1948 Ford COE Half Pickup Truck/Half Motorhome
Introduced in 1948, the Ford C-Series was the odd member of the first-generation F-Series pickup family due to its cab-over design. Ford discontinued these helmet-shaped trucks in 1957 and their short-lived life-cycle turned them into desirable classics.
While some of them were left to rot away in junkyards, others have been restored to their former glory or transformed into high-power restomods. This 1948 COE has been blessed with a rather unique fate, becoming a truck/motorhome RV hybrid.
Originally a two-ton F-6, the biggest COE available at the time, this 1948 Ford combines the utility of a pickup truck with the convenience of a camper. At least to some extent, because it’s not a full-fledged motorhome. But it comes with a sleeper area behind the cab for added convenience during long-distance trips.
The best part is that you can also haul stuff in a rather spacious bed. It’s split into two sections, including a covered area toward the cab and a more conventional, uncovered bed surface toward the rear. And in case you’re wondering why this F-6 is long enough to provide room for a sleeper cab and a bed, the answer lies in the fact that it rides atop a motorhome chassis.
Under-the-shell modifications aside, this COE truck is the result of a thorough restoration process and it looks downright gorgeous. It’s finished in a two-tone livery with a metallic blue top and a white bottom and it sports custom taillights in the back and shiny semi truck-like exhaust pipes behind the sleeper cab. The main cab, on the other hand, retains the old-school look of the late 1940s Ford COE, which is fantastic.
The interior is also a cool blend of vintage and modern features. The dashboard, for instance, has the classic rounded look, but it’s wrapped in soft-touch materials and incorporates a stereo, an A/C unit, and a set of Faria gauges. The modern bucket seats and the redesigned door panels are both wrapped in dark blue leather for a premium look.
So what’s under the cab you ask? Well, things get really hot in there because the factory engine has been ditched to make way for a 7.4-liter big-block V8 with an Edelbrock four-barrel carburetor on top. There’s no info as to how powerful it is, but we’re probably looking at more than 400 horsepower. And that’s way more than the F-6 had back in the day.
As a reminder, Ford sold these trucks with three different engines. Ford offered a 3.7-liter inline-six with 95 horsepower, a 3.9-liter V8 with 100 horses, and a 4.2-liter inline-six with 110 horsepower. Granted, this restomod wasn’t put together as a hauler, but that big-block V8 is more than suited for high-speed highway cruising.
The engine mates to a 700R4 four-speed automatic with overdrive. Comfort-enhancing goodies include power steering, power brakes, and front brake discs. An aluminum radiator and a pair of electric fans keep the V8 cool.
This Ford COE is without doubt one hot rig, but it also comes with a hot sticker. That’s more than a brand-new Ford F-250 Super Duty in Platinum trim, but unlike the modern truck, this restomod will turn a lot of heads.
