Simply Green – Wayne Davis’ 1951 Ford F1 Demonstrates the Enduring Appeal of a Back-to-Basics Vintage Pickup
There’s no denying the popularity of vintage trucks these days with their ability to be built in a wide range of contemporary styles, from highly modified ground-scraping restomods to lifted 4x4s with long-travel shocks and the latest drivetrain technology. But old trucks also seem to hold their own when finished in a more classic, traditional style with just a few inconspicuous upgrades for comfort, performance, and safety.
That’s what drew our attention to this ’51 Ford F1 when it pulled into the infield of Texas Motor Speedway during the LMC Truck Spring Lone Star Nationals. The color combination, the simplicity, the stance, and the attention to build details pulled us in for a closer look only to find out that it was owned by longtime Goodguys friend Wayne Davis.
With his own shop, Wayne Davis Restorations, in Fort Worth, Wayne has had too many cool cars and trucks to even remember! He’s been playing with cars his entire life and even found, bought, and sold cars with our own Goodguy Gary Meadors, including several of Gary’s personal cars such as the Buick Caballero, the Chrysler Town and Country, and a ’47 Cadillac to name a few. Wayne was even awarded with the first Gary “Goodguy” Meadors Memorial Award during the 2016 West Coast Nationals event.
“I received the first Gary’s Memorial Award in my ’55 custom Imperial convertible,” Wayne says. “That was the best award I’ve ever been presented.”
It’s going to be tough to top an award named in honor of your longtime car buddy, but Wayne was still stoked when our editorial team selected his ’51 Ford as the Fuel Curve Truck Feature Pick for the event. Wayne purchased the truck just over a year ago from a fellow who commissioned Bruce’s Rod Shop for the build, and he has been thoroughly enjoying the vintage hauler ever since.
“I was born in 1951 and out of all the cars and trucks I’ve owned, there has only been one other ’51 F1,” Wayne explains. “This one is way nicer.”
It’s easy to understand why Wayne was drawn to this ’51 with its clean, classic truck vibe. It still has a beam front axle and not-too-low stance, the vintage color is perfect, the steel artillery style wheels fit the appearance just right, and it even has a Flathead under the hood.
“The one I had years ago had a Chaparral-built 427 under the hood that was rowdy and fast. This truck is so much more calm and nicer, but I wish it had that the big engine!” Wayne says.
What the Flathead lacks in speed, it makes up in style and tone. The engine is based on a French block with a displacement of 255 cubes and is topped with Offenhauser heads and a dual-carb intake fueled by a pair of Strombergs. A T5 manual trans keeps Wayne busy in the cab and is connected to a Ford 9-inch rearend assembly.
The crew at Bruce’s cleaned and detailed the factory chassis, added a 4-inch drop to the front axle, then rebuilt all the mechanicals while adding four-wheel disc brakes. Rolling stock consists of 17- and 18-inch Wheelsmith artillery wheels finished in a grille-matching beige hue and wrapped in Coker tires.
The one area that Wayne personalized on the ’51 was the interior. “It was a boring dove gray, flat-looking interior. I wanted a little more contrast, so our shop changed it to an oxblood red leather interior,” Wayne says.
The interior definitely pops more now, as the red leather upholstery and matching carpet provide a nice contrast to the vintage green dash. The classic truck vibe from of the exterior carries over into the cab with the original dash, trim, and OEM-style radio. Upgraded gauges are in the original bezels and are easy to view through a ’40 Ford steering wheel, and Bruce’s worked in Vintage Air controls and ducts below the dash to keep its cruisers cool through the Texas summers.
Other than the interior color update, the F1 is just as Bruce’s Hot Rod Shop built it – an antique Ford pickup that delivers timeless looks along with a vintage cruising experience on back country roads. And at the end of the day, isn’t that the best reason to own a classic truck?
Photos: John Jackson, Damon Lee
