1949 Ford F1 – flathead Ford V8 – 4 SPD Manual – Fresh Wood Slat Cargo Floor

Vehicle Location: GRAND RAPIDS, MI 49548
Auction Type: Reserve
Mileage: 91503
Engine: Flathead Ford V8
Transmission: 4 Speed Manual
Exterior: Patina
Interior: Tan
VIN: 189220
Party: Dealer

– Flathead V8
– 4 Speed Manual Transmission
– 91k Miles Shown
– Patina Over Tan Interior

“1948 marked the beginning of Ford’s ‘F-Series’ trucks that today represent the largest share of the American pickup-truck market.” Internal Ford history document

The 1948 model Ford pickup represented a major leap in Ford’s truck development following World War II, and the design would continue in the 1949 models. The company’s “Bonus Built” trucks, as they were marketed, were completely different from the car-based trucks they replaced. Improvements were made across-the-board. All-new front sheet metal featured integrated headlights, a one-piece windshield which increased visibility, and wider, longer, and taller cabs. Increased interior dimensions started with a seven-inch stretch in cab width. Door hinges were positioned three inches farther forward for easier cab entry. The steering wheel was more horizontal and mounted closer to the driver, and a three-person bench seat moved back and forward on roller bearings. To help isolate frame flex, rubber mounts were used between cab and frame. The 1949 model featured a 6-1/2 foot cargo box with 45-cubic-feet of load space. Many truck historians rate these trucks as among Ford’s most iconic automotive designs. That helps explain why a somewhat stylized version of this era Ford truck had a role in the Disney movie, “Cars.”

Offered here is a 1949 F1 Ford pickup truck, a “patina-enhanced” truck currently showing 91,503 miles on its odometer. The exterior brown paint appears to show its age with generalized light surface rust, overall general dull-appearing, compromised finish, and light damage (as on the front bumper). But these “special effects” were all added. The result is a “very-well-used” faux-vintage presentation. Body sheet metal has minor dents and other imperfections in a number of places (notably on the right-front fender). Chrome surfaces—the headlight trim, F-O-R-D letters above the grille, trim on the front and sides of the hood, door handles, and taillights– also show patina from age and use. (To best assess the quality of the paint and trim finishes, be sure to view the close-up photographs of the car in the accompanying gallery.)

The formerly chrome 5-slat front grille slats now wears the brown, aged look. The truck’s exterior badging is correctly located, but the embossed Ford script logo originally present on the tailgate is missing because that center panel has been cut from the tailgate, as if to allow the truck to carry long pipes, lumber, or electrical conduit. Blackwall tires are mounted on white-painted steel wheels with “baby moon” chrome hubcaps.

The cargo box features a freshly installed wood-slat floor with new metal rub strips. Cargo-box walls, however, show more evidence of use similar to the exterior body-panel treatments. “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” so the truck’s overall appearance will strike some as simply “trashed,” while it will be absolutely captivating (and a refreshing departure from over-restored old trucks) for others.

Inside the cab, metal finishes on the doors, dashboard, and elsewhere show distressed finishes similar to the truck’s exterior, but in red rather than brown in color. The interior color makes it appear as if the truck had once been red (as many of these F1 trucks actually were) and only the exterior had been repainted. The bench seat, however, has been fully upgraded for more comfort, with fresh, tan upholstery.

Chrome dash trim—specifically the bespoke instrument-surrounding trim and the center-dash, Ford-branded trim–remains well-maintained in appearance. Behind the stock, unrestored steering wheel, the art-deco-design gauge cluster offers the driver straightforward information on fuel level, oil pressure, coolant temperature, and battery charging. The large, round speedometer is offset to the left side of the display. The stick shift lever for the truck’s 4-speed manual transmission is floor-mounted.

Under the hood, the same “distressed red” look is present on steel-body surfaces, further conveying the “this was re-painted” theme. The flathead Ford V8, however, is perfectly reconditioned with Ford-blue engine-block paint, twin, chrome coolant tubes, new alternator, and black-finish air cleaner. Viewed from below, the chassis is straight, complete, and undamaged. The very clean lower surface of the engine is an obvious visual focal point. Light surface rust is present on most untreated metal perfectly in keeping with the overall vibe of the truck.

A replacement identification tag is riveted in place.

The overall look and aesthetic of this Ford F1 will not appeal to everyone, and that’s part of the truck’s overall appeal. Those who “get it” will delight in the Trompe-l’œil (French for “deceive the eye”) effect. And they’ll enjoy the fact that some others don’t “get it.” We count ourselves among those smiling at this bit of real automotive art.