Collectors of vintage Ford pickups often refer to the very rare '42 (pre war) and '45-'47 (post war) Ford pickups as the forgotten Fords simply because they've been buried at the bottom of the restorer's list of preferred pickups. They also have some questionable esthetics to the front end sheetmetal. However, there's an axiom that street-rod builders can make anything beautiful, or at least better looking.
Like many others, this particular '46 Ford pickup was also forgotten for decades in a farmer's field, where it sat weathering away until Robert and Doreen Nichols of Port Moody, British Colombia, Canada, decided to resurrect it. As you can see from our photos, they did more than resurrect the little teal hauler.
This truck's mild restoration took a decidedly different turn when Robert Nichols discovered the truck's engine was not original and the weathered patina of paint had protected the original body panels pretty well. Like most viewers, Robert felt the grille needed a modern redesign, and that was just the beginning of the many subtle changes.
Because demand for pickups was so great, the '45-'47 Ford cab is nearly identical to the pre-war '39-'41 Ford pickups. But the tacked-on vertical (waterfall) grille and two-piece front fenders are an interesting design change that captured the hearts of only a few Ford buyers. By 1948, the entire 1/2-ton pickup was redesigned.
Like most complete rebuilds, this makeover began with the chassis, where new framerails were fabricated from 2x5-inch rectangular tubing. New crossmembers and a Chrysler IFS were also added. Most every cab mount, bed mount, engine/trans mount, and bumper bracket was custom fabricated from front to rear. The attention to detail is exceptional throughout.
We can confidently say there has not been a finer example of a custom '46 Ford pickup in our viewfinders. The credit for a good deal of this quality craftsmanship belongs to builder Tim Kennedy and his talented crew at TKO Hot Rods in Maple View, British Colombia, Canada.
Over three dozen custom details were made to the cab, hood, fenders, and bed. Most importantly were the custom stainless steel grille, molded front fender seams, frenched headlights, custom running boards with spears, power cowl vent, shaved rain gutters, and smoothed firewall. Less noticeable but equally difficult modifications are the extended doors and cab corners that line up the door bottoms with the bottom of the modified bed sides. The cab roof seams and rain gutters were also filled and smoothed.
If that wasn't enough, the doors hinges were moved to the rear of the doors. Custom bear claw latches were added to the front of the doors. Electric window and door actuators were installed. The hood has been pie-cut, the vents were filled, and all the seams were smoothed. The list goes on and on.
As mentioned before, we've seen plenty of post-war Ford pickups, but none were as well constructed and modified with excellent design details as this almost forgotten '46 Ford. Everyone at TKO and all who participated can take pride in what was accomplished here. Check out the delightful details in our photos. CCT
The fit and finish of Robert's...
The fit and finish of Robert's pickup is exceptional. We're particularly impressed with the line up of the extended bed box side panels, roll pan, cab corners, and doors. The cab seams have been filled and the fenders modified slightly. All the stake pockets were welded and smoothed.
The immaculate 350ci V-8 engine...
The immaculate 350ci V-8 engine has plenty of polished aluminum and Edelbrock speed equipment added. Note the smoothed firewall and painted-to-match inner panels. A Turbo 400 trans sends power on to a '90 Thunderbird rearend.
The '50s-period-look interior...
The '50s-period-look interior is perfect with white tuck-'n'-roll upholstery. The pleated door panels and ribbed headliner are custom touches, as well as the added steering column drop and package tray under the dash.
The days of hauling hay and...
The days of hauling hay and other farm chores are over for this Ford. The custom bed floor features a Ford logo and white-washed planks.
A fuel filler door was fabricated...
A fuel filler door was fabricated into the driver-side rear fender. Fuel is contained in a custom stainless steel tank mounted at the rear of the chassis.
There's plenty of subtle metal...
There's plenty of subtle metal massaging in the rear area. The stake pockets were welded and smoothed to the bed side panels. Notice how the panels that cover the bumper brackets were shaped to neatly match the shape of the rear fender.
A Ford script logo was neatly...
A Ford script logo was neatly cut through the rear bumper to light up with the round '37 Ford brake lights.
A close inspection of the...
A close inspection of the tailgate reveals new hidden hinges and latches. The '40 Ford passenger car bumpers wear custom panels that cover the bumper brackets at the front and out back. Also notice how the '37 Ford taillight housings have been molded to the stake pockets.
Earlier models ('42 and '45)...
Earlier models ('42 and '45) had a chrome Ford script logo that was a bit fragile. For 1946, the Ford logo was molded into the side of the hood. This hood was modified with a 2-inch pie-cut, then all the seams were welded and smoothed.
American Racing Torq-Thrust...
American Racing Torq-Thrust IIs were mounted at the corners -- 17x7-inch front and 20x8-inch at the rear. BFGoodrich radials, sizes P215/40R17 front and P245/40R20 rear, wrap around the popular five-spoke wheels. Creatively designed flames were painted by TKO's Tim Kennedy.
Bob sits behind the steering...
Bob sits behind the steering wheel, but tells CCT that his wife Doreen has taken a much greater interest in the pickup now that it's finished. She might even let Bob drive it once in a while.
White-face RPM gauges were...
White-face RPM gauges were set in the smoothed stock dash painted to match the exterior. A panel was added below for a modern stereo system. Notice the painted windshield frames, a change from earlier Ford pickups.