Pick of the Day: 1954 Ford F-100 Pickup

Few custom builds can be defined as “spared no expense,” but this truck feels about as close as it gets.

The Pick of the Day is a restomod 1954 Ford F-100 pickup listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Salina, Kansas. (Click the link to view the listing)

The listing states, “This 1954 Ford F-100 has been family-owned since it was new. It was purchased new from the Ford dealership in Salina, Kansas on September 13, 1954, and the original bill of sale is still with the truck.”

Ford’s earliest foray into building pickups involved car-based engineering and underpinnings. It wasn’t until 1948 when the first-generation F-Series debuted as a light- and medium-duty truck on a unique chassis. This generation became known as Ford’s “Bonus-Built” lineup and was available in multiple different body styles and weight ratings.

Beginning in 1953, the truck moved into its second generation. Virtually everything about the truck was improved, including updates to payload capacity, available power-assisted brakes, the introduction of an automatic transmission, an improved turning radius, and a lowered hoodline. Designers again changed the grille in 1954, and the base engine was bumped to 115 horsepower.

That brings us to today’s feature truck, of which every nut and bolt of this truck has undergone painstaking replacement or refurbishment. The seller gives a little more backstory: “We started the restoration project in May of 2017 with disassembly. It was then moved to the builder in Salina January 6, 2018, and drove it out of his shop in May of 2019. Oddly enough, it was restored across the street from where it was purchased new 65 years prior.”

The build was a complete frame-off, with a piece-by-piece approach, and the truck has been driven just 725 miles since completion. The listing has an itemized accounting of the equipment used, and the fundamentals include a 347cid stroker V8 from Blueprint Engines which is fed by a Holley 650cfm carburetor. Torque is transferred rearward through a four-speed 700R4 automatic transmission, and the suspension, brakes, exhaust, wheels, and interior have all be upgraded to show-quality.

The side-exit exhausts crafted into the running boards are just one indication that there is something very special going on with this custom truck. The seller has provided a two-minute walkaround video with the truck idling, and the paint really pops in the sunlight.

Now for the bottom line: The price tag will probably give most readers a case of sticker shock. The seller is asking $141,500 for this completely overhauled F-Series. But let’s hear it in the comment section: For those of you who have taken on similar restoration projects, is this truck worth the coin?

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