1959 Ford F-350 Dump Truck 4-Speed
The first-generation of the Ford F-Series (also known as the Ford Bonus-Built trucks) is a series of trucks that was produced by Ford from the 1948 to the 1952 model years. The introduction of the F-Series marked the divergence of Ford car and truck design, developing a chassis intended specifically for truck use. Alongside pickup trucks, the model line included also panel vans, bare and cowled chassis, and marked the entry of Ford into the medium and heavy-duty truck segment.
Across North America, Ford assembled F-Series trucks at sixteen different facilities during its production. In Canada, Lincoln-Mercury sold the F-Series under the Mercury M-Series nameplate to expand coverage in rural areas. The first generation of the F-Series is the sole generation produced entirely with “Flathead” engines (inline-6 and V8).
This 1959 Ford F-350 was replaced the truck’s stake bed with a dump box with folding sides during a multi-year refurbishment and included refinishing the body and frame, overhauling the brake system, and installing an electronic ignition system. The truck is finished in red over gray cloth upholstery and powered by a 292ci V8 paired with a four-speed manual transmission. Equipment includes power steering, an AM/FM radio, a cab heater, locking storage boxes, and a late-model Ford bench seat.
The 17.5″ steel wheels are powder coated in white and wear Michelin X radial tires up front along with Yokohama Super Steel 703B radial tires out back. Two spare wheels with Michelin tires.
The cabin features a bench seat upholstered in gray cloth. The cab floor and steps were coated with bed liner during refurbishment, and a black rubber floor mat was installed along with a replacement headliner. Controls for the heater and defroster are mounted below the dashboard, and the seller states that the radio has been converted to an AM/FM unit. The black steering wheel frames a 100-mph speedometer as well as gauges for fuel level and coolant temperature.
As flashy as Ford trucks would get in the late Fifties, those that ushered in the decade could only be described as subdued — and little-changed from the year before. Aside from a larger “Big Six” engine for F-6 buyers who didn’t want to opt for the V-8, there wasn’t much new and exciting for dealers to trumpet.
