SOLD! LOT 52 – 1948 RHD FORD F1 CUSTOM PICKUP
1948 RHD Ford F1 Custom pick up
HIGHLIGHTS: – Full ground up custom build – Converted to right hand drive – Custom body work with 60mm roof chop – Built Ford 429ci big block V8 engine – Rebuilt C4 automatic transmission – Series 2 Jaguar independent suspension all round – Four-wheel power disc brakes – Custom interior trim with air conditioning – Power windows and one piece glass – 18/20” Detroit Steel Wheels Artillery wheels.
This 1948 F1 pick up has been through a complete ground up custom build into a one-off custom pick up truck. The truck was purchased as an unfinished project listed on Los Angeles Craig List in 2017. Upon arrival back to Australia, they are never as described and work done to original chassis was substandard. The same applied to some of the work on the cab. Not wanting to settle, the decision was made to pull it apart and start again.
Another chassis was located in Victoria which happened to be a Ford Australia F7 chassis with chassis number from 1948 production. Hence chassis number commencing APB ( Australian Production Built) They vary slightly to the US chassis and do not have the spread wings at the front of the chassis just rails ending. The chassis is also slightly heavier material. The Australian chassis was repaired, straightened, boxed, K framed and stepped. The original rear section of the chassis was retained that had a tow bar welded to it. Pick up rides on fully rebuilt Series 2 Jaguar Front & Rear Independent suspension. Rear suspension is ride and height adjustable with AVO shock absorbers. Of note is that both front and rear suspensions are “Bolt in” and as such if engine sump needs removing it is only a matter of dropping the front suspension out rather than pulling the front off the truck and engine out. The same applies to rear for any differential or rotor replacement. It’s the serviceability Jaguar intended in their design. Chassis work including mounting Jag front and rear suspensions was carried out by Camden County Customs in Smeaton Grange, NSW.
All panels on the pick up are original Ford steel including running boards. Only the bed sides are reproduction with the original 48 bed sides having swage lines, the only year they did this. The roof of the cab had typical bullet holes and a spare roof came with the truck so the decision was made to give the cab a slight roof “chop” of 2 ½” when replacing the turret. Cab was converted to Right Hand Drive with swages in original instrument cluster carried across to the passenger side. Blinkers front and rear are Jaguar XK 140 items. There are a couple of tricks externally with the ‘Super Duty embossed into the rear of the cab taken from an F350 tail gate and third brake light mounted about the rear window. The rear features a neat roll pan including recessed number plate and flip down tow hitch access.
Some 360 hours went into repairs prior to paint prep. The decision to keep the original panels was one that required a lot of work. Reproduction ones just do not fit well and the metal is thinner than original. In keeping the pick up being all Ford, it is painted in DeBeers Ford Washington Blue in 2pak and clear coat. The colour has been slightly tinted from original to reflect a higher shine. To complete the look on the outside, the pick up rides low on Detroit Steelies (Mob Steel) Artillery wheels measuring 18 x 8” Front and 20 x 9.5” Rear which were colour co-ordinated to the grille. The center caps are sourced from a 48-50 Ford spinner in keeping with the year of the pick up.
Inside cab you will find a top of the range TMI split bench seat from the US. You will not find another truck with this seat and its distinct colours and design fits this cab perfectly with plenty of foot and headroom. An adjustable tilt collapsable column holds a Con2R leather bound steering wheel. The trim also includes full door cards, velour headlining and floor carpeting complete package. Dynamat was installed all inside the cab prior to the interior going in. The one piece glass side windows are electric and actuated by the window crank handles. Instruments are Classic Instruments and old school Stewart Warner gauges. Pick up is fitted with a min 2 speed wiper motor, electric brake controller for towing, phone USB charger and cig lighter. The air conditioning unit sits behind where glovebox would be located and a Classic Instruments clock was fitted in the dash. A 7” touch screen head unit is hidden behind original radio grille. All glass was remade to AS standard and is marked accordingly.
The owner believed that pick ups should have Big Block power as originally designed as a work truck. He is also a strong believe of staying on brand and putting a Ford engine into a Ford truck. As engineering in NSW only allowed a capacity of 7L the engine was themed around a Ford 429 (7L) Super Cobra Jet however actual capacity after build is closer to 472ci. The engine build features set of Trick Flow aluminium cylinder heads, Edelbrock Torquer manifold, 750 cfm Holley Street Avenger, MSD Dizzy and Comp Cams box, mild street Comp Cams Roller camshaft 270H and 1.8 ratio Roller rockers, Probe pistons and rods, 460 crank, all balanced and ARP hardware. Sanderson pipes with a full 2 ½” stainless steel exhaust system makes for a very strong torquey street engine and reasonable fuel economy. The engine work was completed by Flood Automotive Moorebank NSW.
Engine is kept cool thanks to a Copper/Brass US Radiator 4 core triple pass unit and SPAL electric fan. The owner tells us it has never run hot with this setup. Air con uses Compaq Vintage Air with a condenser from a 1969 428 Mustang. It should be noted that the system is currently not charged. The engine is paired to a late model, pan fill, Ford C4 automatic transmission just recently being upgraded by Griffiths Automatics at Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast. Mods included Raybestos clutch pack with extra clutch, partial roller some internals, Stage 2 shift kit, upgrading the planetary set, hub and drum, billet servo, modifying and re-brazing the 2000rpm stall converter. The transmission has travelled less than 150kms since upgrade. The Jaguar diff is a 3.37 ratio which seems to be a well-suited all-round ratio for an automatic car. The brakes utilise J hook Front rotors with slotted rears and VT Commodore brake booster is recessed into the fire wall and supplied by a Commodore vacuum pump via vacuum tank mounted under right front guard.
All the little details, mechanicals, assembly of cab, body, guards, pick up bed etc were performed by the owner and a good friend Brian Crockett. Build time start to finish including Engineering and 1st registration was 2 years with an additional 9 months after that to tear it down , repair, paint and re-assemble. The Pick up has been displayed at Sydney Hot Rod and Custom Expo and a number of other events in NSW and QLD picking up a number of awards each time. It is also fully engineered in NSW and LH10 plated for QLD.
FOR SALES OR REGISTRATION ASSISTANCE PLEASE CALL LOCKY MCCANN ON 0403 935 488 SEVEN82MOTORS Classics, Lowriders & Muscle Cars are based on the Gold Coast, Queensland and offer some of the most sought after cars in Australia.
Located at 2 Palings Court, Nerang on the Gold Coast. Inspections by appointment during auction and public openings/viewing as advertised.
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