History Four Cool Trucks of the 50s...

Jive-Bomber submitted a new blog post:

Four Cool Trucks of the 50s...

Continue reading the Original Blog Post

 

Great choices! I owned a red '53 F-100 from '79-'92. Sold it to a good friend who still has it, and has promised to let me buy it back if he ever decides to sell.

 

In one of the wrecking yards I used to frequent back in the mid to late 80s there was a Dodge D100 Sweptside. It was interesting to look over because you could tell the rear was grafted onto them from a station wagon. The truck was mostly complete (if I remember correctly it was just missing the intake and carb).

Wish I'd had the foresight to rescue it, but back then we just assumed that wrecking yards would always be full of older vehicles and we didn't think much of it. The yard got a complete cleanup in the late 90s and vehicles that had been there since the 50s and 60s were all crushed in a matter of weeks.

 

Having owned 3 53-56 Ford F100's (I'm building the 56 now) these are my favorites but I'd trade a race car and my 66 Fastback (my dad's old race car) for a 37 Coupe Express.

 

I like the Cameos, Sweptsides and '57-'60 F100s (I'm a little biased with that last opinion since I owned a '57). Always preferred fleetside trucks.

 

WOW-- That is BEE-YOU-TEE-FULL!!!!!

 

30 years together! only death will separate us.

 

One of these days, I need to finish rebuilding my 55 Cameo. It was totaled, 20 years ago on May 6 1996, at 11:15 am, just North of Mt. Morris Illinois.


View attachment 3219697 .

 

Trucks have always had the dual role, utilitarian for hauling in addition to the personal transportation. Just look at how popular trucks are for hot rods.

 

May be a little OT for this thread, but I think the '36-'42 Chevy Coupe Pickups were a cool idea... pull the decklid, slide in a bed, and Bob's yer uncle!

 

Well I have owned 2 of those the Stude and the Effie. I actually had a '53 Effie nearly done when I joined the HAMB.

 

A buddy has a partly disassembled, but complete '57 Fargo Sweptside. Factory V8/auto, and I could get it cheap. I had mostly forgotten about it until reading this thread. Now I can lament about not having the space for it. Oh well, I need another project like I need another hole in my head anyway. Which I would likely have if I were to pile it all up on the patio, haha.

 

When I was a kid my Dad owned a Studebaker 2R and later when I became a Dad I too got a 2R. I often regret selling it to get my present '61 R1 powered Champ pickup. Now my son has a '59 Studebaker pickup. It is basically a 2R, with a different grill and bigger rear window. With all that said, you can't beat any of the trucks mentioned by jive-bomber.

 

I'm partial to the Effies, but I wouldn't kick any of those trucks out of my garage for eating crackers (or leaking oil).

 

I have a thing for the Cameos but would agree with JakRak. There's always room for another cool truck in the garage.

 

great read. I'm a little partial to the 2r5 myself.
Funk 49

 

In regards to the GM line, the Apache is also beautiful.

 

I think wearing a Fedora is required though.

 

I go along with Camaro Mike and Jakrak.
Looking back on R&C Little Pages, iy yook a Cameo to flip and total the Dream Truck!

Serious? Nah... Cameos today get more eye sex than my F100.
They've got a lot o' what "they" call the Most! -Richard Penniman

 

My '56 bw. It has a Cobra equipped 289 under all of those louvers. Plans are to go to Halibrand Sprints later this year.

 

I seldom drive my F100 without my fedora.
...and never without my cane.
"Without my walkin' cane, I'd go insane...
I can't do anythane...without my cane!"

Capitol F100, Mr. Fitzhugh...

 

This Cameo is a fun ride.

 

I have never seen one of those Dodges. Any modern pictures of them today? Must be really rare.

 

There ya go curbspeed. Stolen from the net

 

Thanks, I can see now why there is not many out there. I can't imagine they sold well at all. Kinda missed the mark huh?

 

They certainly look like they just hung a set of station wagon 1/4's on the bed. Which, is exactly what they did. They very much lack the grace of Chevy's Cameo

 

Here's one I saw at Back to the 50's several years ago. The finned fenders were simply attached to the sides of the narrow box. You can see the narrow box in the images.

 

56 merc getting some attention,best looking truck from the fifties imo.