Art & Inspiration MY '57 F100 FRIDGE TRUCK

I was an apprentice mechanic in '57. My boss, Red Mayfield, said "Look at this, Son... Lift the hood and the engine is presented like a Christmas goose. Easy to reach...easy to carve!"
I never forgot that. Years later, I installed a late ('66) Cad in one, loved the low fender line. "Easy to carve!"

I installed a '58 F100 axle in my '55. Lowers it 7/8" over ('under?') the stock axle. My young wife de-arched and reversed eyes on front, so it got low enough. (Funny, 'cause front ends are never 'low enough'!)

 

So . . . This is how far out of the loop I am! What exactly makes a '57 F-100 a "Fridge"? That's some new terminology for me.
Because they are shaped like a refrigerator, straight and boxy with rounded corners just like a Refrigerator.

 

Very cool truck! I've always liked those!

 

My dad had a ‘59 with a long bed and six cylinder. It was yellow and had no tailgate. He called it the big yellow bomb. As a kid I used to like climbing up the back into the bed and climb up and sit on the roof of the cab. I’d end collapsing the roof a bit. I can still remember him pounding up the roof with the heels of his hands and cursing something awful.
He sold it some time in the late ‘60’s.
Don’t let anyone sit or stand on the cab.

 

@1-SHOT
I did a quick google search and this is what I found.
The 57 Ford F-100 through 60 Ford F-100, their grille patterns resembled those of the " toe grille plate " of Frigidaire refrigerators. Do your own search and punch in " 57 through 60 Ford F-100 fridge trucks and you will see in the images section, what I am referring to.
Thanks from Dennis.

 

Great score!! I'll have some updates on mine soon.. it's all blown apart at the moment. The more I look at these trucks, the cooler they are! Mine has a big back window cab now.

 

Good grab, a quick perusal of ads early in the morning can drum up all kinds of diversions. Condolences on your Pops. Really like the '57's - pretty high on my favorites list. I got home from driving mine and realized the razer sharp focus and slight tension in my face was from listening to the orchestra of squeaks and rattles and smiling the whole way home.

 

I have a 59 F100, many prefer the 57 over all the 57-60 year models. This is my second 59 in the last 50 years, the last one I had 8 years, this one 36 years. I drive and USE my truck as a truck and have hauled everything from engines to roofing and it takes it all and is happy. Started out as a 292 4 speed now has a 351W C4 combo but this is the 4th powertrain it has had. Always a Ford in a Ford though. A good upgrade if you can find one is a 63-64 steering gear. These were a recirculating ball type gear and have much less friction for easier steering. Will attach a picture of my trucks ugly patina, I wanted to paint it but my friends talked me out of it for now. Drive the shit out of that thing and enjoy it, the truck will enjoy it too!

 

Nice one - I also belong to those who think the first year was the best looking of the breed. Here in the EU something like this would have been 3 times as much! Sorry to hear about your dad, this would be a proper homage to him. Totally agree with your plans for the truck...

 

Don’t worry about the bumper. Trucks look best with a scarred greasy 2 x 6 wooden “push bumper”. Maybe even add couple scraps tire rubber.

 

Perhaps the most famous 57-60 F100 ever.

 

Welcome to the 57 f100 club.

 

Gotta love the face of the 57 Ford "Fridge "
I saw this one at the Goodguy's show in Puyallup, 2022.

 

You guy's are making me yearn for my ole 57.......NAH, I'll just stick to my 63
But I agree 57 was the best looking of those.

 

Did you put a 56 Ford grille on it?looks good!

 

No all 57 just cut the center out

 

Looks good!

 

My first set of wheels in 1979 was a '57 F100 with the big back window cab. I drove it to high school and my part-time job for about a year before I sold it. Nothing I've owned since sounded as good as that Y-block burbling through dual glass packs. Over 40 years later I'd love to find another one.
Congrats on your purchase!

 

You're one lucky dude to score a full size drive-able Tonka truck!

 

your pictures arent loading, might have copy pasted from a different website?

I'd love a '57 or really any old ford truck to haul things around with. personally, i like the "slick" fords in the early 60s. the slicks remind me of the '57 Fairlane in the way the fenders are sloped. too bad you cant haul very well with them due to the "unibody" design. would probably still use it to go get parts, and other things. these could have shown up on the showroom floor in '57 and it would fit right in, in my opinion.

I grew up rural and with long bed trucks, so thats what i prefer, plus, they provide more utility.

(not my truck or anyone i knows, just an example picture)

 

Well it does work for me, it's a sharp looking 57 for sure!

 

Great score!

Yeah, the '57 is the best looking out of the 4 years of production. Hell, the front end on my '60 looks like a damned old Rambler Six.

 

Hey @Spooky
So I was digging around in some of my stash, looking for something else, and low and behold, this particular cool, red and grey " FRIGIDAIRE " hat/cap surfaced and I just started laughing to myself.
I bought it for a $1.00 years ago at the Monroe swap-meet.

It's has very good stitching as far as the embroidery of the logo, and the hat is very clean and is in good shape as well, fully adjustable too.



I figure, if you are going to own a " FRIDGE " truck, you certainly need to have this classic, eccentric hat.
You can have a blast trying to answer all of the questions, that this hat, will undoubtedly generate!

If you want this hat, I will be more than happy to donate it to your project.
No charge.

Send me a PM that has your mailing address, and I will put it in the mail to you this week, consider it an early Christmas present!

If perchance you don't want it, I am sure others that have seen this thread, will drool over it !
Your mileage may vary.

Thanks from Dennis.

 

^^^ Nice offer!!