SHORTY STYLESIDE - DRY MONTANA SURVIVOR - RAT ROD OR RESTORE

- LOWERED RESERVE -1957 Ford F100 Shortbed Styleside When was the last time you saw a shortbed from the 50’s that wasn’t a stepside? That’s right - here’s a shorty styleside that will let you go ‘short’ while still keeping clean body lines. This sweet little truck is a classic example of a dry Montana survivor. perfect for your hotrod. rat rod. restoration. or daily-driver plans. AWESOME PATINA. and never hacked. modified. or cut up - this truck is just waiting to be taken to the next level. and it wouldn’t take much to get it there. As old trucks go this would be a relatively easy restoration. or. scuff it and clear coat it. drop in a V8. lower it a few inches. and you’d have an awesome ride for not much effort. Why a '57 Ford Pickup?1) Its wide engine bay will accept any V8 with plenty of clearance (and this truck has the 4-speed stick. another plus if you want to install a v8)2) 1st year of the Ford 9-inch rear end. and 2nd year for the 12 volt system3) Parts are available and cheap4) Last year of the clean '50’s look before quad headlights and ugly front ends Here’s the lowdown: This truck is very complete and original. and runs well. I bought it not long ago after it had sat for many years. and have nursed it back to health. I’ve driven it locally and a couple of times on the highway and it drives great. The brakes. clutch. tranny. lights. gauges (except fuel). wiper motor. and heater all work. It even comes with the original key! See below for more detailed info. BODY: The body is very straight as you can see in the photos. and I don’t see any signs of accidents or modifications. Bed sides are very straight. the floor ribs are not all mashed down. and the bed floor is solid. The tops of the bed sides are remarkably straight. The left side rear fender well was modified to accommodate a second spare tire (see photo). The truck was repainted many years ago and at that time a skim coat of filler was applied wherever there was a little dent or rust starting to show - ie. the places that these models apparently all rust. and for which patch panels are made: the cab corners. the front fender bottoms and flanges under the fenders. the area under each floor brace. and the steps into the cab. As I say. all these places you can get pre-formed sheetmetal for: http://www. lmctruck. com/icatalog/fb/full. aspx?Page=11 . Moreover. most of these spots do not need replacement unless you're doing a total restoration and want perfection. The cab floor has rust scale under the mat but it looks like you'd only need to replace the areas where the braces ran. not the entire pan. I am noting all this in order to be honest but want to be clear - this is not a 'rustbucket' - it just has a few isolated spots that the buyer has the right to be aware of. If you plan on anything short of a total restoration (rat rod. daily driver) you would only need to fix the cab floor where the braces ran underneath and install a new floor mat. Drip rails. window frames. doors. and bed quarters are all solid. The glass appears to be all factory. and there are no cracks that I can find. The rear window has some haze that should come off with scrubbing/chemical. Vent windows are delaminating around the edges but not bad. The truck still has its factory dual mirrors and factory bumpers. The stamp from the paint inspector is still visible under the hood (see photo). INTERIOR: The seat apparently had a cover over it for most of its life. and appears to be the factory vinyl - with only one tear! It could easily be fixed and saved. Some seat springs are broken or disconnected underneath. and the seat was raised up a bit by welding it to some angle-iron. The dash is straight as an arrow and has never been cut. and all the factory gauges and knobs are there. The doors are similarly un-cut and in great shape. and close solidly. The headliner was present when I bought the truck but was broken and sagging. so it’s gone now. but these are reproduced. The factory rubber floor mat is even still there. but it's hard as a rock and breaking up. The horn switch does not work but the horns do when current is put to them directly. DRIVETRAIN: The 223 CI 6-cyl runs like a top. and has new plugs/wires/cap/rotor/points/fuel filter/oil/filter/fuel pump. All the old plugs looked fine when I pulled them. I adjusted the lifters and there are no internal rattles or knocks that I can hear; it’s a very tight motor. I’m guessing that it was rebuilt at one point. since the block has been repainted in a rather ‘industrial’ yellow. I pulled the gas tank. cleaned it out. and installed a filter before the pump. There is no air cleaner. but I do have the base for it. The charging system/cooling system/radiator work well. The steering feels tight. I installed a new master cylinder and bled/adjusted the brakes and they work well and stop the truck evenly; the e-brake also works. The 4-speed tranny shifts great. nbsp;and the clutch seems solid and chatter-free. NOTE: the wheels and tires shown in the photos are borrowed from another vehicle and do not go with the truck; a set of mismatched steel wheels/tires will be installed for the new owner. or you can buy a set of matching white rally wheels/tires from my friend for $100. There are 2 engine/tranny options that can go with this truck if the buyer is interested in rodding it:1) My mechanic has a 1984 351M 4bbl mated to a C6; he'll sell both for $750. 2) I have a 1962 Cadillac 390 4bbl mated to a 4spd Hydromatic that the buyer can have for another $1500. Either option can be exercised after the auction concludes. OVERALLLike I said - this truck isn't far from being 'daily driver' status. or. it would make an easy custom in the Fast 'n Loud style. With a little work or a few mods. this would be a truck that gets noticed. Please ask any questions before bidding. I'll be happy to answer them all. I've done my best to describe this vehicle as thoroughly and accurately as possible. including its flaws. but it's still being sold AS-IS AND WHERE-IS. and absolutely no warrantees apply to this vehicle. either expressed or implied. The truck is located in Belgrade. Montana and all prospective buyers are welcome and encouraged to come see it in person. Check out this completed auction for the same truck in comparable condition (but a stepside). and you'll get an idea for what they're worth: http://www. ebay. com/itm/1957-Ford-F-100-stepside-6ft-/221694492188 That being said. I'm not asking that much. so good luck bidding!