Bessie, the 1956 Ford F100

my gal Crystal with Bessie (Crystal's the cute blonde...BTW)
Well I finally found the truck of my dreams...kinda of. Let's just say it's a Diamond in the rough. Ever since I was a teenager I have always wanted a 1956 Ford F100 pickup. It was the only year of the 1953-1956 body style that featured the wrap-around windshield, and to me, it just looks the coolest. I think the majority of collectors agree, because it the the most sought-after of the mid-fifty Fords. I had a 1951 Ford F-1 when I was 19, and had alot of fun with it, but I have been on the lookout for a mid-fifty F100 ever since.

I was just perusing our local Tradewinds for truck ads this October, and happened upon an ad for a 1955 F100 that ran good, but was in need of bodywork, located in West Point, MS. I figured a 1955 was close enough, so I went to take a look at it. It was behind a fenced-in salvage yard, but it was obvious from the cab that it was a 1956, not a 1955. The truck had been owned by some guy from Oklahoma who drove down to Mississippi in 2003, got drunk, and drove into a dirt embankment. The truck sat in the lot of the towing company for months and racked up a substantial bill, which the owner couldn't pay, and forfeited the truck.

The cab and hood are solid, but it will need some frame straightening and front-end work to get back on the road. No big deal. This thing is gonna get a total rebuild... Let's see, what else is on the short list?

Airbagged Mustang II IFS
airbagged 4 link Currie 9 in. rear
Smeding Performance 347 Ford stroker motor
TCI Ford AOD trans
All new tinted/shaded glass with ventless power door windows
Complete Mercedes-style black leather interior with CD and GPS
Air Conditioning
Complete new rear bed
17x8" alloy wheels/BFG/TA tires
lotsa black paint and lotsa chrome
These pics were taken the day I found the truck, in October 2004. Yeah, this might take a while.
A return visit in November, this time to do some disassembly. I took off the grille, spare tire, and a bunch of stuff from the interior. I also threw away alot of crap in the cab and bed.
The title lists the truck as a 1955, but it is obviously a 1956. I'll have to get that changed. The tag shows that the truck is a 1956 1/2 ton F100, with a 2bbl 272 engine, built in St. Louis. The paint code "E" means it was originally Colonial White!
Let the restoration begin! Might as well start with a little bling...I checked on having the original grille straightened, repaired, and chromed, but after I found that it would cost in excess of $1000, I started searching eBay. I found a nice (not perfect) chrome grille in Huntsville, AL, and got it for $250. Crystal and I drove up to get it, and made a great road trip out of it.

I guess now I'll have to build the truck around the grille...I took apart the headlight assemblies, repainted them, and bought a pair of hi-intensity headlights for it. I already have a list of over $700 worth of stuff to go along with the grille and related hardware. Can't wait to see what she will look like $20,000 from now...

...to be continued
11/23/04

UPDATE 2/23/05:

I have a donor vehicle!