1954 Ford F-100

For sale:  1954 Ford F100 pickup.  Nearly completed “restomod” restoration.  All mechanical work is done.  All paint work is done.  It's finished other than needing bumpers, interior finishes and final touches, and a few start-up bugs and other small parts which I've noted below.  It's actually usable as it sits, and the next owner has only simple work remaining to take it to show level.  I've taken it to this nearly complete stage, but my life situation is forcing me to sell before I'm able to finish the truck.  Similar trucks in a completed state are worth $30-35K so this is a chance for the right person to put in some weekends over the winter and have it 100% for spring. 

It started as a very clean California truck.  It came to Maine in the 90's but was never driven in Maine until this past summer. The frame is as close to perfect as you'll find.  The cab has new cab corners and door bottom patches installed by the previous owner about 30 years ago.  He started the project back in the 90's, but then the truck sat in his garage until I picked it up in 2017.

It has a Ford 9” rear end from a late ‘60's pickup.  It has a power steering box from a Toyota (a common conversion in these trucks), and the power steering pump is from an '86 Ford Country Squire (which was also the transmission donor).

The truck has an AOD transmission from a low-mileage '86 Ford Country Squire that my father drove for several months.  The transmission shifted perfectly smoothly and trouble-free so when he pulled the engine to use in another project I kept the transmission for this truck.  A new Lokar shifter with the correct installation kits has been installed.

The steering column (and current steering wheel) are from a GM vehicle (not sure what model).

It has been road tested for about 60 miles at this point.  It accelerates, steers, shifts and stops well.

Brand new parts include the following, and I have all the receipts and warranty information:

·        -Blueprint Engines 302 crate engine with HEI distributor, 4-barrel Holley carb with electric choke, and new fuel and water pumps

·        -Starter

·        -One-wire alternator

·        -Aluminum radiator and external overflow tank

·        -Electric fan

·        -Parking lights

·        -Emblems

·        -Forward-flip hood hinge kit

·        -Weatherstrip all around

·        -Door glass, handles, tracks, etc

·        -Complete bed with tailgate and stainless upgrade from Midwest Early Ford

·        -Fuel gauge and sender

·       -Temperature sender and gauge

·       -Aluminum fuel tank

·       -Gas shocks

·       -Tail light assemblies ('55 & ‘56 style) and third brake light

·       -Exhaust headers (ceramic coated), exhaust pipes and mufflers

·       -Power brake booster and pedal assembly(firewall-mounted) with proportioning valve

·       -12V wiring harness (a Painless Wiring kit - every bit of wiring is new, tested and installed by a professional)

·       -Dome light

·       -Mirrors

·       -3-point shoulder seatbelts (only the driver's is installed at this time, but the passenger belt is included)

·       -Wiper motor

·       -Horns (1 high tone, 1 low tone)

·       -Heater hoses and control valve (operating cable to open/close the valve is not installed yet)

·       -Power steering hoses

·       -All new disc brakes on front, all new drum brakes on rear, and new brake and fuel lines

·       -all new fluid throughout – oil, coolant, ATF, power steering (also ATF), gear oil in rear end, brake fluid

·       -new battery with cables and master disconnect (mounted in an accessible but hidden spot for security)

·       -hood latch (not installed at this point)

·       -roll of heat/noise insulation (not installed yet)

·       -speedometer cable

·       -new front shackle kit (not yet installed).  I don't think it's needed, but it's there if you want to install it.

I want to be completely transparent so there are no surprises when you get this truck home.  It is likely a buyer will put a non-refundable deposit down without seeing the truck in person, so to sleep better at night I want to reveal all known issues and remaining work.  Here is a list of all other things you should know before purchasing this truck, in no particular order:

·        The front wheels have a 5x4.5” bolt pattern(Chevrolet).  This is due to a 5x5.5” pattern disc brake not being able to fit in a stock rim.  I was planning to buy wheel adaptors for the front to run 5x5.5” rims all around and only carry one spare tire, but there is nothing wrong with rims with different bolt patterns.

·        The front tires are nearly new and have a lot of life left in them.  The rear tires are on for testing purposes only.  They have good tread, but there is some dry cracking. Plan to replace them soon.

·        There is no title with the sale.  Maine does not provide titles for vehicles this old.  Instead I will provide a bill of sale and proof of registration in my name which should suffice for registering in another state.  Check with your state before purchasing.

·        Paint is Nason 2K single-stage Urethane.  The paint looks great and is new this year.  Not as shiny as 3 coats of clearcoat, but very nice.  I'll give you all paint codes and some extra green in case you need to touch up a future scratch.  I will also include containers of all fluids used so you know what to buy if you ever need to in the future.

