Some Mustang parts, bucket seats and sharp paint scheme make this F1 a great cruiser.
The Leake Auction Company will hold a sale event on February 23-24 in Oklahoma City and while looking through the vehicles set to hit the block at that auction, we came across this sweet 1952 Ford F1 Custom pickup. Sitting still, this antique Ford would make a great show vehicle, but with an array of modern upgrades including air condition, bucket seats, front suspension from a Mustang II and a 351-cubic inch V8, this F1 is probably just as much fun on the way to and from the show.
Simple, Sharp Exterior
On the outside, this 1952 Ford F1 doesn’t look all that different than it did when it rolled off of the assembly line 66 years ago. The front and rear bumpers have been deleted, some of the trim pieces have been customized, such as the chrome running along the sides of the hood, and LED taillights have been added. Other than those simple changes, the striking orange-and-silver paint scheme and the 18-inch chrome wheels – this truck has not been heavily modified on the outside.
However, it is still a gorgeous pickup that will turn heads at pretty much any car show.
Perfectly-Matched Interior
The orange-and-black paint scheme from the outside of this 1952 Ford F1 is copied on the inside, with the doors, dash and rear panel of the cab painted in the same orange and silver hues. Breaking up those two colors is a heavy dose of black in the carpeting, the headliner and the leather bucket seats.
The dash maintains the old school two-gauge layout, but this F1 features modern gauges in those two large circles, including a GPS speedometer system. These gauges look great, but they are stock-looking enough in their design that they don’t stand out in the otherwise classic-looking cabin.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
