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Wheat Truck: 1967 Ford F600

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This 1967 Ford F600 here on eBay is about as emblematic of the Midwest as you can get: farm lifestyle, wheat harvesting, hard-working and true-blue American made. That’s not to say Middle America is just about farming; no, it’s simply that the core elements of what made this country great can be captured in an honest workhorse like this Ford F600, a former wheat truck that’s located in Kansas and looking for its next adventure. 

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My first thought is what a handsome rig this is. There’s not been much made since that looks as good as this F600, even with its rudimentary bed design that was likely conceived in the barn that sits behind it in the eBay photos. The imposing grill and generous fender flares combine to give this truck a downright intimidating appearance, but it’s also clear the original designers took care to avoid making it a boring brick of a work truck. The seller claims it’s been stored indoors for most of its life, which seems legitimate given the paint still looks healthy.

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This “Custom Cab” model would have been slightly more upscale than the base trim offerings, but I’m not sure luxury was on the menu in any form. Equipped with Ford’s 390 engine, this F600 has enough power to make quick work of farm duties ranging from hauling the annual harvest to more ordinary chores like moving dirt back and forth, as it’s been used for recently. The seller says the truck will come with proper metal sideboards in addition to the short wood panels currently installed.

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This F600 must be entertaining to drive with a 255 b.h.p. V8 and manual transmission combo; then again, this truck hails from an era when a stick shift commercial vehicle was more the norm than the exception. The seller is looking for an opening bid of $4,000 and there’s no reserve. For a vintage workhorse that still has plenty of practical years left to give, this seems like a fair opening bid to me. And if your plans are to restore it into a showpiece, then a dry Midwest truck seems like a perfect platform to build from.

Comments

  1. Avatar Wayne Thomas

    Needs more Ford V10 swap.

    Like 0
  2. Avatar RichS

    That’d make a pretty nice car hauler.

    Like 1
  3. Avatar L.M.K.

    Nice write up for a worthy truck……

    I think it’ll be gone during this liting period…..

    Like 0
  4. Avatar JW

    I used to work for a CO/OP during harvest for extra car cash, well I purchased a 1980 Ford pickup from them for $500 that needed a starter. The only way they would sell me the pickup was if I took their grain truck also ( 68 GMC ) but for free, body was nice and solid as farmers & co/ops usually always keep their machinery in a pole building. I soon figured out why they offered it for free, they were too cheap to fix the radiator correctly and over heated it often so the heads were toast. I was going to make a tilt bed car hauler but it would have got costly with the motor work. I sold it for $100 to my local salvage yard and fixed the starter on the pickup and sold it for $800.

    Like 0
  5. Avatar boxdin

    This would be a N600. Custom Cab had a white steering wheel, chrome trim around windows etc, usually a larger back window, deluxe gauges, pass visor and more.

    Like 2
  6. HoA Howard A Member

    boxdin is right, this is the “N” series, ’63-’69. I believe, unless changed, it has the 330, 361, or 391 V-8. ( Super duty had the 401, 477, or 534) These were the “cab- forward” versions of the “H” model, or “2 story Falcon” cab-over trucks, which were the 1st trucks from Ford to have a diesel. ( Ford was the lone holdout to offer diesel’s in their trucks) Not near as popular as the “C” series cabover, not many were sold. There’s quite a following for these rare trucks, and this is a great example. The drivers step area is intact, the 1st place for these to go. Great find.

    Like 0
    • Avatar geomechs Member

      Hi Howard. We called the H series ‘2-Storey Edsels.’ The 2-Storey Falcon is a good one as well. Ford actually experimented with a diesel motor in the late 50s/early 60s. Henry had the Dorset plant make up a bunch of 6 cyl. engines and ship them over. The intention was medium duty delivery trucks. I don’t know why the pin got pulled. Maybe it was because it couldn’t pull a limp ‘noodle’ out of a pail of lard. Interesting enough, the 6.6/7.8 engine that Ford used 30 years later was based on the Parent Bore design.

      Like 0
  7. Avatar CoventryCat

    My favorite truck as a kid.

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  8. Avatar Eric Dashman

    I don’t why, but I love the look of this truck. It looks to be in exceptionally sound condition for its age. Not sure what its value should be, but $4K doesn’t sound like a lot. Is that a 4 speed with a hi-lo rear end?

    Like 0
    • HoA Howard A Member

      Hi Eric, the red button on the shift lever indicates an electric 2 speed rear axle. Could be a 5 speed main.

      Like 0
  9. Avatar geomechs Member

    I’ll never be able to figure out why the N-series lacked in popularity while the Louisville line that replaced it was a big hit.

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    • Avatar boxdin

      N series had smaller cab w less glass area, the Louisville was really a good looking truck too w a much larger cab.

      Like 0
      • Avatar geomechs Member

        Yes, definitely much improved over the N-series. Still like this one though…

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      • Avatar Dale Powell

        And that Tilt hood on the Louisville was a huge advance !! It sold me , I got my co. to buy 6 of them !

        Like 0
  10. Avatar Chebby

    Great face on this truck. It looks kinda stern and grouchy.

    Like 0
    • Avatar David

      Thanks for answering some questions I’ve had for many years. I had one in college and used it to haul sod. I remember that it was a small v8 and had a 4 speed with a two speed rear end. Hauled 4 skids with no problem, but when I’d try 6 it got pretty loose as I remember LOL. It ran great, and I bought it from my sod supplier, so I knew it had hauled many a skid in its day.
      Thanks for the pictures and for those knowledgeable posters who answered many old questions.

      Like 0
  11. Avatar doc

    Never had much use for a big ole truck but if I did, heck, looks like this one would do the job, I reckon.

    Like 0
  12. Avatar stillrunners

    like these and you don’t see them that often…..

    Like 0
  13. Avatar boxdin

    As I recall, the N series as well as Dodges of that era had the front fenders on hinges so they could swing out of the way for service. Not as good access as a tilt cab but much better than stationary.

    Like 0
  14. Avatar Fred kemmerer

    Just picked one of these a couple weeks ago…38,000 Miles tilt bed 1965 …5 speed with 2 speed rear. I’m 44 and my dad had one of these as a tilt back car hauler in 1968… one of the first in our area or Pennsylvania

    Like 0
  15. Avatar Pol

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