Tuesday 27 December 2016

Ford F-100 Buyer Guide - Crown Auto & Fleet Services

Although they were never fast or exciting when new, never the stuff of kids' dreams, they were always there, in the background of life. Transporting, hauling, towing, delivering. Working. Long before trucks became leather-lined status symbols with designations like "Denali" or "King Ranch," real trucks endeared themselves as faithful, purposeful companions.

Now these humble trucks have become covetable. Pickups rolled off assembly lines by the millions, but most were run hard and put away wet, just like the horses they replaced. So finding a good vintage truck today is, in many cases, harder than finding good cars of the same era, even though production numbers would lead you to think otherwise.

Among the most desirable of vintage trucks are the 1953–56 Ford F-100s. Effies, as they're called, were the evolution of Ford's postwar F-1 Bonus Built half-ton trucks. Introduced for Ford's golden anniversary in 1953, F-100s were groundbreaking not for what they could haul in their beds but for how they hauled what was in front—people. They were the first trucks designed with ergonomics in mind. Ford invested millions to create its "Driverized" cab, going so far as to use a life-size mannequin known as the Measuring Man. It wasn't just marketing hype; this was a truck with comfort on par with passenger cars of the day. The F-100 also had a much larger greenhouse than its predecessor and a stylish exterior. A milestone vehicle if there ever was one.
Ford F-100


Today, the best part about these second-gen F-series trucks, aside from their great looks, is their usability: They can operate comfortably at highway speed, with reassuring brakes and surprisingly competent handling, and still feel livable inside, even if they lack King Ranch creature comforts.

The challenge, of course, is finding a good one. "Imma gonna buy that there new pickup and store it away as a collectible," said no truck buyer, ever. So over the years, despite my appreciation for Effies, I never found an example that wasn't hot-rodded beyond recognition, "restored" with no regard to authenticity, or simply treated like a work truck for 60 years.

Until, that is, I stumbled upon this unrestored 1955 F-100 Custom Cab at a local car show and swap meet. It still had its factory power train—a 239-cubic-inch Y-block V-8 paired to a column-shift three-speed manual transmission with optional factory overdrive (a superslick unit, functioning on all gears, with a nifty freewheel feature).

The unrestored interior was flawless. But it had a big plus above all that: Its paint, also original, was Mountain green, a dead ringer for my wife's favorite color. And her birthday was the next day. So, can you guess my excuse for dragging this sweet old F-100 home?

Originality: Unmodified original trucks are exceedingly rare, making them the collector's choice. The values reflect this. Decent but incorrect drivers trade in the $15,000 to $30,000 range, while impressive original or properly restored stock examples have sold for two times that or more and are on the rise.


six-cylinder



Guts: A six-cylinder was standard for 1953, and a 239 flathead V-8 was optional. For 1954, Ford's new Y-block eight-cylinder, the company's first modern overhead-valve engine, replaced the flathead as the top engine choice in various displacements. This engine gets a bad rap for oiling-system problems, much of it well deserved. A lack of oil changes will lead to plugged oil galleys that will then starve the top end of oil, literally running the valvetrain dry. An external feed kit was the period fix. Nowadays, Y-block specialists make internal modifications to increase the volume of oil to the top end, and modern detergent oils rarely coke up oil galleys. 1953 was the first year for the optional Fordomatic transmission. A variety of manual transmissions were also available.

Stuff you can hide, if you must: Bolt-on upgrades are abundant and easy to reverse if needed. Electronic ignition, power brakes, better starting and charging systems, radial tires, and the like go a long way toward driving enjoyment without diminishing value.

Vital info: Inside the glove-box door or driver's doorjamb of any F-100 should be a data tag indicating the truck's original color, engine, transmission, and rear-axle ratio. Make sure the tag's serial number matches the one stamped on the truck, as data plates do get changed—sometimes in an effort to deceive.

