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EFV-8 Club Forum / Light Commercial Truck Discussion / advice on buying a 50 f1

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Discussion Topic: advice on buying a 50 f1 -- page: 1 2

bkewin

12-06-2011 @ 11:32 AM

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Hi,
This is my first post here. I'm looking at a 1950 f1 with the 3spd crashbox on the floor and a original 239. I've never seen this but the pictures look ok. He hasn't licensed it in 3 years but says it is a good driver.
I plan to check compression and vacuum, and to try and drive it. I mostly know my way around a wrench but I have never owned a flathead of any kind.
Any suggestions on how to assess this truck before I buy it?

Thanks,

Bill

supereal

12-06-2011 @ 12:08 PM

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After years in the hobby, I have two criteria to follow: the vehicle must be running, and have a current title in the name of the seller. Unless these two conditions can be met, it is better to look elsewhere. I learned that lesson long ago the hard way.

37RAGTOPMAN

12-06-2011 @ 4:59 PM

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take a creeper with you make sure the frame is solid as well ,take a good look at it from the bottm, for oil leaks, worn parts, jack it up and check the front end for looseness,
remember anything you find, can reduce the cost,when you hagle over the price,
look a the fenders F and R also from the inside and look for welds, plastic.or where dents were from the outside,
and filled it, these truck rusted out the front fenders
to the inside of the headlights,were it catched dirt,
TAKE your time ,
hope this helps, 37RAGTOPMAN
I have a front end and complete rear end, if want for extras. PM me,.

bkewin

12-06-2011 @ 8:49 PM

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thanks guys, great suggestions. i hadn't thought to feel inside the fenders.looking for play in front end is good too. thanks supereal for the particulars about the title.

trjford8

12-08-2011 @ 8:00 AM

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In addition to the other good advice check the cab corners and floor pans. If the heater leaked there can be rust problems on the passenger front floor pan. If the drains in the cab corners plugged up from dirt there is a tendency for the corners to rust out.If the truck has been sitting for you need to check the brakes for leaks and frozen wheel cylinders. The sheetmetal is the most important part of the truck. Take your time and examine it closely. It's a buyer's market and there are some good deals out there.
I have been looking at a similiar truck. It has new paint and allegedly has a rebuilt motor. It's been sitting for awhile and is not currently registered. I haven't seen it yet, just photos, which can be very deceiving. I drove several hours yeasterday to look at a 40 pickup. Looked great i the photos. I spent about 10 minutes looking at it and left. The best part of the trip was the lunch I had on the way home and then telling my wife how much money I saved!

51f1

12-08-2011 @ 8:22 AM

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Find a truck that is as complete as possible. Look for rust around the rear bottom of the cab and around the bottom of the front fenders and where the fender extensions are attached. The piece between the front bumper and the fenders called the lower grille also traps moisture and will rust from the inside. Also the floor forward of the seat and up the the toe board rusts and the corners and bottom of the doors. These trucks were designed and built with little or any thought given to rust prevention. The less rust the better, of course. But rusted metal can be replaced. You have to decide how much work you want to do.

The front-end can be easily rebuilt, so, if you like the truck otherwise, don't let a worn front-end stop you.

All of the hydraulic brake parts are available.

To me, a "crash box" is an unsynchronized transmission. Ford's 3-speed standard equipment transmission on the F-1 was was synchronized. The optional heavy duty 3-speed was also synchronized. The optional 4-speed on the F-1 was not synchronized.

If the truck is for sale in Georgia, there will be no title as they weren't required in 1950, and the state will not issue one. The thing to look for in Georgia is the proper tag registration in the owner's name.

Richard

This message was edited by 51f1 on 12-8-11 @ 8:23 AM

bkewin

12-08-2011 @ 12:40 PM

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wow thats good news. I only know what i've read about this and somewhere read there were no synchros on these.
That'll make the wife happy as she'll want to drive it now. I'm going to take a look this saturday. I saw a real sweet looking one on ebay yesterday, just 5 miles up the road but I don't want to (can't) pay for a museum piece when what I want is something to run back and forth from the big box to the garden center and home. Thanks so much everbody for the good advice and encouragement. we are 30 minutes east of dallas. Fellow has a clean title but i'll be checking it against the frame and cab numbers. Apparently that frame number matters here.