·        Both doors have new weatherstrip installed.  The “stock style” weatherstrip is apparently known for being too thick for proper door closing, but I didn't know this until after I installed it.  I swapped out the weatherstrip on the driver's door with “hollow core” weatherstrip.  The door still struggles to close flush, but it does latch securely.  You just need to shut it with more force than a modern vehicle's door.  The truck comes with the new hollow weatherstrip for the passenger door, but it's up to the buyer to decide if it's worth the effort involved in swapping it out. I can't see a huge difference.

·        Floor panels around the steering column come with the truck but are not installed yet. I figured the column may need to come out to be finished so why make extra work for myself?  The column shifter is disconnected and does nothing, but it should be removed anyway.

·        The key sticks in the “start” position.  This means you have to start the truck then turn the key back to the “On” position by hand to avoid damaging the starter and also to put it in the correct position for power to get to the electric choke.  I was planning to address this when I took apart the steering column to clean it up and replace the steering wheel but haven't got to it yet.  It may simply need some lubrication, or it may be due for a new ignition switch.

·       The transmission has the correct TV cable installed and adjusted by me.  I used a pressure gauge plumbed to the transmission as instructed by Lokar, and it shifts very smoothly, but the setup and adjustment has not been verified by a transmission shop.  It's up to the buyer to decide if it is worth doing this.  The pressure gauge and line are still installed under the hood (not meant to be permanent), so I can remove it at the buyer's request or leave it there.

·        The truck comes with 2 door locks that were included when I got the truck.  The strange thing is they are both for the same side and they don't include the little connectors to actually make them work. I was just planning to mount them in the holes in order to plug up the holes, but to actually make the doors lock you'll need to buy a set of locks (or at least buy one, but then you'll have two different door keys).

·        Heater ducts are not included or installed yet.  The heater valve and heater itself have not been tested for operation yet.

·        A new cowl vent weatherstrip comes with the truck, but it is not yet installed.

·        The VIN is clearly legible on the front crossmember, but of course with the front end assembled you can't really see it.  I will provide a clear photo of it.  The body tag which I believe was supposed to be installed in the glove box did not come with the truck when I bought it.  I can't even see the holes where it was supposed to mount, so it's possible there never was one.  You can order a replacement for about $100.  It is not a necessity but might be wise to have in case a police officer ever requests to see it.

·        The door glass is hard to roll up all the way.  It leaves a small gap at the top(1/4”+/-).  The tracks are pretty dry, so I've been told that using RV window lubricant will allow them to operate easier and go all the way up, but I have not tried this.  Driving down the road it's fine, and it's not a problem until you go to wash the truck with a hose and spray right at the crack… so I want the buyer to know about this.

·        The heater core or hose may possibly have a small leak.  The core passed a pressure test with air, but a small spill did get on the cab floor once.  I'm not sure why this happened as I didn't notice the damp spot until later.

·        Two leaves have been removed from each spring so the truck is not as stiff as stock, but it also sits a little lower (which means much less suspension travel than stock). The removed leaves come with the truck, so they could be reinstalled if someone wanted to.  This suspension setup seems to work well in the rear, but the front needs some attention.  I found that the tie rod is able to strike the exhaust headers, so I have temporarily blocked off the front suspension to prevent this.  Obviously this can't be permanent and should be one of the first things addressed.  I think adding the leaves back in and installing a longer bump stop will fix this issue.

·        The running boards are not bolted to the rear fenders yet.

·        There are several bolts that hold down the bed wood that are provided but are not yet installed.  Access to the bolts is difficult because of the location of the gas tank.

·        The truck does not come with the following parts:  Tailgate chains, VIN tag, bumpers, heater control cable, wiper blades and arms, sunvisors, headliner, floor covering, interior panels.

As you can see by the explanations above, I have taken this truck to the point where all the hard work is done.  There are a few start-up bugs to work out, and a few parts to purchase, but a person who likes to tinker could easily take this truck to 100% completion by spring.

Thanks for reading all this information.  Please ask any questions you need to before buying.  I can also take other photos if there are certain areas of interest.

Buyer needs to make arrangements and pay for any transport.  I will assist with loading or pick-up on this end.

License plates are not included.  If you're driving it home you need to arrange temporary plates of your own.

A $500 non-refundable deposit is due via PayPal within 2 days.  The balance is due at pick-up via cash or bank note.

I will provide a bill-of-sale for your signature.

Also published at eBay.com

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