This restored 1955 Ford F100 pickup was restored by the owner’s father, and came to the V8 Speed and Resto Shop for some upgrades to make it more enjoyable to drive.
The mid 1950s saw some evolution of the pickup truck, and this clean 1955 Ford F100 is a great example. In earlier years, trucks were sold purely as working machines. But as Americans enjoyed the prosperity of the 1950s, the automakers saw the need for trucks to offer comfort and style in addition to being able to clock an 8 hour day.
This handsome 2-tone ‘55 F100 came to visit the V8 Speed and Resto Shop for a couple upgrades after the owner’s father completed a full restoration on the truck. He pulled it out of a ditch and turned it into what you see here, doing some very impressive work. Since completion, it developed a couple leaks and the owner wanted us to add a power steering system from Classic Performance Parts to make this rig a bit easier to drive. We also added a new set of white whitewall tires.
The ‘55 F100s were sold as the “Money Makers” with “Triple Economy”, which included fuel efficiency, a large payload capacity, and the new “Driverized” cab equipped with conveniences to allow the driver to save time and reduce fatigue, thereby doing his best work, according to Ford. We suppose that makes sense.
This one features a later 292 cubic inch Ford “Y” block V8 engine in place of the standard “cost clipper” 118 HP straight six. In ‘55, Ford named the optional V8 the “Power King”, which was 239 cubes and boasted 132 horsepower and 215 lbs. ft. of torque. The 292 in this truck dates to 1959, but looks just like an original ‘55 Power King, but with a few more of the King’s horses to pull it along.
These are good engines, with wedge-shaped combustion chambers, overhead valves, and a short stroke to ease long-term fatigue on internal parts.
Inside, the “Driverized” cab looks mostly original with a big puffy green seat and thin, large diameter steering wheel. There’s heat for comfort, and a 2-50 A/C system – when both windows were rolled down on the highway. The only deviation from stock is the addition of a digital dash display and the 8-ball shifter on the 3-speed manual transmission.
The Meadow Green and Black 2-tone paint scheme looks great, and the wide whites, matching rims, and polished caps provide just enough accent to keep it visually interesting. The red in the badges is like a cherry on top.
It’s a great driving truck, and we’re happy for the owners to have a family heirloom to drive and enjoy as they create more memories for years to come. If you’ve got an old car or truck that could use some love, you can reach us at v8speedshop.com and we’re happy to help keep it on the road!
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