Bill

trjford8

12-09-2011 @ 6:50 AM

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The frame number on the F-1 will be on top of the right frame rail near the front crossmember. You should also find it on the metal tag on the inside of the glove box door.This tag is mounted withscrews, so it is missing on occasion.

bkewin

12-10-2011 @ 2:06 PM

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well, I never got around to looking at the title.
for 6200 its probably a good buy for someone. Not sure if thats me. I'm 54 not 34. I think the panels are all original. uniform surface rust on the underside of everything but really pretty straight. a couple of dings and things that could be hammered out of the hood. Hood was best part. cab pretty solid the back corners... the seams were rusty and i'm not sure how to correct that. paint is ...well doesn't appear to be original color and needs a lot of work. Top right front and back corners of the cab had some amateurish hammer work. I'm amateur and would have done a hundred times better. Frame was surface rusty but solid. running board supports will last another 60 years. Boards could use a little hammer and sand, but not bad. Floor pan was gone really someone had cut the rusty parts out and then just laid in a replacement pan so far as I can tell. Pretty crudely done. original seats with two tone vinyl replacement cover. original jute/ burlap on the back and bottom only 1/4 rotten. Fenders, I got up in em and there was not a wrinkle to be found. plenty of surface rust but no wheres near thru. zero bondo . bed was dinged and banged up as you'd expect. doors had bondo, amatuer in the front bottom corners. doors closed but need rubber and latches rebuilt/replaced. no rear bumper. bed wood was solid but no end cap. at the back of the bed, the metal could use some work, cut away a bit rather than repaired, in the slots where the wood meets the side.
drivers side door glass cracked. Only 1 wiper works. don't know enough to say if the broke one is aftermarket. newish rubber floor mat. newish composition (paper fiber?) fire wall mat. There was a wierd cut in the left side of the tranny crossmember. it looked like it had rusted thru, maybe a bad torch job? very weird as no where near enough rust to have caused that anywhere else. no headliner or anything. a radio mounted in the 60's but mounted in some kind of replacement speaker panel. no damage to the dash because of it. glove box tag in place but d*mn*d if I could make the number out. oh yeah, gas tank looked great.
Mechanically, it started. it has an electronic fuel pump. mech pump still in place but I couldn't tell if the push rod was there or not. fuel filter at the carb. carb didn't seem to have ever been touched. Needs rebuild
CARburaTER I'm guessing its a carter? holly half barrel maybe. sorry. beastie started. stock 239 aftermarket welded in line dual glasspacks. kick ass burble out back. really sweet. If she was a girl i'd have kissed her. took a while to start and an assist from a squeeze bottle of gas. didn't measure the vacuum but with the can off I had to hand choke her and she liked to suck my glove off. Momentary knocking at the back but once going she idled ok. took a while to get there though. 4 minutes of throttle games. Oil pressure hung in at 40 lbs cruising near 50.
If this 3 speed is synchro'd either they are gone or all the juice is out of the box. classic double clutch job to keep from grinding, especially when trying to downshift. baby didn't like down shifting. She had brakes but they were a bit temperamental. first time they agreed to engage though only 1 of 4 was in the mood. This would not have been an issue if it hadn't cocked the front wheels 45 degrees left before the steering wheel reported that to me. Interesting little diversion into the far lane. tragic if we hadn't been 40 miles out of town on a 1 1/2 lane blacktop. I expected a little front end slop. I expected to put a g into brakes. I just didn't feel safe driving this beast home and that is the kind of thing I need. something I can drive home and make use of while I go about bringing her back or least stabilizing the decay. This truck is on hemmings in the f1 section. I didn't do a compression test but she motors along. speedo shot. all guages shot. probably since the 12 v conversion. dumb a$$. I'd give the guy 5 grand all day but he seems intent on 6. Am i Nuts? am i going to walk away from something i'll regret for the rest of my life?
How do folks stabilize the rust? I've used tannic acid before an brake drums and things. turns a pretty black color and seems to lock rust in or de oxydize it. whatever it does. Is this stuff suitable for this undercarriage rust? how about for the sheet metal joins/seams etc? oh yeah, the rear main was shot, or at least thats what I'd say about any other v8. bottom of tranny covered in oil, motor oil.
so front end rebuild, brake job. rear main, speedo all necessary, maybe a 9" axle aasy out back. stabilize the rust..... worth 6200?

thanks,

Bill

This message was edited by bkewin on 12-10-11 @ 2:15 PM

trjford8

12-10-2011 @ 8:07 PM

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In my opinion at $6200 I would keep right on looking for a better truck. Your description sounds like it needs a total rebuild from front to back. The rusted floor pan would definitely deter me and I'll bet there is rust that you cannot see some where in that cab.
If you are new to this hobby I would be patient and look for truck that you can start driving now, not 5 years from now. It might cost you more money now, but it will save you lots of money and time down the road.JMHO

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