Im looking at buying this F350, really clean Utah truck, 6 cyl 4 speed, 8 foot bed, running and driving. The price is very reasonable and it has no rust. Im thinking shortened bed/frame new front fenders and 1/2 ton suspension and new engine/trans. Is it too valuable as a collectors item to hot rod?
I would leave that as is, a really nice truck from what I see of it. Other 1/2 tons are still around and probably a lot less work to modify. Bob
I'm not sure what "priced reasonable" is, but good F100 are still out there pretty cheap - thanks to the economy. Is it still here in Utah?
Its your truck build it the way you want it. half ton hubs bearings drums backing plates will fit on your front spindles. change the rear to a later 9 inch Pk rear and you can have 5 lug wheels. and you can easly find a taller rear gear to allow the truck to cruse at highway speeds. I have a 56 sitting & rotting . It has long bed 8 FT with three stake holes. Over the years Ive accumulated a short box that is a trailer and complete short frame. the front fenders came from a F350. There isnt any difference between 1/2 and 1 ton fenders. However now I believe I will just leave it original. OldWolf
The owner told me its 1 of 90 F350s with the long bed made in 1956. Rarity doesnt always equate to value and I have yet to verify the 1 of 90 figure. It is 1 of like 25,000 long beds made in 56.
Anyhow back to your original "?". Valuable is really determined by individuals and not necessary everyone's opinion. We've all heard "one man's trash - another man's treasure". As far as the truck you posted. It appears to be an Express bed. The express bed is about 109" vs a long beds 96". The express bed had 4 stake pockets per side instead 3 on the long bed. I have always been told these are more "rare" than the LWB trucks. As far as what that does for value I'm not sure. Things to know on LWB trucks are that the frame is taller, box is taller, box is wider, frame cross members are different, running boards are different, tailgate is different, axles and hubs are different, steering box is different. I have seen people debate on differences in fender openings. I have seen both, but I don't know if fenders had been changed in the past. If you want to see one currently being shortened my buddy is doing it. Here is his build thread (it has only been put on hold because he is starting up his own business): http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/s...d.php?t=425523
Thanks Carbs and Chrome, great information. I didnt know there was that much difference. I did make the guy an offer on the truck. If it works out Ill just play it by ear, the long bed is growing on me.
Jim, Have you rode up to look at it? I started to go up Last weekend and look at it there in Louisville. An F350 is not exactly a collector's item. I have a 56 F100 SW in pieces and drive a 55 F100. If you get it let me know I would like to drive up and see it.
My 56 long bed is a 1/2 ton. it came with a 272 auto. the frame isnt taller than a short frame. The front spindles had the same hub,s drums & bearings as a short bed axle. I sold two sets of 56 hubs & drums to Hambers. One from my long bed and the set off the short bed frame. then I wanted to make it a roller and installed the 8 hole hubs drums & bearings from a 53 3/4 ton. I sold the hubs because I was planning to frame clip my 56 with a 68 twin I beam. There is a expert on the Hamb (56 F 100) Ill bet he could give valuable info. He started a picture thread (show us you f100 pic good or bad? Old Wolf
Neat old truck. I think a big old workhorse would be cool, but half-tonners certainly have a place near and dear to our hearts. As usual, it comes back to what you want it to do, and how your balance of style and utility works out. Keep in mind that if you are going to upgrade the suspension, steering, powertrain, and brakes, it doesn't matter much whether you start with a F-350 or a F-100.
That F-350 is a lot of truck and doesn't offer much comfort the way it is. One step below a dump truck. Gonna be a lot of work to change it over to what you want. Bob
My friend in CULVER CITY ,Or has a very Ill husband needs to find some cash .. She has a few old trucks, I think she would almost accept anything over scrap value for them Here is a 1956 Ford
my father had a `56 ford f-350 with a flat bed when i was young , i wish i had it for a shop truck. i would use it to haul my stuff around and even drove it to school sometimes. i brought home my first model A with it. he traded it in the fall of `72 for a new 1973 f-350...i drove it home from the dealership. for the next 30 years it hauled my dads , my friends and my stuff around. my brother still has it and he still uses it to haul his stuff around. i can't even count the number of projects that hauled or pulled home.... old cars , tractors and even a couple airplanes. wish i had that one too i guess what i'm saying i don't thing it is a big deal for any collector ....but you sure can get a lot of use out of it. if it was mine i'd get it running good , make sure the tires and brakes are good and use the crap out of it
They are not rare but are uncommon. I have my eyes on a 56 ,3 door cab. This was a conversion done for the RR or state. One of these days I will get it and build it to pull horse trailers ect.
Hello. New on the site. Does anyone know where to get woorm gear for my Gemmer 4CC07 steering box. It`s for my 1956 F350 dually stake truck. Found a company that makes complete kits in Argentina (Ventas CHS / Chsauto) have you heard about it? Sorry about my english. Norwegian dud..
1956_F350.... Welcome! Can’t help you on your steering box, but your English and punctuation are better than most of us on here. But.... I had to chuckle at your typo! I hope you are a “ Norwegian dude” not a “ Norwegian dud”. Lol.. Again Welcome and good luck on your search. Bones
Hi Bones Dude sound right hahaha. Think it`s strange that no one in USA have heard about the Company. My alarm-clock rung when they just wanted bank transfer and no use off bank cards like Visa ,Master or PayPal. Link to the site: http://www.chsauto.com/eng/index.php Rely would like to get the truck on the road. Please anyone tell me if you got a woorm gear, new or used in nice condition to sell. The woorm gear I got looks fine but the ends of the woorm that meets the bearings are shut/pitted badly. Thank for any tip.
1956_F350, doesn’t look like your search here is going anywhere. Maybe you should start a new post and see what happens? Checked that site that makes the steering gears, looks real good on the net, very well put together page. But, I know what you mean about them not taking a credit card, looks kinda fishy. Maybe you could contact them by phone and talk to a real person. Do you have a good machine shop any where close? Maybe they could machine the bad bearing surfaces back a ways any you could put in some extra shims. Bones
Looks like they are in Argentina, so I could see them not liking US credit cards. I would set up an eBay search and see what comes up on a NOS gear. Post something on The Ford Barn parts wanted. The bad and the ugly of those boxes is that most used ones are in poor shape. Try these guys, lots of Ford guys on the forums use them. https://www.redheadsteeringgears.com/
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