Second-generation Ford F-Series pickup trucks aren’t the most desirable vehicles from the 1950s, but they sure are pretty. At least in my book, because I love the bulged hood and wide fender design from the era. Well, if you’re in the market for one of these mid-1950s haulers, here’s your chance to own a 1955 F-100 previously owned by Patrick Swayze.
The truck was recently listed by Patrick’s wife, Lisa Niemi, on eBay, where it’s being auctioned off at no reserve. The F-100 is located at the Swayze Ranch in Sylmar, California, where Patrick and Lisa found it when they bought the property back in 1986.
“Patrick and I inherited this super-cool pickup when we bought our horse ranch in LA 35 yrs ago. We always intended to restore it but never got around to it. However, it did serve as an awesome backdrop in many photo sessions,” the ad reads, suggesting that the truck has been sitting ever since the couple purchased the ranch.
Needless to say, the F-100 is a proper yard find, showing a lot of surface rust and needing a great deal of TLC before it can hit the road again. But it appears to be complete inside and out and still has the original 239-cubic-inch (3.9-liter) V8 engine under the hood.
Lincoln’s first attempt at a luxury pickup didn’t go so well. The Blackwood was basically a cross between the Lincoln Navigator and Ford F-150, sporting fancy trim in the cargo bed with a power tonneau cover. The 2002 production version was a follow up to a warm reception for the 1999 concept, but things cooled off considerably on dealer lots. Parent company Ford planned to build 10,000 of them, but only a few more than 3,330 actually sold. There was no 2003 model in the U.S. market.
It’s hard to say exactly why the Blackwood flopped. In 2002, at least in terms of marketing, trucks and SUVs still had to pretend they could do truck and SUV stuff (regardless of whether or not the owners used them that way). Maybe nobody really wanted a giant trunk instead of a cargo bed. Maybe the rear-wheel-drive-only configuration wasn’t in keeping with the give-me-everything idea of a luxury truck. Or maybe Lincoln buyers who wanted lots of interior space and a giant trunk were already happy with the Town Car.
Whatever the case, the Blackwood was unintentionally rare and now, nearly 20 years later when luxury trucks are part of the standard lineup, could be considered an idea before its time. And yeah, we’ll go out on a limb and say the Blackwood is now cool. This one, up for bids on Hemmings Auctions, has been both enjoyed and preserved well. From the auction listing:
The selling dealer says it was taken on trade, but he became so enamored with it that he drove it for the next three years, racking up 13,000 “trouble-free” miles on the distinctive and rare Lincoln truck. It’s one of only 3,356 produced and the seller notes it “runs and drives like new.”
This black and white, declassified US Army training film, created in 1942 and released in 1943, (TF 10-980, full title: Automotive Trouble Shooting Part 11c, Section 2, Chevrolet 4×4 and G.M.C. 6×6 Steering System Adjustments) offers troubleshooting advice for mechanics calibrating the steering of military automobiles (TRT: 15:24).
