1948 Ford F-3 Delivery Truck Milk Bread Bakery Meat Pie Wagon

This is a waaay cool 1948 Ford F-3 panel truck. It has a complete 76 Cadillac Hearse chassis under it. It has been stubbed in the front and laddered to the original frame in the back. It cruises down the road like a cloud. The Cadillac 500 cubic inch motor purrs like a kitten and the Turbo 400 trans shifts sure and solid. It has Flowmaster exhaust with just enough of a rumble to be sweet but not obnoxious. I have new shocks on the front and just for a little overkill. some new air shocks on the back. It is as stable as a mountain goat. It is fully functioning. roadworthy. and dependable. It draws crowds like a magnet. The only problem I have with it is I've run out of ideas. The possibilities are endless. It is right in style with the patina group. but it has had some very good body work done to it and is remarkably straight. Picking a color is a huge decision and this truck is absolutely made for a body wrap. I was thinking of Wimbledon White and then I could put anything on the side that I cared for. It also would be great in red or black or green or yellow or blue and cream. I hate to go into the eye candy with no idea of what I want the finished truck to look like. When I was putting it back together I found bakery boxes stuffed in the side panel where it must have been rattling. A bakery truck would be incredible. but I have no interest in owning or driving one. It has no rust. The body is tight as a tick. It does need a couple of miles of weatherstrip to cure the wind noise. but I enjoy driving with the door open. so that doesn't matter much here in the desert. I have the original under dash heater to put in it including a 12 volt replacement blower motor. I wanted to get my radiator guys thoughts about the core as the original only ran with like a 2 PSI radiator cap and the new Aluminum 3 row uses a 12 pound cap. I don't want to blow up the heater core. The engine runs so cool that might be a moot point. The engine was rebuilt at some point and runs just like 500 cubic inches should. It is not modified from stock and runs great on regular fuel. All fuel lines. brake lines and anything else I touched was put back with new quality parts. No AutoZone stuff here. It has the heavy duty 180 amp alternator from the hearse and a giant RV battery. I found some GM gauges that fit the original bezel so well it should have been factory. It has the tach. speedo. temp. fuel. oil. and volt gauges. I have all the headlights. running lights. turn signals. LED clearance lights rewired along with the entire vehicle using a complete new harness with the new mini plug in fuses. There is a tilt steering column attached to the Cadillac power box. It has the Cadillac power brakes that perform wonderfully with disc front and drum rear. The Hearse commercial chassis uses parallel leaf springs instead of the coils that the regular Cadillacs use. If I remember correctly the GVW on the hearse is near 9. 00 lbs. The rear end is the size of a dump truck! I think most of the mechanical Gremlins have been put to rest. The fuel gauge is a little sticky from sitting. but I'm sure it will clean itself off. The turn signals cancel. but are still so new the handle doesn't always go to neutral. I put dual electric wipers not so much as I need them here in the desert. but more to silence the whistle from the factory holes. I keep the blades in the glove box. I have a couple of new fold up seats from a mini van. The original truck had just one seat in the center. It is a little weird driving as you sit near the center of the truck because of the bi-fold doors. Combine that with sitting up about 4 and a half feet above the ground and it is a different sort of experience. It feels huge until you get used to it and it is actually easier to drive than a Suburban. The turning radius is surprisingly good and of course the steering and brakes require minimal input. The best part is when you park. you just stand up and walk out. Very civilized! I moved the passenger seat to the right as the passenger door folds toward the front of the truck and it doesn't interfere with opening or closing the doors. The doors don't lock. They are spring loaded and very easy to push open or shut. This truck was never intended to go much more than 45 or 50 MPH. I've cruised it at 70 - 80 and with a cross wind or buffeting wind the doors will sometimes open themselves and let in a blast of fresh air. The rear doors and side door are rebuilt with new handles and close solidly. As you can see I keep filling it up with stuff. Right now I have 55-6-7 Chevy trim in it until I sort it out and find a new place to keep it. I have installed some insulation and melamine paneling on the interior. I have enough to do the entire truck and will include it. The floor is sheet steel over the original plywood subfloor and is in good condition. The interior has all been repainted a silver hammertone finish that is very durable. I wanted to put in some tunes and again the possibilities are enormous. There is room to put a big screen TV above the windshield. It is 8 feet from the back of the seats to the rear doors. A band could play inside this. This leads back to make a plan and stick to it. This would make a great RV. a food truck. I've seen some apartments that are smaller. imagine the tailgate party this could host. I drove my golf cart inside it and still had room to walk around it. The rear bumper is big enough for a picnic an stout enough to take out a house. Therein lies my dilemma. What do I want to wind up with? I love the truck. I love driving the beast. However I have 90 other cars that I like just as much. I am offering this as-is for someone that can let it fill its hotrod delivery destiny. Just parked in front of a business would make a grand zoning legal billboard as well as advertising just driving around. I remember as a kid ordering from Vine Pizza in Eastlake because they would deliver the pizza in a dune buggy and we were usually drunk enough to think they were going to let us drive the dune buggy around. I think the only limitations for this vehicle are your imagination. You sure aren't going to run into another coming around the corner. When I was going through the piles that came with the truck I found the original F-3 emblems as well as the FORD for the front. They had been gold plated. Not exactly my taste. but at least I have the emblems. I also was given some Blue ovals and two "Expedition" stick on emblems that might be OK. I have put the "EXCURSION" emblems on my hearse in the past. That was always good for a chuckle. There also is what looks like a custom diecast F-3 set included. The usual E-bay rules apply. Be sure to ask you Mother. Wife. Significant other. Priest. Doberman. Astrologer before bidding. No Nigerian Princes. Funds must clear my bank before truck leaves. This is larger than a car. so shipping is a consideration. I need the truck paid for within ten days of auction end. I have others that say they want it. just not bad enough to actually pay for it. Reserve questions will be ignored. Bid high and bid often.