There’s No Better Time to Buy a Classic Pickup than Now

All aboard the vintage Ford pickup train as prices hit staggering figures after riding an upward trend for the past few years.

The Ford F-150 is America’s best-selling vehicle and has been for some time now, but that’s not a secret. And it’s not really surprising. Ford’s F-Series of trucks offer drivers unparalleled versatility, usability, and reliability in a good-looking package. While the new F-Series trucks have a lot to offer, now’s the best time to purchase an antique pickup, as prices are trending upwards.

According to Bloomberg, prices for classic Ford pickup trucks have been following an upward trend over recent years, making 2017 the perfect time to enter the world of antique pickups. As the outlet points out, Ford’s F-Series started out in 1948 with the F-1, F-2, and F-3. These trucks are a far cry from the behemoths of today with a round, but a slim face, flared fenders, and an overall smaller profile. These were the vehicles that Ford produced after World War II and helped the automaker become successful in America, claims Bloomberg, as Ford sold approximately 26 million trucks globally.

When Ford released its F-Series trucks on the road in ’48, base models carried a price tag of just $1,200, reports Bloomberg. Now, finding a clean, original example under $20,000 is a tough task. According to Hagerty Classic Car Insurance, a ’48 F-1 Half-Ton pickup truck in “excellent” condition is expected to fetch up to $24,400. This ’48 F-1 we found on Hemmings, which has been restored and features some modern touches, is going for $64,900.

To add some context to those figures, Bloomberg claims that in 2012, the same vehicle in the same condition was worth $18,700. In other words, if you see an F-1, F-2, or F-3 that’s reasonably priced, grab it.

Ford’s earliest pickup trucks aren’t the only classic machines that are seeing an upward trend, though, as Bloomberg found a similar situation with second-gen trucks. Citing RM Sotheby’s, Bloomberg points towards a 1953 Ford F-100 pickup that sold for $38,500 back in 2014, which is much higher than Hagerty’s valuation for the vehicle, as it states a ’53 F-100 half-ton pickup in “excellent” condition is worth $25,300.

We went to Hemmings searching for a ’53 F-100 and found this pristine example that’s priced at $49,800, which is higher than both Hagerty’s valuation and the vehicle that sold at RM Sotheby’s auction.

While die-hard Ford fans would love to get their hands on one of the automaker’s earliest models, Pete Fisher, a car specialist for RM Sotheby’s claims that second-gen trucks, which ran from 1953 to 1956 are highly desirable, reports Bloomberg. And so are fifth-gen pickups that were produced from the late ‘60s to the early ‘70s.

For those seriously looking to get onto the classic train before things really take off, be sure to find an example that’s original as possible and has minimal rust. Those two aspects, as the outlet states, are two major aspects that will drastically affect a vehicle’s price.