What good is a 56 f100.

[4x4ord]

I came across an opportunity to buy an all original 1956 f100. The present owner has owned the truck since 1957. It has seldom been stored outside and still runs very well. It was used as a farm truck during it's early years and has never had any body work done to it... so it's got a few minor bumps and bruises. If I put money into it I'll want independent front and rear suspension, AC, 300 or so ponies under the hood... I'll want to do things right. In a way it seems a shame to hot rod an all original truck. I really don't know much about the cost of taking on a project like this but my guess is that if I hire out the work I'll end up dumping 70k into this truck by the time I'm done. Anybody with some knowledge on the subject want to share some pointers?

[camperdave]

Bird Freak wrote:
I was going to build a shop truck and got a little carried away.

Ah yes... familiar with that concept lol.

I like old cars and trucks. Stock is cool. hacked and abused is cool. Top dollar modern builds are cool. Do what you like, it's not for anyone else but yourself.

[hornet28]

^^^^:W

[NRALIFR]

I have the same answer for the “leave ‘em stock” guys that I do for the people who try to tell me I can’t cut my trees down.

:):)

[hornet28]

dodge guy wrote:

hornet28 wrote:
Why do so many haters think a rod or custom should be started using a piece of junk? The guy who help me build my cpe was fond of telling people we took about a teacup full of rust out of it

As has been said, they are only original once! If your going to chop one up and replace 70% of the sheet metal anyway you should just cut up a rust bucket!

You don't replace 70% of the metal with a good body. That's what you do with the rust bucket. You say they are only original once and that's correct. But using that logic a restored or even just repainted one really isn't original either nor is one with updated drivetrain but completely stock body

[Big_Katuna]

Anybody watch Bad Chad on Discovery channel?

That’s saving rust.

Cooler than Dangit!

[dodge_guy]

hornet28 wrote:
Why do so many haters think a rod or custom should be started using a piece of junk? The guy who help me build my cpe was fond of telling people we took about a teacup full of rust out of it

As has been said, they are only original once! If your going to chop one up and replace 70% of the sheet metal anyway you should just cut up a rust bucket!

[wilber1]

Older trucks are the easier to restore if you can find parts. Bare bones interiors with not much upholstery and hardly any chrome.

[Bird_Freak]

hornet28 wrote:
Why do so many haters think a rod or custom should be started using a piece of junk? The guy who help me build my cpe was fond of telling people we took about a teacup full of rust out of it

Nice ride!

[Big_Katuna]

I’m not a hater nor do I think you should start with piece of junk.

What I and a few others mean that if a car is in good to very good condition, esp with factory paint leave it stock. There are so few survivors around. They’re only stock once.

More and more Concours shows have added Preservation classes. Car collectors are paying more for clean original cars than perfectly restored cars.

If your intent is to do a lot of custom work on a car, start with one that has already been painted or already rodded.

[hornet28]

Why do so many haters think a rod or custom should be started using a piece of junk? The guy who help me build my cpe was fond of telling people we took about a teacup full of rust out of it

[patperry2766]

4x4ord wrote:
Thanks for the posts. That Belair is a beauty. The truck isn't advertised but I think the guy would be happy getting $2000 for it. Would that be a fair offer? I'll likely park it in the corner of a building for the next 5 years. It may make a fun retirement project. The problem is I hate the thought of spending more building it than what it would be worth to sell. I guess that's just the way it goes with hobbies.

From a financial point of view, many could argue the same about camping. $50K+ for a truck to pull a $50K+ RV to spend a few nights a year away from home. Realistically, the money a RV costs would buy a lot of nights in a motel. We choose to spend the money on a hobby or passion that we choose that brings us joy, pleasure and happiness...not necessarily what will bring us the greatest financial return on the money we invest in our hobbies.

I'd much rather be overpaying to have the opportunity to camp in places such as Yellowstone, Glacier and the mountains anywhere versus getting a motel room close to the action and take a chance of sleeping in someone else's filth.

[patperry2766]

For 2K, that's a no brainer. Buy it and sit on it. At that price you will NEVER loose a single dime and you might never be presented with the same opportunity again.

If the body/interior aren't in bad shape and has some good character and patina to it, you could probably do a power train upgrade and everything to make it a safe, reliable daily driver for probably around $10-15K, or less if you can do a
lot of the work yourself.

Something to think about. Years ago when I was in high school, I was in a vocational auto mechanics class. We always needed cars to work on for experience and a lot of the teachers would have us work on the car and it basically just cost them the money for parts. You might want to see if a program like that exists at the high school or junior college level anywhere near where you live.

Since you've got a few years till it becomes a retirement project, you can always start buying the parts now and amassing them. That way, it won't take such a big bite financially all at once.

[Bird_Freak]

ACZL wrote:
BirdFreak,

OMG !!!! That is BEAUTIFUL !!!!!

Thank you.

[ACZL]

BirdFreak,

OMG !!!! That is BEAUTIFUL !!!!!