I have a 1949 F-1 pickup, with a 5.0L roller and AOD and it has a modern front subframe. I bought it as a done and running project in 2006, did some fixes and upgrades, and drove the heck out of it. Now I have it apart for a much-needed refresh and I am thinking of changing a few things to make it look like a vintage "Push Truck/parts getter". I have always admired the look of those Push Trucks used at Lions Drag strip when I was a teenager, and those I saw at Bonneville in the late 60's. Does anyone have pics of these vintage "Push Trucks" that I can use to gather some ideas? --Wood push bumper --Tow mirrors --Step bumper in the rear --Door graphics --what wheels? The pic I have posted here is how the truck looked as purchased.
I did not do it, was done before I bought the truck. It also has a a Ranger or Explorer rear 8.8" rear axle with disc brakes.
Dumass, be quiet, lead us to believe its period correct. Nobody cares who did it, wrong parts for this forum, don't mention them.
I know, sweet truck, but I see a bunch that look similar. I am thinking I would like to make it look more like it was done in the mid-60's. as a hot rod push truck and/or parts chaser for a hot rod shop.
Hey W, Here is a post on the Nitro Revival page of HAMB. https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/nitro-revival.1073806/page-2#post-12554259 Since you live in Southern Nevada, it is not that far away from Irwindale, CA for the upcoming 2019 version. It is something you don't want to miss. Even though it is a few months away, the style from those guys that were there in the hey days of the 60's era FEDs and those who create the newest versions of those old race cars is something to behold. Your truck has the basic look right now and despite the information for the HAMB readers, push trucks were part of HAMB history in its traditional sense. Jnaki The detailing up close is outstanding. These photos were taken at a mini Nitro Revival at the 2017 Lions Dragstrip Museum Grand Opening Event. Art Afrons Number 5 2017 Ratican, Jackson, Stearns 2017 Here is a great example of using a push truck back in 1959 at Lions Dragstrip. A Ford push truck in 1959
The Ol' Mans shop used a truck just like this one (only not old and rattled out) for a Push Truck/parts chaser. It never had any lettering on the doors him and his partner figured if you didn't know who they were they were just not interested. LOL I do recall that they did bolt a timber on it once but most of the time this is what it looked like except not smoking the tires in the staging lanes. Granted they were not going for a look just a functional truck and they did run moon discs just like mine.
You've got a really nice looking truck. On your list of possible modifications, they all make sense Except tow mirrors. Even removeable tow mirrors would cause door modifcations you sure wouldn't like. Wheels? What do you like? You can always photo shop a zillion options to see. Or guys like Moose here on the HAMB can show you how. Same way with a door Logo. Decide what you want----just remember the Logo will be on the doors for a long, long time. Don't know what you have for a rear bumper but most bumpers (even stock) usually work well enough to step on. On the other hand it looks like your bed is awfully clean for casually tossing stuff in. As for the push bar, most I've seen, that were actually used as a pushbar, were hardwood (oak) maybe 10" high by 24" wide. Height correct to the vehicle your entending to push. ( Some were actually a steel bars or sheet, with a wood board on the out side) -----I set up my Avatar 48 Chev. P/U with a push bar a few years ago for a Cackle fest. Had a ball but never got to push a Cackler. They all had pushing Buddys better connected than me. In my case I had to make the push board a little taller (trucks lower than most in the front) and spent a hell of a lot of time building a couple of strong braces at the top to keep the board from rolling over into the grill. (had to pull the grill to build the braces and then figure out how to put the grill back in AND still connect the braces to the board). Turned out to be worth the effort though, got to be push truck for a few vintage sprint cars and midgets and the truck sure went over well with the crowd. By the way, the Logo on my door is ELDERODDERS with "cruise crew" in smaller letters. Been on there since 2004. Bill Rinaldi
I’d leave it just as it is except use blackwall tires. It’s a great looking truck. The ‘48-‘50 F1’s are my 2nd favorite Ford truck behind the ‘40’s and I’m not even a Ford guy.
Here's a 66 Ford (the yellow one) that my buddy Doug built as a Lions Drag Strip push truck. He's got distressed Lions lettering on it, a home made engine turned aluminum push board on the front and a hitch for strap towing back to the pits on the back. And he even uses it to push race cars, but in this case it's at Bonneville.
