Hot Rods Went to a small swapmeet and bought a '54 F100 : Need Ford, F100 Experts

Here’s a ‘56 radio off Craig's list…

 

My mistake, radio not clock. I think I am fading fast!

 

Radio, not clock I meant to say.

 

Congratulations. Color me jealous.

 

Heck yes score! I had a 54 f100, mine had a 69 camaro front end though and i think a 76 monte carlo 305 or something.... loved that pickup! Had a kid and was forced to clear the lineup!

 

Great score!!! Killer ride!

Subscribed.

 

Thanks for that! You want to see something sad? Here is what this truck looked like 15 years ago. I'm thinking it might have been original paint. California weather is good for not making your car rusty since it's so dry here...but the sun will weather it like a mofo in no time.

 

I know, right? The Southern California sun sure does hate paint and rubber for some reason. The paint on my wife's truck is dead. I mean DEAD. Can't even buff it to a shine anymore... that is... the parts that don't already look like it survived a wildfire.

Anyway... I saw something today that reminded me of this thread.



Can't wait to see your truck progress.

 

Super cool truck. F100s are so much a part of the early hot rod and custom scene...they are just beautiful trucks. They need so little to look really cool. My F100 is still on my trailer for lack of room...but it'll come off this week and I'll start tinkering with it. First old car I've had in a long while where its all there...it ran 15 years ago...so it'll run again. We'll see how much of a fight she puts up. Should be pretty simple...fresh battery..file the points...clean the plugs and get a gas can to run off of. Once it fires up ill start pulling the gas tank to get it cleaned...the radiator..etc. Should be fun...im not reinventing the truck....just going in the direction it already is.

 

I bought a small plastic outboard motor gas tank that I use for by passing the stock tank for initial starts. That way I don't have to worry about fumes from the make shift gas can or accidentally kicking it and spilling gas. Just a thought. Great truck.

 

I think a 54 Radio looks like this, for 53, 54, 55. 56 went to 12 volts and the radio changed. Volume knob in the middle, tuning the outer ring around the dial, tone dial around the volume dial.

 

Way cool score. I'm a fan of '54s.

 

Tinkered with the F100 today...degreased and power washed the engine and pulled the plugs out to squirt some WD 40 in the the cylinders to lube things up. Was pleasantly surprised by how the plugs look like...it seemed to be running pretty well when it was parked. Filed the points..put some dielectric grease on the cam. So will throw some fresh plugs and wires at it this week. Rats had chewed some wires...but only seem to be a couple. Luckily I spotted that the oil pressure gauge line for the gauge under the dash was chewed clean through. That would have made a big mess if I hadn't seen that and fired it up..

 

I have some evapo rust and did a half ass scrub job on part of the hood to see what would happen. Alot more rust came off than I thought..fender top is toast though.

 

Nice!

 

You bought the 56 according to the photo. !2 v neg ground three mounting tabs one on bottom center teo up top.
Not going to work in your 54 if still 6 volt + ground

 

Very neat truck, first thing...get that fuel filter OFF of the distributor!!!!

 

You need to meet Jack Fox. He lives near Fallbrook. He deals in these trucks and parts. PM me for his number……

 

Congratulations. Enjoy your truck. I left a nice 53’ F-100 out there when I departed San Diego in 1984. I attended some nice F-100 events back then.

 

Definitely a '55 Ford car clock. I have a '55 my parents bought new. There were two different clock options for '55, one was electric and one was windup.

 

Think 61 ford galaxy?

 

Nice. Looks pretty clean and straight. Usually trucks of that era were beaten to death. Buddy of mine is always borrowing my small trailer cause he doesn't want to put anything in the box of his newer truck.