1953 Ford F250 Stepside Pickup

Description

The introduction of the postwar F-Series truck line in 1946 marked the divergence of Ford car and truck design, developing a chassis intended specifically for truck use. Alongside pickup trucks, the model line also included panel vans, bare and cowled chassis, and marked Ford's entry into the medium- and heavy-duty truck segment.

Ford's second-generation 1953-56 F-Series, marketed as the "Triple Economy" series, again encompassed a comprehensive range of vehicles as Ford set out to upgrade the capability of the line. Along with increasing payload capacity, designers improved the suspension, shortened the wheelbase from 114 to 110 inches, moved the front axle rearward to further improve turning radius and lower the hoodline, and the cab was widened, bringing a larger windshield and rear window.

Distinguished by a two-bar grille, the new ’53 trucks were powered by the standard 101-horsepower inline six or optional flathead V8, and a 20-inch-deep cargo bed was introduced, a depth that continued through the seventh-gen F-Series in 1980. This new F-Series also saw a revision to the model nomenclature, shifting from a one-digit model number to a three-digit number, from F-100 to F-350, which remains in use on all Ford F-Series trucks.

Highlights 

• 1953 marked Ford Motor Company's 50th Anniversary, so all F-Series trucks were equipped with a 50th Anniversary horn button; also new was the Ford truck crest on the front of the hood 

• Finished in Daytona Yellow paint with Linen White fenders and black tailgate over black leather interior and black headliner 

• Powered by original 239 cu-in flathead V8 engine rated at 106 horsepower and 155 lb-ft of torque (rebuild about 3,000 miles ago) 

• Four-speed manual transmission with floor shifter  

• Restoration completed in 2024 included: 

• Changed original flatbed to an eight-foot bed 

• Built frame under the bed and added a hydraulic lift  

• Converted rear axle from the original 4.88 to a 3.73 full-floating axle from a 1970 Ford F250 

• Converted electrical system to 12 volts 

• Converted front brakes to disc with power booster and dual master cylinder 

• Replaced interior (including new Dolphin gauges) 

• New paint 

• The chassis number (F25R3G25524) decodes as: 

  • F25 – F-250 3/4 ton 

  • R – 239 cu-in L-head (flathead) V8 106 hp 

  • 3 – 1953 model year 

  • G – Chicago 

  • 25524 – Sequential production number 

Features 

• Rear-wheel-drive, two-door pickup truck 

• Running boards with step plates 

• Original three-spoke Ford steering wheel 

• Dolphin dash instrumentation: 

  • 140 mph speedometer and odometer  

  • Water temperature 

  • Oil pressure 

  • Fuel level  

  • Battery voltage 

• Manual windows 

• Vent window 

• Lap belts 

• Dome light 

• Sun visors 

• Black bed liner 

• Yellow-painted wheels with chrome trim and Ford hubs 

• Hancook LT235/85 R16 tires have about 2,500 miles on them 

Known Imperfections 

• Speedometer does not work 

• Parking brake does not work (new axle brakes have not been connected) 

Included 

• Original gauge cluster 

• Miscellaneous spare parts 

Ownership History

The consignor of this 1953 Ford F-250 has owned the truck since 2016.