Title cards: “This Film is Restricted” over a stenciled banner “Restricted” and “Official Training Film, War Department” with a US War Office seal (0:08). “Produced by the Signal Corps for the Commanding General Services of Supply.” Titles continue over shots of mechanics hands, wrenches at work (0:22). A mechanic works with jack lifts under the chassis of a Chevrolet G506 1 ½ ton 4×4 truck (produced as the Chevy G7100, and originally G4100 models). He zeroes in on the steering column. He inserts a bar in a wheel. A closeup shows even weight distribution. The other wheel demonstrates excessive play, indicating loose pinion bearings (0:45). The tie rod is disconnected by removing the clamp bolt and yolk. The upper bearing cap follows in closeup. Shims are handled with care (1:46). Shims are removed from the lower bearing cap from a reverse angle, as heavy grease drips out (2:45). Proper steering knuckle resistance is demonstrated, then the tie rod is reconnected (3:11). The toe of the wheels is checked, using a telescopic toeing gauge. A helper drives forward slowly (3:50). The gauge reads 1/16”. The steering arm clamp bolt nut is locked (4:25). The mechanic climbs behind the steering wheel and turns it gently, testing. The separate components of the steering gear assembly. The steering shaft worm gear and tapered bearings in closeup. A ball nut is added in a cross-section shot, then filled with ball bearings and tubular guides. A nut locks the assembly housing together (5:16). Closeup on the mesh of two gears teeth. Calibration is adjusted with a screw and nut (8:11). The mechanic at the wheel loosens a bracket underneath the dashboard, then climbs out of the truck (8:35). The steering rod is disconnected from the pitman shaft (9:04). A lock nut is loosened and a screw is turned. Then, the worm gear bearings are adjusted (9:29). Passenger’s side POV: The Mechanic returns and rotates the steering wheel smoothly back and forth, finding the center (10:46). Re-tightening the steering gear assembly with a wrench. The steering wheel is re-tested to ensure an increased load and consistent resistance (12:12). A highlighted section of a mechanic’s manual: “Using J-544 Steering Gear Checking Scale, measure the pull at the rim of the wheel…” An illustration indicates the proper positioning of a checking scale (13:00). Checking alignment of the steering column jacket. The mechanic re-aligns the steering column jacket, working from the driver’s side wheel well (13:25). The steering column is fixed in place, and the drag link is re-connected (14:09). The mechanic checks the wheel one last time, ensuring a job well done (14:51). “The End” (15:03)
The “G506” truck chassis depicted in this film was manufactured in mass quantity by the Chevrolet Motor Division of GM during the World War II era. This model of vehicle became the standard truck for the US Army and Air Corps during the 1940s, as over 150,000 such vehicles were purchased. Of these, roughly 47,700 were shipped to the Soviet Union under the “Lend-Lease” program.
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There are barn finds, and there’s this Ford F-1 that hasn’t seen rain since 1963. Originally sold in Indiana, the pickup’s second owner “was a closet hotrodder” that replaced the Flathead V8 with a Flathead Mercury V8.
Offered on eBay by sotaboyz with the current title as well as the original title from 1958, the half-ton pickup still wears the factory paintwork. Finished in Coral Flame Red and optioned with the 5-Star Extra Cab equipment group, chassis number F1R2LU19386 comes with the factory-supplied storage box located above the gas tank and an illuminated cigarette lighter.
Described as some sort of needle in a haystack by the seller, the 110-horsepower truck was originally used to haul motors around town by the previous owner. The eight-cylinder mill sourced from a Mercury“fires up with a push of the button, and the original Flathead V8 is included with the sale.”
Both sun visors and the headliner are very well preserved, the speedometer and odometer still work, and the same can be said about the temperature gauge, battery gauge, fuel gauge, dashboard lights, and dome light. The brakes have been gone through prior to the sale, the transmission reportedly shifts smooth, and the truck is rolling on new Coker Classic tires.
If there is a vehicle that built the American economy, it is arguably the pickup. Consider its versatility in basic light-duty form: Farmers could bring their humble harvest to market in the same design that enabled store owners to deliver goods to households in both the cities and suburbs with efficient ease. Everything from animal feed, to building supplies, to small appliances could be transported, and it didn’t take long for adventurous outdoorsmen to convert their coveted workhorse into a weekend camper with a clever aftermarket add-on. Its evolution continues today, serving family needs in more powerful and luxurious ways than once envisioned. Meanwhile, the more vintage steeds have become a hot commodity among old vehicle enthusiasts, so in our latest edition of This or That, we bring you four half-tons from the Sixties to ponder for your dream garage – all of which are currently available in the Hemmings classifieds.
