Pick of the Day: 1952 Ford F-1

A restored fire chief vehicle

1
1966
1952 Ford F-1
1952 Ford F-1

It’s hard to miss a vehicle that’s painted Fire Engine Red, and even more difficult when it’s outlined in 24-carat gold leaf striping, auxiliary lights, and a siren. I stopped scrolling mid-page when I came across this F-1 on wide-whitewalls decked out in “Bear Creek Fire Department” livery.

The Pick of the Day is a 1952 Ford F-1 listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Houston, Texas. (Click the link to view the listing)

1952 Ford F-1
1952 Ford F-1

“Older restoration, exterior, interior, and engine rebuild in 2003,” the listing states. “Actual prior fire chief vehicle from small town New Hampshire. Came from his estate collection sale. Most recently shown at the Houston Concours event this past May with amazing interest.”

While the restoration work on this F-1 was carried out about two decades ago, it has been kept up over the years with some needed cosmetic and mechanical updates. The seller lists some of the recent work. “New tires 2020, new wood bed 2021, new period-correct rotating beacon 2022, new battery 2022, new water pump and fan bearings/belt pulley 2021.” 

1952 Ford F-1
1952 Ford F-1

This pickup is a fitting successor to my recent feature on the Saleen-upgraded F-150 as a way of illustrating just how deep America’s love of the Ford F-Series has been for over 70 years.

1952 Ford F-1
1952 Ford F-1

The F-Series first debuted in 1948, marking the first time car and truck design incorporated unique chassis architecture. There were many variants of that first F-Series, ranging from the light-duty F-1 all the way to a heavy-duty commercial-grade F-8 utility truck. The F-1 was assembled with a 6.5-foot bed, but this example has a custom extension added at the rear which provides a diamond-plate standing area used during parades as well as a location to showcase accessories like a fire extinguisher.

Under the hood lies a reportedly numbers-matching 239cid flathead V8 paired with a three-speed column-shifted manual transmission. “Everything works great and drives great,” the seller states. “Starts easy every time even with the original carburetor.”

While this vintage fire truck may not have the speed or agility of a modern version, its rarity and condition give it collector appeal. “No one can walk past this truck without a smile and excited comment,” the seller states.

The asking price is $34,900 for this eye-catching (and ear-catching, we presume) pickup truck, and the price includes four vintage fire extinguishers as well as a fire bell for the bed.

To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.

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Tyson Hugie
Tyson Hugie is a Phoenix-based automotive enthusiast who has been writing for The Journal since 2016. His favorite automotive niche is 1980s and 1990s Japanese cars, and he is a self-diagnosed “Acura addict” since he owns a collection of Honda and Acura cars from that era. Tyson can usually be found on weekends tinkering on restoration projects, attending car shows, or enjoying the open road. He publishes videos each week to his YouTube channel and is also a contributing author to Arizona Driver Magazine, KSLCars.com, NSX Driver Magazine, and other automotive publications. His pride and joy is a 1994 Acura Legend LS coupe with nearly 600,000 miles on the odometer, but he loves anything on four wheels and would someday like to own a 1950 Buick Special like his late grandfather’s.

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