David and Kathy Villa own...
David and Kathy Villa own this sharp 1951 with blended candy flames enhanced by pearlescence. Gray tweed covers the interior including the headliner, and a flame pattern was sculpted into the door panels and headliner.
These flames stand out when...
These flames stand out when the all-steel tilt front end opens up. The 1956 is Ruby Red with flames in three shades of Pearl Pink. Power comes from a 351ci Cleveland, and the gray tweed interior features a Teas Design seat.
Here are three nicely restored...
Here are three nicely restored trucks that have been in families for a long time. Ken Anderson owns the 1960, which was his first vehicle. It was all stock then and remained so after a restoration in 1993. His brother Scott owns the two-tone 1956 that his dad bought in 1971. Scott got behind the wheel when he turned 16, then redid the truck in 1991. Bud Lehner owns the all-red 1956 that has been in his family for over 35 years, and it still has the original 272 V-8 engine, a small, round radio, and a speaker.
Fritz and Sandy Ruiz own this...
Fritz and Sandy Ruiz own this down-in-the-weeds 1956. Fritz bought the truck 42 years ago and has gone through it twice. This time the suspension features a Mustang II frontend and a Ford 9-inch rearend with a recently fitted Air Ride Technologies airbag kit all around. Compare the stance to the stocker behind it. Jerry Spears great-grandfather bought that 1954 model new in Stockton, Missouri, for $1,891.81, and the family has kept it in stock form since.
Dave and Francis Holmgren...
Dave and Francis Holmgren own this wild 1967 Pro Street machine. Its fitted with a built 289 V-8, a C4 tranny, and AMC Pacer front suspension. The tan interior features Recaro bucket seats and many custom billet aluminum parts.
Scott Andersons 1956...
Scott Andersons 1956 looks to have just been restored but was actually restored back in 1991. It still runs the 223ci straight-six thats stock right down to the old generator and Ford oil-bath air cleaner.
This fully redone 1953 came...
This fully redone 1953 came back to its roots. The truck was originally purchased by Knotts Berry Farm and was used around the property until 1983 when Walter Knott placed the ad, Must Sell for $1,85050,000 original miles. Today the truck is powered by a 325hp 302 V-8 with a Mustang II frontend and a 9-inch rearend.
Roger Polenskis dad...
Roger Polenskis dad bought this 1949 F-1 stake bed in 1972 and used it as an everyday driver until 1994, when father and son restored it. It has a stock flathead engine and has traveled twice to both Minnesota and Colorado for elk hunting. The flathead is still intact and looks even better than when it came off the factory line. This truck has always been a stake bed with long running boards and quarter rear fenders.
Heres a pair of nicely...
Heres a pair of nicely reworked red machines. Edd and Linda Stevens own the 1956 that runs a 350 Chevy and a turbo 350 transmission. Its fitted with a Volare torsion-bar IFS unit and a 9-inch Ford rearend. The interior was covered in gray leather including highback bucket seats. Dave Blix owns the 1955, also fitted with a Volare front end and dropped spindles. A 9-inch Lincoln rearend that comes with disc brakes was used along with a four-bar setup. Powering this one is a 351 Cleveland and FMX transmission.
Tom and Kim Lorenzs...
Tom and Kim Lorenzs bright-yellow 1936 has an extra feature in the bed: a really trick wood wagon with stake sides painted to match the truck. The wagons jacked-up suspension has been chromed and uses fatty tires. The inside of the cab and the custom bench seat are covered in gray tweed.
The engine compartment of...
The engine compartment of Ken Andersons 1960 model looks factory with the stock 292 V-8. We dont often see a fully restored 1960 long-wheelbase model, much less one so nice.
This is a well-preserved work...
This is a well-preserved work truck. Fred Smith owns this 1932 11/2-ton model fitted with a Budd Manufacturing bed. The manufacturers plate on the oak bed shows it to be a 08247-Z, 70x108-inch model that was built on February 12, 1932. The old Ford four-cylinder engine still powers this one, and it runs 6.50-20 tires with duals on the rear.
The wood bed on Fred Smiths...
The wood bed on Fred Smiths 1932 has an open compartment for stowing things like a rope, wheel chalk, and possibly a can or two of oil. The outside retainer is an old running-board luggage rack turned upside down.
This 1951 F-1 pickup is in...
This 1951 F-1 pickup is in very good stock condition with its original six-cylinder engine. Terry Winters has owned this mostly original truck for over two years and drives it daily.
The interior of Terry Winters...
The interior of Terry Winters 1951 is really nice and original down to the factory block-off plate, as no radio was installed in this one, and there never was a heater. The firewall has no extra holes, and the original cardboard interior covering is still in place.
This restored 1948 F-1 pickup...
This restored 1948 F-1 pickup is owned by Dick Staley. It was selected by Ford Motor Company for display at its 50th Anniversary of the F-150 light-truck event. Dick has an enlargement of the 50th Anniversary ad that Ford ran in magazines to herald the milestone. The truck has small oak stake side panels.
Chick Chicoines two-tone,...
Chick Chicoines two-tone, cream-colored 1950 F-1 drew lots of attention with a tricked out 460 V-8 and a built C6 transmission. The chassis was also totally reworked and fitted with a Mustang II IFS setup that uses a power rack. In the rear is a Lincoln Versailles 9-inch that comes stock with disc brakes. The tilt front end consists of stock steel pieces bolted together and operated by hydraulics.
This Ford event brought out...
This Ford event brought out some totally restored stock pickups like this one that did not list the owners name. The original paperwork showed it was built at the San Jose, California, plant and first sold in Santa Monica. Its a long wheelbase Custom Cab model that came with a 360 V-8 and a Cruise-O-Matic transmission.
For the past 15 years, Ford Motor Company has hosted the Fabulous Fords Forever show at Knotts Berry Farm in Buena Park, California. Ford public relations does a fine job of publicizing the free show to draw a large crowd of spectators, and Fords spokesperson Lindsey Wagner is always on hand to admire the cars and talk with the crowd. This year, Jay Leno stopped by too. This event is very popular with Ford owners, as it is the perfect place to show off their vehicles while the rest of the family goes inside the park to enjoy the rides. The largest contingent of the 1,500 vehicles on display are early Mustangs, but early trucks always make a strong showing in a variety of years and styles. Ford stages this event on either the second or third Sunday of April every spring, and its always a great Blue Oval day.