Woah! Imagine the size of the box this sumptuous Christmas present was wrapped in! It’s amazing how adding a dab of chrome, whitewalls and metallic red paint on what was meant as a work vehicle turns said vehicle into a life-size toy.
This may just be me, but don’t the 1953-56 Ford trucks, more so than their rivals on the American market, have a toy-like appearance? That rounded nose, those bulging fenders… This one just takes it to its logical conclusion.
I’m not ordinarily a fan of modded cars, as some of you may know. Most of the non-JDM ones I find are Detroiters, especially Chevrolets. I did catch a ’56 Ford F-100 (with a panel van body), but it was too far gone for my taste. This ’55 pickup is way too low, but that’s the only thing I find objectionable.
In part, of course, this is also due to my not being well acquainted with these trucks. The “Fordomatic” script on the front end looks awesome, but is it supposed to even be there? I have questions. Doubts, even.
When new, here’s what our little red wonder might have looked like. Even still, such a cute little ute.
Even from the business end, those cheek-like fenders give it a bouncy attitude. And if the license plate is any hint, this one is packing enough displacement under the hood to be rather entertaining to drive, too.
The interior is pretty much in keeping with the exterior – restomodded, albeit with a lot of “authentic ‘50s” look left within. The Hot Wheels script on the dash really ties the whole cabin together (more so than that gray upholstery and carpets, anyway).
That steering wheel came from a 1961 Chevy, I believe. Completely foreign to this F-100, but a darn sight better-looking than some anonymous thick-rimmed faux Momo so many of these have. Might also hint that the 427 in this truck is a Chevy rather than a Ford engine?…
Doesn’t matter anyway. The point of this machine is to be a truckload of fun, not a paragon of originality.
And it worked a charm. Unlike most restomods, where I take a couple of snaps while holding my breath and grimacing, I was smiling as I took my time photographing this one. Seventy-year-old toys will do that.
Related posts:
Curbside Capsule: 1955 Ford F-100 – Paging Fred Sanford, by Joseph Dennis
CC Capsule: 1956 Ford F-100 Panel Truck – Feeling Kinda Low, Are We?, by T87
I love it–low stance and all! The `56 Olds 88 wheel covers work well with the overall theme. Why wasn’t this under the XMas tree when I was a kid?! LOL
Guy I worked with had one, at the time it was a 20 year old truck, he always refered to it as ‘ol fat fenders.
Just lovely,
Never noticed one with the Fordomatic badge up front, but the one in the publicity B&W shot has an Overdrive script there, so I’d say it’s plausible.
Nice ;
I remember when these were just $250 ~ $500 work trucks, even when in VGC .
-Nate
Ford trucks of this vintage were tremendously popular back in the 1970’s when the whole Truckin’ scene took off. One of my older cousins had one in yellow primer. The popularity of these trucks hasn’t diminished that much over the years, though I don’t see that many at events anymore. The truck might be sitting on air bags, it might as well sit low, you know that it’s days of making dump runs ended a long time ago!
This says it all.