Easy to restore: Effies, like most old trucks, are as basic as vehicles can get. Almost every part on them is readily available, right down to correct upholstery. Assuming you start with good bones, a restoration of an F-100 can be a fun experience that has a good chance of not leaving you upside down financially.


Pick of the litter: Of the second-gen F-series trucks, the 1956 is by far the most desirable. Its one-year-only styling, particularly its wraparound windshield with vertical pillars, is instantly identifiable. Also, it was the first year for the 12-volt electrical system. As a result, a '56 will carry a 10 to 20 percent premium.

Source

Thursday 1 December 2016

Deciding Between A Diesel or Gas Truck

Diesels from the mid 2000's were noisy, they had obnoxious exhaust emissions, they vibrated and cost more money to build than a gas burning truck. Clearly they are made better today, but are they actually better than a gasoline engine? Each has their own good and bad points, and once again you will have to determine how and what you most use your truck for. Dodge Ram 1500 came out with the first ½ ton pickup in the US market with a diesel power option in 2013. Now we have the Chevy Colorado Canyon with a Duramax Diesel, and the Cummins powered 2016 Nissan Titan XD. It is rumored that Ford is testing a Lion V-6 powered F150 as an addition to their diesel lineup. So, you do have some options for a ½ ton, but I am going to focus on full size trucks for this information. The diesel engine is a more suitable choice if towing capacity is critical to your trucks' operation due to the torque advantage.

Diesel fuel has a higher energy density than gasoline, which means less fuel is needed to generate the same power as gas, therefore offering the potential for a 30-35% fuel savings compared to gasoline engines. It should be noted that over the past decade, diesel has consistently averaged 14% more per gallon than unleaded gas. Over time, the maintenance of a diesel engine will end up costing more than a gas engine, partially due to the engine components that may require servicing more often or are not found on a gasoline engine. Diesel engines have a larger oil reservoir plus the water separator and fuel filters will require replacement more often than its gasoline counterpart.

Diesel or Gas Truck - Crown Auto and Fleet Services


Gas engines are known to make more horsepower, while diesels produce more torque. This is where the "how" of using your truck comes into play. Do you need more acceleration from your unloaded truck while driving around town, where quick starts may be important to you. If you don't haul any cargo or tow a trailer very often, a gas engine is probably best for you. Simply by design, a gas engine will rev faster and can reach higher RPM peaks than a diesel engine. This feature allows them to reach greater horsepower more rapidly in zero to 60 mph time frames. Gasoline is typically more readily available than diesel since some gas stations do not have diesel pumps. These engines also have longer service intervals for engine oil, spark plugs, and engine coolant.

One other consideration may be retail value. The truck market perceives that a diesel-powered engine with 150,000 miles on it has more remaining productive life than a gas-powered truck with comparable mileage. Small companies with lower budgets that need towing or hauling fleets may turn to used vehicles instead of new which makes a used diesel more in demand than gas engine trucks.

Deciding Between A Diesel or Gas Truck



It really boils down to using the right tool for the job. You wouldn't use a rake to shovel heavy wet snow. Using a gasoline truck for heavy towing in most cases would result in significantly reduced engine life and increased gasoline consumption. Using a diesel truck for a light-duty truck would make equally as little sense if you don't need to tow anything or haul heavy cargo. Consider how long you may use your truck before trading up, and the value of a diesel engine compared to gas over time.

Crown Auto and Fleet Services licensed Auto Damage Appraiser, CSE certified, I-Car Certified, and have worked in the automotive industry for decades. I've had the opportunity to teach auto body repair to misled kids in a classroom setting, giving them a chance to have a trade for a viable income. I found this very rewarding. Previously, I was all about the American muscle cars of the 60 year old. Now, I find pickup trucks and the way they have evolved to be my fascination and focus. I truly enjoy hearing from fellow pickup truck enthusiasts, so stop in to http://www.gatortruckcenterofocala.com/ and leave a comment on my website or any of my truck blogs or articles.