There are too many things in life that are frustrating because of a lack of context. You can fill in your own blanks, but I’m reminded of a Peanuts cartoon strip where Snoopy takes a phone call, laughs, hangs up, and walks away, leaving a befuddled Charlie Brown to yell impotently, “I’ll never know what that was about!” Hyperpak has left a series of pictures in the Cohort that leave me feeling as befuddled as everyone’s favorite animated sad sack in the face of his wonder dog. It’s a ’59 Ford F-250, that much is clear, but what isn’t so obvious is the owner’s purpose in adding an array of aftermarket lights, reflectors, electronics, and even horns. Are they an ex-trucker? A lover of accessories? Both? Regardless, perhaps you can spot a couple things I miss, and we can all speculate together; sometimes it helps to talk through one’s exasperation.
Clearly, the good Hyperpack was thinking the same thing I was. In this picture alone, I can spot the following: a spotlight, a mirror reflector, a necker’s knob, air horns, and roof lights. Just off screen is an alligator hood ornament (or is it a crocodile?).
Inside, there are a few controllers and doo-dads that leave me uncomfortably out of my element, including two knobs/receptacles underneath the Motorola AM radio, a device with a lever protruding from the front atop the steering column (behind the vintage tachometer, perhaps a trailer brake controller?), and something attached to the kick panel on the driver’s side. At least I can identify the accessory gauges to the right of the steering column. We can also see that this F-250 has a manual transmission, as most trucks did in 1959; buyers could choose from a three-speed, an “MD” three-speed (medium-duty), or a four speed, in addition to the Cruise-O-Matic. This one appears to have a four-speed, considering that the shifter is on the floor rather than on the column, which was the customary location for a three speed and is pictured in the brochure. This 1959 F-250 that sold on Bring a Trailer in 2022 has a four-speed manual on the floor as well.
Only two engines were available in the F-250: the 139-horsepower 223 six or this 186-horsepower 292 Y-Block V8. The air cleaner may be from a ’60 Ford truck, because the 292 was downrated to 172 horsepower for that model year, and that’s what the air cleaner tells us. Someone has obviously painted the engine Ford Blue, or some close facsimile, and there’s a painted aluminum radiator up front, and there’s nothing wrong with that. The brochure pictures show a Holley two-barrel carburetor, but someone has transplanted an anvil-reliable Autolite 2100 on this 292, and it also has the mechanic’s favorite free tattoo maker, the unexplainable factory stock front-of-the-engine exhaust crossover. The brakes have been upgraded with a dual-circuit master cylinder with a power booster, which is clearly much safer than the truck’s original equipment but certainly takes up a lot of space. That’s OK, the battery tray is already in the way of the passenger side valve cover; Ford was always good at that kind of thing. Nothing like having to play “Operation” with the rocker cover so you can adjust the valves on a hot day.
All F-250s had an eight-foot box, regardless of whether a buyer chose a Styleside or a Flareside.
Our example is clearly a Flareside; the book tells us that there is actually quite a bit less cargo space, but Styleside trucks were still fairly new in 1959 and buying habits die hard.
The rear end of the truck isn’t much less interesting, with four red lights below the tailgate and two white lights under the brake signals.
Finally, let’s not forget about the lethal-looking rods sticking almost straight up from the front bumper; a guy’s got to know where the corners of his truck are at all times. Seriously, however, this is a nice example of a hardworking truck of the style that was used, abused, and discarded, and because of that, it’s always a treat to see one today.
Here are my hypotheses about the accessories:
- The owner has a sense of humor.
- The owner bought the truck this way and has grown to love accessories.
- The owner bought the truck because they love accessories.
- The owner loved accessories so much that they added them when they bought the truck.
Feel free to add some of your own. Thanks to Hyperpack for posting such a neat truck for us to ponder upon, and to the owner for giving us the best kind of conundrum, a fun one.
Related CC reading:
Curbside Classic: 1960 Ford F-250 Styleside – The Tonka Truck Truck
Why, I do believe that you’ve located Mr. J.C. Whitney’s truck.
It does seem that the driver at least sometimes rides with a toddler (or passenger under 3 feet tall, regardless of age). I’ll bet operating those air horns is a big hit. 🙂
J C Whitney is right. Hes missing Winky the cat.
Let us not forget that back bumper, surely custom fabricated, that could almost serve as a back porch.
The gob of accessories don’t bother me nearly as much as those hub caps. Given all of the Ford hub cap designs over the years, these are the most character-free of anything Ford ever offered.
The truck is carrying a West Virginia inspection sticker, lower corner drivers side windshield, need I say more?
This very well might have been the best truck at the show that day. I get tired of seeing all those gnarly, lifted, trying to be a read legal monster truck or slammed to the speed bumps Square Body GM Trucks. I found this lovely highly accessorized ’59 workhorse Ford refreshing.
Where are the dual mirror mounted CB antennas? Or maybe a rear bumper mounted ball/spring mounted super long whip?
Looks like a fire chiefs response vehicle. Tricked out but all useful in that line of work. Especially the tail end. Emergency vechiles really do need to be seen and heard when on the job.
And don’t forget the hubcaps from a late ’70’s dentside F-series.