Frame Up Restored F100 Pickup 292 V8 3 Speed Manual

Few vehicles in the storied American pickup history carry such significance as Ford's F-series platform. It continues to dominate the market and has stood as the best-selling truck in America for over 32 years! With that in mind, the classic truck market has never been hotter. Don't believe us, take a look at recent auction results and see what classic trucks are bringing at auctions these days. Highly customized trucks are becoming staples at car shows and even in our showroom. But once in a while we get to lay our eyes on a restoration like this 1954 Ford F100 that only has minor changes made to this classic piece of American pickup history.

When you're contemplating building an old pickup truck, this 1954 Ford F100 could be the near perfect template. It starts with a laser straight body, stock interior, and features a few mechanical upgrades to make it worthwhile on today's roads. If you like the look and love how the old pickups cruise then this might be the truck for you.

Starting with a laser-straight North Carolina truck, the restorer went over every square inch of sheetmetal and painstakingly massaged it to produce the results we see today. Covered in a factory correct code A Raven Black Paint, the truck looks incredible with no signs of blemishes anywhere. At the front of the body, a white painted grille accents the raven black paint very nicely. In the center of the grille, a chrome V8 emblem is flanked by the two huge headlights on either side. At the start of the hood you have a period correct Ford emblem that features a small gear on a red backing behind a lightning bolt. Make your way down the hood and fenders and you'll notice the Ford F100 chrome badging, and the stepside rear fenders give it an old-fashioned look that's immensely appealing. The bed of the truck is made up of the warm wood floor that is separated by chrome trim that creates an incredible look in the bed.

The F100 originally left the factory with an 112hp 239ci V8. However, Lift the massive black hood and you'll see how the build team opted for a slightly larger 292 cubic inch V8 version. At the top of the engine, a chrome Ford Motorsport air cleaner works better than the original oil bath unit and lives atop a 2-barrel Holley carburetor. The engine, intake, and Ford stamped valve covers are all painted in red and look fantastic against the black engine bay. One unique feature is how the left side header actually exits out in front of the engine and wraps over and joins the right header. In front of the Ford power plant is a massive radiator that is responsible for cooling the engine.

Underneath the F100, the chassis is quite stock, the truck utilizes leaf springs on the front and the rear, so it has that old pickup ride quality. The builders did decide to upgrade the truck with recent tube shocks to help with the bumps. You will also notice that bolted to the block is a 3-speed manual transmission. Spent gasses travel through a single exhaust tube and exit out the back of the truck. The entire truck sits on Cream-colored steel wheels with Ford hubcaps and trim rings that have been wrapped in staggered 205/75/15 front and 235/75/15 rear black-wall radials to complete the blue-collar look.

Open the door and an all-black Ford pickup interior greets you. It might not sound like much, but it's immaculately done. The reproduction vinyl seat cover duplicates the factory patterns. Rubber mats and steel door panels continue the basic theme, but the execution is what grabs your attention. Factory gauges still live in their trapezoidal instrument panel, but modern Auto Meter dials down low keep an eye on the engine. An AM/FM/cassette stereo was neatly installed under the dash with hidden speakers in the kick panels, so there was no cutting or hacking of the original sheetmetal, and that original Ford heater is still fully functional. Three-on-the-tree shifting retains that vintage feel while you're going down the road, but the tight build means the truck doesn't feel as old as it looks.

Highly custom classic trucks have their place in the marketplace, but so do pieces like this 1954 Ford F100. Beautifully restored, this F100 carries a very low price tag for what you are getting with it. It's true, the classic truck market has never been better, and a classic like this 1954 Ford F100 are a testament why. It doesn't get much better than having a truck with a historic look and an upgraded power plant. This '54 Ford F100 is equally capable to enjoy a Sunday drive with or take home local car show awards with.