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Red, White And Nice All Over: 1958 Ford F-100

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This 1958 Ford F-100 “short box” pickup really caught my eye as an “honest” vehicle. The advertisement gives me the same impression, with the bad highlighted just as much as the good. Despite spending most of it’s life in New Mexico, it’s currently located in Norfolk, Virginia and is for sale here on eBay. Bidding is starting at 99 cents, so what have you got to lose?

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I’m not sure just what it is that I like so much about this truck. Maybe it’s the car-like grille, and the more modern lines of the 58 versus the older F-1’s and F-100’s? Maybe it’s the great red and white color scheme? I know I like the fact that not only is it straight, but apart from some relatively minor rust in the bed, the truck really looks like there’s nothing much to fix body-wise. This, of course, assumes you are going to use it as a truck, not as an immaculate showpiece! This here’s a truck!

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The seller has thoughtfully included pictures of the well-used bed, as well as the front edge where rust has been quasi-repaired with a piece of angle iron and the rust through towards the side where no repair has been made at all. Having a truck bed that looks like it’s been used doesn’t bother me at all, but I would try to properly repair the rust-through and see what I could do to improve the “repair” at the front of the bed.

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The inside to me is a pleasant surprise, with a decent red seat and nothing too terrible. I love that it’s a manual four-speed, and look at that giant shifter! You must have to move it a foot or more to go from gear to gear! Nothing here I’d change at all!

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With a 272 V8 that runs great, recent brake and clutch hydraulic work, and it driving nicely, I think that’s exactly what I’d do–drive it! How about you? Have you got a home for this truck?

Comments

  1. HoA Howard A Member

    I had a Tonka truck just like this when I was a kid. ( it got squashed by a passing car as I sent it flying down our driveway) One of my favorite styles, as well. The 272 was a good motor,,, for the time, but may not be best suited for today’s travel. I was wondering what that is next to the radiator, looks like a horn. Neat truck. Check those front cab mounts, ( although, the recessed foot step looks intact) a bad spot for these. Cool find.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Jason Houston

      The 272 was just a smaller-bored 292, and is still as capable as anything today, if not more so.

      Like 0
    • Avatar Willbilly

      I have a 1957 F-100 with a 272. It does have a four-barrel, but that’s the only divergence from stock. It’s surprisingly peppy…I backed it up with a T-5, and it actually cruises the highway at a good clip too.

      Like 0
  2. Avatar JW

    Nice old Ford truck, in super nice condition, the only thing I would change is the single bowl master cylinder to a more safe dual bowl. Otherwise I woud drive as is.

    Like 0
    • Avatar cyclemikey

      Nah. Put in a nice new brake master cylinder of the correct original type, then go through the emergency brake to make sure it’s in good operating condition. That’s it, you’re done. There’s no need to hack up a nice original truck like this.

      Love the angle iron in the bed. Love the whole truck, actually. Good thing it’s on the wrong coast, and I don’t have any more room anyway.

      Like 0
  3. Avatar RON

    Fords old trucks were tough and no doubt the y blocks were some of the toughest engines they ever mad. But I drove a lot of these old trucks and pick ups as delivery trucks as a kid growing up as afternoon jobs and with the exception of dodge they were the roughest, most uncomfortable and worst steering vehicles made.The early 60’s twin I-Beam was supposed a wonderful invention and I hated driving them the most. They were like driving a straight pipe axle drag vehicle To me Ford never made a comfortable good riding driving and handling truck until the 90’s. and I still refer anything GM makes

    Like 0
    • Avatar Ed P

      I drove a ’68 F350 with twin I Beams. It did steer stiff and heavy. Good thing it had a huge steering wheel. My company bought F350’s again in ’72-’73. They still had the twin I beams but the steering wheel was smaller and much easier to drive.

      Like 0
  4. Avatar Jim

    Nice truck, out of my price range.

    Like 0
  5. Avatar Luki

    Jim?
    You have a low end on your price range?

    Like 0
  6. Avatar geomechs

    Like Howard said up there a few spaces: Tonka trucks of days gone by were based on this body style, or very close to it. I had a couple of Tonkas back when I was a kid and wish I still had them.

