There’s nothing more endearing to classic truck owners than being able to appreciate the capabilities of a vintage hauler in its natural environment. Regardless of whether it’s moving hay across a backfield, delivering groceries from the market, or simply looking cool while motoring down the back roads, it’s always a welcomed sight. In fact, there’s no way to pave a path to classic truck nirvana better than spending your formative years on a traditional New England farm. For Dave Bartlett of Nantucket, Massachusetts, growing up on the historical island brought with it plenty of agricultural opportunities.
Bartlett’s Farm just so happens to be the oldest and largest family owned farm on Nantucket, spanning seven generations back to the early 1800s. With over 100 acres of open fields for growing produce and flowers it brings with it a deep history, not only to the family but also to the community. For Dave, it meant growing up surrounded by the entire inner workings of the farm where chores were a part of the daily operations, along with learning the craft. As the years passed he would become more involved in operating the equipment as well as driving a number of the trucks. Once he earned his license, it was a perfect time to get his first truck, a 1964 Ford F-100, to use as transportation to school as well as cruising with his friends. From there others would follow, including a Ford F-250 Camper Special and a 1965 Ford Econoline pickup.
Reflecting back to his younger days on the farm, he always held a particular fascination with Ford F-1 trucks. There was something magical about their design balance and presence that forever burned itself into the back of his mind. Finally he made the decision to look for a project truck to act as the base for a full build. One afternoon while searching online he located a 1950 Ford F-1 truck on eBay. The truck was all original and appeared decent so a winning bid was made and the hauler was delivered. Even though the F-1 was a solid driver powered by the original Flathead V-8, it was still an old farm truck that had suffered the abuse of daily life for the last 60-plus years. Dave’s vision was to aesthetically restore the exterior to show quality while reworking the chassis and driveline to current standards. Shortly after, he met with Chris Cerce of Chris Cerce Customs in Taunton, Massachusetts, to go over the build. The pair shared many of the same ideas of fusing classic style with a wicked stance, combined with a unique power source, and without wasting time the old hauler was deliver to the shop.
Once fully disassembled, a decision was made to upgrade the existing chassis so a call was made to TCI Engineering for one of their custom IFS units. Starting with a rock-solid base formed from 8-inch-tall fully boxed framerails, the spine was also treated to a custom centersection and crossmembers. To plant the power, a Currie Enterprises Hot Rod 9-inch rear was packed with 3.70:1 gears spinning matching 31-spline axles. It’s suspended in place by a TCI Engineering four-link combined with RideTech ShockWave 7000-series shocks, Panhard bar, and antiroll bar. To add plenty of razor-sharp handling, TCI’s exclusive IFS features their tubular upper and lower control arms, custom spindles, RideTech ShockWave HQ 1000-series shocks, and antiroll bar. When it’s time to drop anchor, a Wilwood Engineering dual power master pushes fluid through stainless lines to matching 12-inch drilled and vented rotors with four-piston calipers at each corner. To give the truck plenty of allure, a set of Schott Americana model 20-inch front and 22-inch rear wheels wear low-profile performance rubber from Nitto.
When it came time to deciding on a powerplant, it would have been easy to just plug in a small-block and call it a day. Dave however wanted to do something completely different with the configuration by bringing a bit of performance and agricultural dynamics to the mix. He contacted RCS Diesel Service of Ludlow to build a Cummins 4BT four-cylinder turbo diesel. To start, a 1991 cast-iron block was massaged and filled with a refreshed factory crank and rods linked to forged aluminum piston all urged by a stock cam. Up top, a factory cast-iron cylinder head makes plenty of power while a custom intake manifold by Chris incorporates the factory-direct injection and a nasty 62mm billet turbo spins to generate plenty of extra power. Everything breathes deep through custom-fabbed plumbing accented by a polished valve cover, Powermaster alternator, and handmade radiator. A factory ignition lights the fire while a custom exhaust header dumps spent gases through a 3-inch stainless exhaust, all fabricated by Chris. To move the power rearward a TREMEC T56, six-speed trans meets a driveshaft from Brookline Machine. The whole deal is good for a very impressive 300 hp and 600 lb-ft of torque at 6,000 rpm.
Once the cab and bed came back from being stripped, there wasn’t much left. It was obvious that the F-1 had seen hard times in its prior commercial life with virtually all of the original steel requiring attention. Chris followed by fabricating new floors, rockers, cab corners, and lower A-pillars. He continued with fabbing new door bottoms, lower fender sections, and doglegs. Once the cab was gapped and metal finished he continued onto the bed and tailgate. Chris then followed with his team to complete all the bodywork and prep the panels for a mile-deep coating of PPG Custom Vibrance Black Pearl. Plenty of dramatic chrome plating from D&D Plating adds just enough elegance combined with an oak bed complemented by stainless strips.
To bring a level of elegance to the business office the factory dash was filled with dials from AutoMeter to monitor the vitals while steering moves through an ididit tilt column wearing a Billet Specialties wheel. Cool breezes are by Vintage Air while shifts move through a unit from Billet Specialties accented by a Ron Francis wiring kit. For plenty of comfort, bucket seats from Scat were treated to a combination of black and gray leather by Fred Carello Upholstery of Warwick, Rhode Island, who also fashioned the side panels, headliner, and complementing plush black carpeting. This is one well-balanced Ford F-1 with style, stance, and a classic twist of diesel power that makes it cool, and we dig it!
Facts & Figures
Dave Bartlett
1950 Ford F-1
CHASSIS
Frame: TCI Engineering
Rearend / Ratio: Currie Hot Rod 9-inch / 3.70:1
Rear Suspension: TCI Engineering four-link, RideTech ShockWave 7000-series shocks, Panhard bar, antiroll bar
Rear Brakes: Wilwood 12-inch drilled and vented rotors, four-piston calipers
Front Suspension: TCI Engineering IFS and spindles, RideTech ShockWave HQ 1000-series shocks, antiroll bar
Front Brakes: Wilwood 12-inch drilled and vented rotors, four-piston calipers
Steering Box: Unisteer rack-and-pinion
Front Wheels: Schott Americana 20×9
Rear Wheels: Schott Americana 22×12
Front Tires: Nitto NT555 Extreme ZR P240/35/R20
Rear Tires: Nitto NT555 Extreme ZR P285/35R22
Gas Tank: Aluminum 20-gallon
DRIVETRAIN
Engine: 1991 Cummins 4BT Diesel
Heads: Cast iron / Stock
Valve Covers: Polished / Stock
Manifold / Induction: Chris Cerce Customs / Stock direct-injection, 62mm billet turbo
Ignition: Stock
Headers: Chris Cerce Customs
Exhaust / Mufflers: 3-inch stainless / Custom
Transmission: TREMEC T56, six-speed
Shifter: Billet Specialties
BODY
Style: Pickup truck
Modifications: Stock
Fenders Front / Rear: Stock / Stock
Hood: Stock
Grille: Stock, chrome
Paint Type / Color: PPG / Custom, Vibrance Black Pearl
Headlights / Taillights: Stock / Stock
Outside Mirrors: Stock
Bumpers: Stock, chrome
INTERIOR
Dashboard: Stock, Classic Instruments insert
Gauges: AutoMeter
Air Conditioning: Vintage Air
Stereo: Pioneer head unit, Polk Audio speakers
Steering Wheel: Billet Specialties
Steering Column: ididit tilt
Seats: Scat bucket-style
Upholstery by: Fred Carello, Warwick, RI
Material / Color: Leather / Black & grey
Carpet: Black loop
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