Vic front crossmember, it’s pretty much a bolt in, comes with rack and pinion and better brakes and a modern suspension. A buddy did that conversion in his driveway, I don’t think it needs any welding. This truck has the reel that it was put together largely using parts they had lying around the shop to save money, it’s not what you’d typically do on a clean sheet of paper scratch build. The trend of fake patina is growing old and won’t age well. The short bed F100’s are popular, especially modified, this is expensive at $40,000 and will likely have a hard time finding a buyer unless this shop already has built a good reputation.
Steve R
I really don’t understand the fake patina thing. Nor do I understand the sheet metal blasted clean but the frame, and undercarriage, left crusty/rusty.
Well, hell, might just as well throw in the other things I don’t understand:
Dual exhaust going into one pipe AND exiting under the bed…
Small block Chevy vs small block Ford…
Butt welding the frame and adding a small patch…
Did I mention fake patina???
If you’ve checked the cost of a decent paint job recently, then it’s easy to understand why so many are going the patina route. I have a car in the shop right now and it required minimal bodywork, the paint job is going to be $15k plus…
When I retire I buy a 40 Chevy couoe and “drop” a Coyote in it. Touche!
40K is a lot of money for a truck that needs an engine, transmission, paint, suspension work, and is only a shortbed.
Nothing beats the original “NOS” patina commonly referred to as rust. Why create something that looks like it needs restoring? As much work to make it like “old” as it is to make it like “new”. And about the Chevy power thing–come on guys, get over it. Accept that a Chevy should be Chev and a Ford should be Ford. It has been 70+ years since the small block 265 was intro’d, give up the grudge about the worn out flattie that waxed your tail in the 1/4 mile. That 6 banger in your 46 Chev just couldn’t catch up. Sorry
The Clearcoat they put on this just looks phoney,
& I agree about the fake patina that was added.
Just recently bought a 69 f250 camper special flareside bed with 68 thousand miles on the original 390 motor with the 4 speed manual and posi trac rear end for 25 hundred bucks. It’s chome yellow and the paint shines like it’s brand new!
I’m 72 and have gone through a lot of vehicles over the years, some of which I really miss and many that I don’t. One that I do miss is a 67 F100 short-box Styleside powered by the tiny 289 with 3-on-the-tree. I can honestly say that it was a fun ride except when I got a little aggressive with the shifter and got the extra-loose linkage hung up between gears. I paid about $400 for it and sold it for about the same. I can do a lot with 40k that wouldn’t be the truck in this listing. My world just ain’t the same anymore.
Could use a few south Texas summers outside to authenticate the patina. Dusty roads with the windows down might help, too. Like the grill, though.
I’ll give him $7000, if he pulls the engine and trans.
Why do all that paint work and disregard the underside . A solid green all over and restore underside would bring 40k..
What a waste of a good LS engine.
Totally agree Tony! The only reason sidewalks were developed was to ensure Ford drivers could get home easier!
Shoot for the moon. Offer much less. Did I see a rusty frame?