    Nice truck. While I prefer the ’57 or ’60, I still wouldn’t kick this one out of my garage. It would be a driver for a while but eventually be restored to a nice-looking driver. I don’t care for all show and no go…

    Like 0
  7. Avatar MountainMan

    Nice old truck, I would like to have it and use it for all truck needed duties. I really dont see anything that I would make changes to, just maintain and enjoy

    Like 0
  8. Avatar Elbert999

    I have never seen a data plate with the word warranty misspelled. Strange.

    Like 0
  9. Avatar Jason Houston

    Neither have I. That means only one thing: it’s a counterfeit, probably from Mexico or South America.

    Like 0
  10. Avatar ydnar

    Just went over 4K, more than I’d pay. I do not like the tiny grill, too much blank space between it and the bumper.

    3 hours to go.

    Like 0
  11. Avatar ydnar

    Did these old truck really have a hydraulic clutch? The misspelled label is a huge red flag.

    Like 0
    • Avatar Jason Houston

      F-100s don’t have hydraulic clutches but the larger series do.

      WARNING TO THE WISE! There’s a reason someone changed the VIN plate. These were mounted on the inside of the glove box door, and were rarely vulnerable to being damaged, repainted, etc. The phony VIN plate is a red flag that any potential buyer needs to verify the secondary VIN. It’s located on the right front frame rail, between the axel and the radiator.

      Like 0
      • Avatar ydnar

        That’s what I was thinking about the clutch, the seller said he’s done a bunch of these, and this one has a new clutch master and slave cylinder.

        Maybe the barnfinders should vet these listings before showing them to us, preventing a potential nightmare for a buyer.

        Like 0
      • Avatar Jamie Staff

        Randy, we can hardly be experts on all types of vehicles, now can we? :-) Of course, if you’d like to pay my airfare and expenses I’ll be happy to check out anything you’d like in person!

        Like 0
      • Avatar ydnar

        That is exactly why I suggested that you specialize when you open your “Barnfinds” garage. The misspelled warranty tag should have
        axed this one though.

        Let me check my CC balance, I’ll go with you!

        Like 0
      • Avatar Jamie Staff

        Sounds like fun! BTW, I don’t think the tag would have stopped me from writing it up, but I sure would have pointed it out if I had noticed it!

        Like 0
      • Avatar ydnar

        No problem, I’m just being stinky. (My natural state, BTW)

        My credit cards have all been cancelled “due to lack of interest”!!

        Like 0
      • Avatar Jamie Staff

        Hmm…interest-free credit card? Now there’s a dangerous thought. Seriously, thanks for keeping us on our toes and providing entertainment for me tonight. I’m up late due to a business call that will begin in 5 minutes (the real job) and enjoyed the conversation :-)

        Like 0
      • Avatar OttoNobedder

        Originally these had a matching tag on the drivers’ door . Obviously, doors get changed over the decades, but the word “Warrenty” also appears in this tag on a similar truck.
        http://www.2040-cars.com/Ford/F-100/original-ca-survivor-flareside-wood-bed-6-cyl-4-speed-n-r-no-reserve–1130337/

        If tag was switched, at least he used the correct rivets(available on eBay)

        Like 0
  12. Avatar Jason Houston

    Boy, you sure got my vote on that. I’d like to see all the really hopelessly modified trash (like that annihilated white 1941 Dodge truck) flushed down the sewer.

    Like 0
  13. Avatar Mac

    My first vehicle in 1971, looked quite like it. But it had automatic transmission, and allegedly an extra short wheel base. When Aamco of 1972 went to do the transmission, it took 2 months instead of the usual next day service. They claimed that only 200 were made, and they had to manufacture parts to rebuild that transmission. I think they often had a spare of each in those days, and just swapped them out. Then rebuild the next. But it didn’t seem possible for them to find another. That truck was like the old Timex. Took a licking and kept on ticking. I went to boot camp when I turned 17 in 73, and when I returned, my dad had cleared the yard of both it,and the 62 Imperial.

    Like 0

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