Crimson and Clover: 1947 Ford Truck Restoration Project, $2500

After an accidental one-week absence, Vintage Truck Friday Night has returned. Today, we have a 1947 Ford truck with a color scheme reminding the author of a popular oldies song.

This 1947 Ford pickup project's mixture of red, green and red-oxide primer paint colors got that good old song Crimson and Clover by Tommy James and the Shondells going in my head, so that title became the heading of this post.

The truck is in better than average condition for a well-used 63-year-old truck, and appears complete with the exception of the gearshift knob, original bumpers and taillights, the tailgate and passenger's-side inside door handle, all of which are readily available in reproduction form. Oddly, all four hubcaps are still present despite the shift knob and inside door handle being gone, considering that they could easily have been stolen or destroyed in its long existence. There appears to be little rust, although Bond-O and riveted sheetmetal patch panels may be issues here. The styling of these trucks is very nice, and this appears to be an easy project. The flathead V8 is still present, but no word on whether it runs. The transmission is said to be a 5-speed, but is probably a 3-speed or a 4-speed and erroneously called a 5-speed due to that configuration's ubiquity in sporting and economy cars today and/or the owner not knowing the gear configuration. One thing's for sure about the transmission, it's definitely a manual. The period-correct aftermarket turn signals add safety while keeping the truck's appearance close to how it might have looked when new. The price of $2500, the simple nature of early V8 (1932-48) Ford engineering, and the large variety of reproduction parts make this an attractive proposition for restoration, especially for a novice or someone looking for a straightforward project.

Find this project here in Chewelah, Washington:

http://spokane.craigslist.org/cto/1559350874.html

Pint-Size Utility Vehicle: 1958 Crofton Bug, $3500

  The Crofton Bug was the final series-production version of the moderately successful Crosley car and truck lineup, which was originated in 1939 by radio, TV and appliance magnate Powel Crosley, Jr. The Crosley range started with two-cylinder light cars and a couple of delivery wagons with similar styling, underpinnings and mechanicals, that managed to pull off the daunting task of being both cute and ugly at the same time. 

After World War II ended, Crosley introduced an all-new line of light cars, this time with more conventional styling, a four-cylinder overhead-cam engine and a cute quarter-ton pickup truck available with two styles of cargo bed. Unfortunately, the postwar Crosley range was beleaguered by competitors from the UK and Continental Europe, such as the Austin A40, Fiat Topolino, British Ford Anglia and Prefect, and of course, the Volkswagen Beetle, all of which were more practical and (comparatively) better equipped, not to mention more reliable thanks to the fact that none of them had an engine block made of welded sheet metal that developed unrepairable pinholes within a very short time.

Even with the addition of a conventional cast-iron engine block and crankcase and a sports car available with or without doors to take on the sports-car market leader of the day, the MGTD, the Crosley was seen as little more than an oddity to most people, who went on to buy either conventional American cars or the European small sedans and sports cars that were highly popular in the days before people bought Hyundais, Kias, Scions and Daewoos as low-priced new cars. Crosley's last new product before bowing out of the car business was the 1950 Farm-O-Road, which was essentially a miniature Jeep with the Crosley iron-block engine and a full line of accessories suited to everything from the duties of farmers, ranchers and golf-course greenskeepers to tops, rear seats and side curtains intended to turn the Farm-O-Road into something similar to a car.

This Crofton Bug is essentially a Crosley Farm-O-Road in every way but its name and dealer network, is complete except for stock wheels and belly pan, and is very restorable. Crofton Bugs were produced from the mid-1950s to early-1960s, and are quite sought after by collectors and enthusiasts. Even with the 1990s-era wheels and ugly maroon paint, this Crofton makes the junkyard-like area in which the pictures were taken look better by de-emphasizing the Plymouth Acclaim and Ford Escort wagon rusting in the background.

Find it here, in Salem, Oregon:

http://salem.craigslist.org/cto/1515441379.html 

Vintage Truck Friday Night @ StreetShots

Tonight is our inaugural Vintage Truck Friday Night here at StreetShots, and we have some choice restorable classic haulers here for our first round of VTFN. 

Here is a 1947 Ford 2 1/2-ton C.O.E. (cab over engine) flatbed truck. It runs and drives, has a 1953 Mercury flathead V8 (the last and best-developed of the breed), has a working Eaton 2-speed rear axle, and has great potential as a project. More and more truck enthusiasts are turning to heavy-duty models such as this since the 1/2- and 3/4-ton pickups are becoming scarcer and more expensive. Unfortunately, these cabovers are also being street-rodded, and are unattractively cartoonish for the most part. A restored C.O.E. would attract a lot of attention at the car shows, and I see a nicely resto-modded 1956 Ford C.O.E. around Eugene during the summer months that could easily pass for a stocker. While I like this style of cabover, I'm holding out for a nice 1947-53 Chevrolet or GMC and more disposable income for my turn to restore a C.O.E.

Find this project, located in Republic, Washington and priced at a very reasonable $2,000, here:

http://spokane.craigslist.org/cto/1527673968.html 

As far as old trucks go, most people prefer Chevrolets, Fords or Dodges, with others favoring GMC, Willys, International, Diamond T, Reo or Studebaker. But one will have to look long and hard for someone who knows about and likes Hudson trucks. This 1937 Hudson Terraplane, with its art-deco styling and striking curves, has no bed, rear fenders, headlight lenses or title, but all those issues can be rectified, some more easily than others. No mention is made of mechanical condition, but it's logical to expect that the engine and other mechanicals need a complete overhaul and restoration. An original-style bed might be hard to find for this truck, but a flatbed, stake-bed or wooden box bed would also look great. This project is priced at a reasonable $1500, is located in Colville, Washington, and can be found here:

http://spokane.craigslist.org/cto/1505897283.html

I'm a sucker for a nicely and authentically restored Model A Ford, as well as for a nice vintage truck, be it a beater that's been thrashed around a farm or ranch since it was new or a perfectly restored museum piece. This 1929 Model AA Ford long-wheelbase flatbed is one of my favorite body styles on all As, and would be an excellent project. An extra engine is included, and the truck is purported to be solid and straight. The flatbed with "headache rack" may even be salvageable with new wood and a fresh coat of paint. The asking price of $1750 firm is more than reasonable, and the truck is located in Dayton, Washington. No word on whether the trailer is included, but odds are that the trailer isn't even for sale. This would be an excellent project for a father, grandfather, uncle or family friend to teach restoration and appreciation of classic cars to a child with, and Model As are both easy to work on and easy to find parts for, thus making them a great first antique car or truck project.

Find this truck here: 

http://spokane.craigslist.org/cto/1539514789.html