After its Model T was introduced to the public in 1908, Ford wasted no time in taking that design and adapting it into what is now commonly known as the modern-day “pickup truck”. With a one-ton chassis, the first Ford pickup (also known as the “Model TT”) went on sale in July of 1917. Over the next 20 years, Ford continued to modernize and make significant improvements to its pickups, and in 1938 introduced the first-ever truck in the industry with a conventional front-opening hood. If you’re looking for a nostalgic truck project to take on, this 1938 Ford 1/2 ton just might be for you. Located in Adel, Iowa, it can be found here on eBay with a current bid of $2,850 and a little less than 2 days to go.
The current owner tells us that he acquired this truck in 1969 and that it sat outside for over 20 years before being moved to a storage building in the mid-1990s. Prior to 1969, the previous owner took off a leaking gas tank and put a small metal gas can under the hood to draw fuel from when he drove it. I’m not sure this was a very safe solution, but I am thankful it didn’t explode and that he’s OK! The good news is that the truck appears to have never been apart, and is mostly all there. The bad news is that it’s far from being drivable as-is.
Judging from the photos, the body does appear to be nearly complete, although we’re told that both of the doors are jammed and won’t open. The seller says he removed the back fenders from the truck way back in 1969, but still has them and they are included. The truck has wheels and hubcaps, but the tires have been cut off, as they were hard and flat. The back window is broken out, and the back fender on the driver’s side is broken where it was improperly repaired with an arc welder. The motor appears to be almost all there, although with no oil filler cap there’s no telling what may have ended up inside there over the years. It’s probably safe to assume that the engine needs a complete overhaul.
Quite a bit of work needs to be done to get this truck back on the road again, but considering that it’s mostly complete, to begin with, is a huge plus, and when restored the 38‘s are really stunning with that massive oval-shaped grille. The seller also states that the truck has a good updated title, which is always a great thing. If the bidding stays near the current level, this could end up being a real bargain for the right buyer. Do you think this would be a worthwhile project to take on? Do you see the potential for a really sharp truck at the end of the day, or is this one best left to stay in storage for decades longer?
You forgot to mention, half the flathead V8 is missing too!
Ended:Apr 26, 2021 , 7:00AM
Winning bid:
US $8,000.00
[ 47 bids ]
There seems to be a disconnect between my valuation of some vehicles and that of others.
Eight grand for this field hulk is just nuts.
This is a Ford truck I really want but when you look at what it needs and what it would cost to properly restore the price is a bit insane.
Seems like a reasonable project for the cost. Looks like the sheet metal is in decent shape and mostly complete. Motor is toast and you could go a hundred different directions on that. Street rod, resto mod, original. The flathead is cool, but not a monster.
Damn! Missed this one altogether. I’ve always wanted a ’38 Ford pickup; the ’38 was the first truck I could recognize out of a blizzard, even tell it apart from a ’39 at a glance. I might well have gone after this one but it was obviously a short listing because I just got wind of it. I snooze, I lose. If something like this would come my way it would be a bone-stock driver-quality restoration. Possibly a 21 stud engine which was mostly a carryover from the ’37 models with the exception that the 81A ran to 14mm plugs. In the latter part of the year’s run they started running a 24 stud engine as well.
I have one for sale right now just about the same condition.
@Jewels – please consider listing it right here on Barn Finds!
One of these were my first car project at 15yo.(1972) Bought it for $150.00 running but only in reverse, (tranny was shot), drove it home 2 blocks in reverse, ( the crazy things you do when you were a teenager), my uncle helped me rebuild the trans. I did everything else just by reading the repair manuals, all new brakes, (hydraulic), kingpins, tune up, master cylinder, glass replacement, primered the whole thing with red primer, scraped and painted the frame too, had the original flathead in it, was missing the bench seat so I put Mustang bucket seats in it, new 16 inch tires, went to Hershey car meet to look for parts, kept it for a few years and sold it for $2000. (almost had that much in it). Those were the good old inexpensive days!
I love these trucks, but it requires more than I could possibly give it.
God bless America
I think that is the water outlet for the right cylinder head as the oil filler is on top of the fuel pump extension in the center of the inlet manifold behind the carburettor