D-Russ, that would be Doug Dwyer, I went to High School with him, and his truck is part of my inspiration for redoing my 1949 F-1. (small world, but Doug knows a ton of car guys)
One of the coolest features on vintage push trucks is the old school side view truck mirror mounted to the front plate (above hood level) so the driver can see the contact point they're pushing from. The plates are generally 2-4' wide and can be mounted to the frame, bumper, or wherever is solid. An old snowplow mount or a front tow receiver/hitch works great. Plywood over steel to cushion the contact in most cases.
...a lot of old push/work trucks mounted a board or metal plate and bolted an old tire cut open to that...you have a nice truck, I'd just put blackwalls or www's on it with black or red rims, a nice wood push board and be done with it,..maybe some door logo,..it can always be removed... ...here's a few I've sketched...not really the kind you're thinkin, but...
I like the idea of using a front tow receiver/hitch so that the push bumper can be quickly installed and removed. Thanks!
When I was a teenager we would go to Lions Drag Strip often. In those days all the dragsters had a push truck, as did the track itself. Most of these push trucks also towed the trailer with the dragster on it. Most of these trucks had big engines installed, Cad and Olds motors were common. I recall a 40 Ford pickup with a cad motor and a 55 Ford pickup with a Hemi among several others. One night, just for fun, the track arranged for a push truck drag race. I don't recall the winner but I recall that the push truck races were very popular with the crowd and taken seriously by the crews.
Build a FED, then figure out what the truck needs to be able to be the tow/push truck for it. Fake isn't very appealing.
Hey W, There was only one Ford Pickup that had a Hemi in it back in those early days of Lions Dragstrip. Charlie Ettien's yellow Ford Pickup was a daily driver, but had a powerful 471 supercharged Hemi motor in it. Sometimes we did see it run with all of his "stuff" in the back. That was something. Drag News 1959 That yellow truck with black stripe highlights was a fan favorite. But, I did not think it was a push truck, since it beat the daylights out of most racers in a drag race. (C/Gas class) Lions was known to do "odd" stuff (pit crew relay races and the famous LeMans races to name a few) between the time trials and the eliminations, so, yes, you name it and it probably was done. In 2017, I was fortunate enough to get up close and personal with the famous Yellow Truck of Charlie Ettien at the set up days of the Lions Dragstrip Museum. Strolling around the whole Price Transfer complex paid off in droves as a familiar pick up was parked in the loading dock area. 2017 The current, street usage, attire, of Charlie Ettien's yellow Ford Pickup. Photo from June 20, 2017. Photos from inside the Lions Dragstrip Museum: 2017 Parked next to a familiar friend from back in those days… From 1959-60 Lions Dragstrip films. Jnaki There was one Ford F100 push truck that did a lot of heavy duty business every week. It was usually behind the white 671 Potvin style Hemi FED of Kenny Lindley with Don Hampton (Hampton Blowers) behind the wheel. 1959 Lions Dragstrip Pits "Dragster" lane (possible Charlie Ettien’s yellow pickup truck in the side lane) kenny lindley don hampton ACTUAL 1959 SOUND AT LIONS
Here are three pictures of mine, one how I found it (farmer installed) , with wood on, and after I found out the wood was too low (first trip).
my 2 cents, i feel like what would be cool/what i think you want...would be easier achieved by selling your truck for top dollar (its beautiful) and buying kne in worse shape (don't say the p word) actually buying an old farm truck allows you to do what they wouldve done, grab an old cheap truck, freshen it up, dump power in it, to hell with pretty paint, throw a vintage closed shop/drag team logo on the side, angle iron and wood push bar and voila!
Now if you’re talking a good ol’ gas station type push truck here’s what my truck looked like right where I found it. It had 2 rough sawn 2x8’s stacked on top of each other. The tree in front was growing up between it and the grille. And yes, that is a Ford bed on it which is no longer there. Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
You can see a bracket welded to the front bumper for attaching some type of push bumper to, of course there's no way of telling when it was actually welded there. For the year of your truck it would mostly be a Bonneville type thing, it seems most of the drag car pushers were late 50's through 60's vehicles.
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