Up first is a pickup that regular readers of our Hemmings Classic Car magazine may recognize: this 1961 Studebaker Champ Deluxe, which appeared in the May 2019 issue, as well as our 2020 Hemmings Vintage Trucks calendar. Studebaker’s half-ton Champ was introduced to the truck market in 1960, and while it may have appeared as an all-new light-duty hauler at first blush, the company’s lack of engineering funds meant that the outgoing model – the Scotsman – was, on the surface, given a new name with a facelift, courtesy of the Lark sedan. Aside from the cab’s front end, save for a four-bar grille versus a mesh design, the Lark’s instrument panel was carried forward to the Champ, too. Two upgrades highlighted our featured ’61 model year: The use of a 110-hp, 170-cu.in. six-cylinder engine in base trim, and the “Spaceside” cargo box. The latter was made possible thanks to old tooling obtained from Dodge, which accounted for the mismatched cab/cargo box body transition. According to the seller of this Champ:
his 1961 Studebaker Champ Deluxe pickup is a nicely restored example. If you are a fan of the Hemmings Vintage Trucks Calendar, it was used for the July 2020 page. The red paint has the vibrant look of a modern quality respray, so the sunlight shows off the well-done bodywork as the Lark-inspired front end flows into a muscular bed design. And speaking of the bed, the finish applied over the oak wood on the bed floor and removable side stakes has a gloss that rivals the paint. This has upgraded chrome on the bumpers, grille, and side trim. The wheels have classic Studebaker hubcaps, and the whitewalls coordinate with the body’s white pinstripe. It’s believed Studebaker produced less than 7,700 consumer pickups across the entire line in 1961. The exterior red returns inside. It’s now joined by a tasteful black on the seat, carpeting, and dash. The experience inside this pickup is truly authentic, right down to the large dual-spoke steering wheel that gives a clear view to the correct classic gauges. The AM radio still cranks out tunes and the heater works. Plus, this one has the rare sliding rear window option. The engine bay has an authentic 170 cubic-inch straight-six backed by a column-shifted three-speed manual transmission.
1952 was the final year for the original F-Series pickup, and the most powerful engine that Ford offered for the half-ton model was the Flathead V8 with 239 cubic inches of displacement. The F-100 we’ll talk about today is a little different under the hood, though.
1952 Ford F-100
Not only did it win “First Place for Outstanding Engine and Interior at the ISCA Summit Racing Equipment Auto Show,” but the single cab in the photo gallery sports a Corvette powerplant from the small-block family. The LT1, to be more precise, and the automatic transmission comes from General Motors as well.
The Turbo Hydra-Matic 700R4 is one of the finest choices you can make for a restomod. Smooth but also stout, the four-speed gearbox switched from hydraulic logic shifting to electronic in 1993 when it was known as the 4L60. 1987 and newer transmissions are extremely popular with race, street, and even off-road builds.
Turning our attention back to the custom truck with sparkling light tan over brown paintwork and a bright orange pinstripe, the Ford F-100 “took over a year to build” according to Worldwide Auctioneers. Offered at no reserve, the go-faster pickup features a TCI chassis with chrome plated arms, Coy wheels, and Nitto radials.
Sometimes we run across a project car that makes us wonder what people were thinking. Ford has produced vehicles that are part car and part truck in the past in the form of the Ranchero. Those cars have always been polarizing in their styling. If Ford has ever cobbled together a Ranchero in the early ’90s, this may be what it would have looked like.
When it comes to sport trucks, the late ’90s and early ’00s were the heyday for manufacturers to make trucks with big engines for the masses. Ford was tossing out some of the most desirable vehicles with trucks like the 2000 Ford Lightning seen here. This second-generation 2000 Ford Lightning was the second year that the Lightning was available after being off the market for three years between significant changes to the F-150 truck that underpinned the Lightning.
The Lightning used a 5.4-liter supercharged V8 engine that makes 360 horsepower and 440 pound-feet of torque. It was fitted with a 4-speed automatic transmission. This particular example looks brand new because it essentially is with only 537 miles on the odometer. This truck is unlikely to find a buyer who will drive it; it’s more of an investment with the hope of future appreciation.
American department store chain Kohl’s is selling a T-shirt with the potential to anger truck-lovers on both sides of the great Ford-Chevy divide.
On the surface, the ‘Juniors’ American Pie Short Sleeve Crew Neck Americana Tee’ is an innocuous piece of fast fashion: A grey tee with a vintage truck and the words “Drove my Chevy to the levee but the levee was dry” printed on it.
Seems like exactly what one might expect to find at a U.S. department store, right?
A closer look at the truck reveals something off about the illustration. Something deeply troubling. It appears as though some monster has inked a ’70s Ford F-150 face onto what appears otherwise to be a mid-’60s Chevrolet.
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