Neat little F-1 pickup that’s 100% Ford. Beautiful paint and bodywork, comfortable bucket seat interior. 302 cubic inch V8 with automatic. Power steering, 4-wheel disc brakes. A cool pickup that’s fully sorted and ready for the next run!

For reasons we don’t quite understand, Ford pickups of this era seem to lag behind their Chevy counterparts in terms of value. That’s good news for you, however, because this slick 1949 Ford F-1 pickup offers a lot of truck for the money. Nicely finished in what Ford fans might call Calypso Coral and GM guys could call Hugger Orange, it’s definitely not subtle. But the build itself doesn’t go over-the-top, resulting in a super clean truck that looks right, works right, and feels right. The cab, hood, and bed are steel, while the fenders are fiberglass, but you can’t tell without rapping your knuckles against it and the paint is really nicely done. There’s a deep gloss, great panel alignment, and someone clearly spent lots of time in the block sanding phase to get it as straight and wave-free as it is. Everything just fits together like it should and the doors close without the need for a hard slam. That’s not always easy to do. The chrome details look like new, including the grille, simple bumpers, and all the Ford stainless trim that really makes the truck sparkle. The bed itself is lined with freshly varnished oak planks, and you’ll note the gas filler cap is built into the bed floor. We especially like that they didn’t over-dress it with graphics or pinstripes that would make it look dated, so this cool little pickup will look awesome for years to come.

The tan interior is anchored by a pair of leather power bucket seats from a late-model, and everything else inside was tailored to match. Nice plush carpets with nicely stitched binding, custom door panels, and a beautiful headliner make this F-1 feel a lot more finished than many of its siblings. There’s a wood steering wheel on a chrome tilt steering column, so it’s easy to get comfortable, and the original dash was smoothed and painted to match the bodywork. A custom insert matches the shape of the factory gauges and includes all the necessary dials to monitor the engine, plus indicators for the turn signals and high-beams. Secondary controls are lower on the dash and a modern Pioneer AM/FM/CD/MP3 stereo head unit was neatly installed in the center. Other niceties include power windows, billet aluminum pedals, and a single windshield wiper, just for style points. Seat belts were also installed for safety.

The engine is a 302 cubic inch Ford V8, a refreshing change in a sea of Chevy-powered street rods. The 302 is torquey and reliable, making the right sounds for a truck with an attitude. It’s not complicated, featuring a 4-barrel carburetor, HEI-style ignition, long-tube headers, and a mild cam that gives it a cool idle but never gets fussy. There’s a massive aluminum radiator in front, backed by an auxiliary electric fan, and power steering and 4-wheel disc brakes are part of the package. The front suspension is a Mustang II setup with power rack-and-pinion steering, the dual exhaust system has mellow-sounding Magnaflow mufflers, and the C4 3-speed automatic clips through the gears without any fuss. We believe there are 3.00 gears in the rear end, which is a 9-inch Ford, and the truck is indeed a fantastic highway cruiser that’s a veteran of several long-distance road trips. Again, simple is better, and with leaf springs and tube shocks out back, ride quality is decent and the stance is exactly right. There’s a big stainless gas tank hanging in back and it sits on 16-inch Eagle alloys carrying 225/55/16 performance radials with lots of life left in them.

Extras include a full-sized spare tire with matching cover, some touch-up paint, a car cover, a spare power window regulator, and a wiring harness manual.

This truck hits a lot of the right notes. It’s user-friendly, has an awesome look, and it’s docile and reliable enough to be used every day. There’s easily twice the asking price tied up in the build, which was aimed at creating a truck that would be at home on the show field or on the road, and in that regard, I think they’ve succeeded. If you’re a Ford guy, you recognize what a value this truck represents, especially compared to its Chevy competition. If that works for you, give us a call today!

Harwood Motors always recommends and welcomes personal or professional inspections of any vehicle in our inventory prior to purchase.