The classic Ford F-100 was proof that the country boy can survive. The seats were fixed, and you literally needed to have enough arm strength to steer it through uneven terrains. It's pretty much the story of most classic early pickup trucks. Henry Ford built his first pickup truck in 1903 and the rest was history. It wasn't until 1953 though, 50 years later, that Ford brought the F-100 to the market.
Whenever we see these kinds of trucks, we imagine a medium-built man with the wheel up against his chest as he serves as the truck's power steering. It also happens to be the signature driving position of the vintage Ford F-100s.
UPDATED April 2022: The iconic pick-up truck is the hardcore country strong whip. It's so iconic that the older models are still expensive to this day. While the F-100 went through the second generation to the seventh generation of the F-Series, it's the first three generations that are looked at the most by classic car collectors.
What You Need To Know About The Ford F-100
Pickup trucks are the working man's vehicle. It's what almost everyone prefers to drive in the US. The F-100 was created on the carmaker's new Economy Truck Line and was part of the second generation of the F-Series. Once it was launched, it became very successful. The F-100 was initially the 1/2 ton F-1 truck in the first generation.
These pickups were the picture of the rugged lifestyle of the rural areas of the country. It also had the power to show with its initial flathead V-8 and twin-I-beam front suspension. Although many versions of the car also featured inline-6 and straight-6 engines as well.
Later on, Ford adopted an industry-first aluminum bodywork and smaller turbocharged engines. Its two-door setup was a fixture all throughout.
The F-100 eventually became the most popular of all F-Series models as it became the ultimate vehicle for transporting, hauling, towing, and delivering goods. It also goes head-to-head with the classic Dodge Ram truck.
F-100 owners had soon gotten attached to the truck because of its quality and sentimental value. In fact, even today, some owners love the vintage design. Many car collectors consider the F-100 one of the best classic pickups to get their hands on and restore. Even custom car shops love to get their hands on this iconic machine and modify them heavily with performance parts.
Why The F-100 Is A Favorite For Car Restoration
Pickup projects are common. But for the F-100, people weren't building it for the off-road use. They were reinforcing it and adding present-day mods.
Finding a good F-100 model is hard these days, since these trucks are very old and hae been around since the 1950s. It's always the older generation models that get the most attention as well.
These workhorses may be hard to find, but you'll be surprised to know that most of them are already in restoration shops. Some of them are tuned to make modern era standards. In fact, Ford even came out with their own restoration of a 1978 F-100 as an all-electric restomod that came with 480HP and a 4WD setup from the Mustang Mach-E GT.
It's easy to modify old trucks because they lack the complex features of a modern-day vehicle. The usual mods you'll see on these vintage F100 bodies are under the hood and under its chassis. Of course, there's a bit of reupholstering and re-chroming to reimagine these cars as brand-new.
A simple Google search for custom Ford F-100s will lead you to a plethora of projects from restoration garages.
Which Ford F-100 Model Is The Best?
The value of vintage cars always comes from either the oldest or the most powerful. When it comes to the Ford F-100, it's always the oldest.
The most desirable models are the second generation 1953–56 Ford F-100s. It's not only among the Ford trucks of that era, but rather across all vintage trucks. It's also because of its storied history.
These F-100 models were the better versions of the postwar F-1 1/2 ton trucks. It was also because the first F-100 models were introduced for Ford's golden anniversary in 1953.
It was groundbreaking for the automaker as well. The F-100 wasn't popular for its bed capacity or practicality, but rather for its ergonomic design. The purpose is to make people understand that what a vehicle hauls in front matters too. The ergonomics for this truck are also pretty impressive considering it's from the 50s. Its comfort levels can stay up to par with trucks from the 80s and 90s as well.
Why Is The Second Generation F-100 So Expensive?
You might be able to find a few second and third generation models rotting away in a barn somewhere, but the majority of these trucks are already in the hands of classic owners or under restoration projects. Truck restoration projects take thousands of hours to complete. The F-100 can even take years to rebuild, especially if the owner wants it restored to bone stock.
Finding an F-100 model during those years is very rare. Restored models can go as high as $25,000 to $100,000 depending on how it is to be reconditioned.
Another expensive one is Icon's 1970 Ford F-100. The custom restored truck is valued at $400,000. Aside from body works and reupholstering, the truck was reinforced with a suspension that gave it off-road capabilities. Its engine was also swapped for a 5.0-liter, DOHC, 32-valve V-8.
The earliest F-100 models were priced just a little over $1,200. The nostalgia and durability that come with this truck have also brought up its market value.
So, the next time you think of investing in real estate, you may want to reconsider with a smaller piece of property like your own Ford F-100. Good luck finding one though.