The 1954 to 1956 Ford F-100 pickup trucks were my favorite designs from when they came out and up to the present. In the early 1960’s I bought a used 1954 F-100 that had three on the tree and an in-line 6 cylinder engine, bench seat and nothing else except a heater. I enjoyed driving it but eventually it was replaced with a family station wagon. After the family grew up I still had interest in buying another 54 to 56 F-100 pickup truck but never got around to do it.

I found this truck on the Internet that was located in Colorado and I bought it in early 2018. The former owner did the restoration of the body but we went over and rebuilt all of the mechanical parts. The interior has captain seats, nice paneled doors & a console. Along the way there was a Cleveland 351 V-8 engine installed in the truck but it needed an overall. We replaced it with a more economical 302 V-8 crate engine. It is coupled with a C6 auto trans. The wide tires and manual steering created a real tough job of steering so we installed Power steering. The rear end was noisy so we rebuilt it. We replaced the dash gauge unit with new style gauges.

This truck is a great driver and very solid. We (my grandsons and myself) enjoy driving the truck on weekends and tours.

In an effort to match the sales of the new Chevy Task Force Pickups that had debuted last year, Ford’s F-Series trucks were revamped for the 1956 model year. Along with a new grille, the most noticeable change was the “Full Wrap” windshield, which extended over to the door posts, increasing the field of vision. A “Full Wrap” window was also available for the rear window, and today is one of the most sought-after options. 6,200 F100’s came equipped with the larger rear window.

By increasing bore to 3.62″ and stroke to 3.30″, the Y-Block now displaced 272ci. Three versions of the enlarged V-8 were offered: a light-duty with a 2-barrel carb, a heavy-duty with a 2-barrel carb, and a heavy-duty with a 4-barrel producing 167-horsepower.
Vacuum-style windshield wipers were discontinued in favor of the more reliable electric-motor wipers. Another improvement for 1956 Ford trucks was an upgrade from 6 to 12 volt electrical systems.

For 1956, the 223ci six-cylinder became the standard engine. Inside, a restyled dashboard improved driver’s visibility. Also new was Ford’s “Lifeguard Steering Wheel”, whose deep-dish design put a greater distance between the center hub and driver’s chest. Other safety items included new door latches and optional seat belts.

Over 137,000 F100s were produced in 1956, the last year of the “fat-fender” Ford trucks.