The 1950s Ford F100 market is out of control right now. The old gentlemen who grew up around these things are spending big bucks trying to have the best of the best. This bad boy we just found is a 1953 Ford F100, so it’s not the perfect year, but a special V8 engine under its hood ensures that it’s worth every penny.
At $149,900, it’s not the most expensive F100 we’ve seen going on sale with Vanguard Motors. Maybe that has something to do with the year, as collectors seem to prefer the styling (and wrap-around windshield) of the 1956 model.
Either way, this is the second-generation F-series and the first to wear the F100 name, since Ford expanded to three numbers that year. So the half-ton F1 became the F100. Some say that the decision was influenced by the arrival of the F-100 Super Sabre fighter jet.
Regardless, the 1953 to 1956 just have a special design flair to them, which screams “classic truck” like no other model. But they didn’t look this good. In fact, this F100 looks like it secretly wants to be a Shelby Cobra; it’s got the right paint and engine, but no stripes, which might offend some buyers.
For 1953, Ford sold this truck in Glacier Blue, Flamingo Red, Fern Mist Green Seafoam Green, Polynesian Bronze, Cobal Flame, Timberline Green, and Cascade Green. But this looks more like the metallic grey you’d see on Mustangs and Cobras. In fact, it looks like the same color as the Shelby Cobra on the new seasons of Cobra Kai, if anybody’s noticed that.
The 53 truck came with a V8, of course
They even put that in the design of the grille. But we’re generally talking about smaller Y-blocks that made between 140 and 170 hp in that era. Many F100 restomods opt for a 351W upgrade, which is a bulletproof engine, but this Shelby-themed truck has something special.
Pop the hood and you’ll notice a 427SR, the Roush crate motor making 510 horsepower. While this is not exclusive to the Shelby Cobra, it’s so often found under the hood of the 1960s roadster icon that you can close your eyes and recognize it based on the sound. Wouldn’t it be cool to have Cobra exhausts coming out through the fenders?
This old truck comes with everything you’d expect from a muscle car restomod. The 427SR has Roush aluminum heads, forged rods and pistons, a Holley 4150 carburetor, Edelbrock Performance RPM dual-plane intake, and a sexy tig-welded aluminum fuel cell. A 4-speed sends power to the 9-inch Ford rear end which rests within custom suspension components. No old-fashioned leaf springs here!
US Mag 19 and 20-inch wheels give it a mean look and come with 245/45 Goodyear Eagle tires on all corners. Behind those sit the obligatory brake upgrades from Wilwood, with 6 pistons at the front.
Besides the immaculate all-steel bodywork, the other major selling point is that interior. It’s all-black, from the roof to the seats, with some aftermarket gauges giving it a 1960s hot rod feel.
