A Long Time Coming
Good things come to those who wait...
Story by Budd Stanley, Photos by Ken Sanders
Like so many of our feature stories, the fruition of a full custom build also represents the culmination of a long sought-after dream. This gorgeous example of a 1951 Ford pick-up is no departure from that trend, as it represents the final steps to the realization of a dream conjured up nearly sixty years ago.
It was back in the fifties that a young Ted De Vries immigrated to Saskatchewan from his homeland in the Netherlands. The very first vehicle he sat in was a 1951 Ford pick-up that was there to pick him up from the train station once he arrived. During his first Canadian ride, De Vries proclaimed his instant love for the old pick-up, vowing to one day own a similar vehicle for himself. However, the dream would have to be set aside for work commitments.
Fast forward fifty-plus years, and a much more experienced De Vries thought it was finally time to make good on that promise he gave to himself so long ago. Purchasing a well-maintained one-and-a-half-ton ‘51 Ford pick-up from the prairies, Ted’s new toy was in good condition, but still looked like a truck that was sixty years old. So he approached 360 Fabrication, hoping to give the truck a fresh new paint job and a new lease on life. However, after some conversation with the boys at 360, it was decided to go a little further, to do a full restoration on the truck as well as make some upgrades in the handling and braking departments.
The truck went into the shop and was immediately dismantled. The original frame was saved after reconditioning, along with the cab, hood and rear fenders. 360 went about flattening the firewall and straightening all the reusable steel. New front fenders were installed and the box was completely re-fabricated using the stock design, and then glued rather than welded together. New bumpers, glass and lights were added. They also fabbed up a custom fuel tank; Ted wanted the truck to be able to drive all the way to Kelowna, B.C. without having to refuel. The front grille was not in the best shape, so it was sanded down and painted white to match the truck’s two-tone colour scheme of BASF Glasurit blue and white that was sanded and polished to a mirror finish.
Under the body, the rear-end was completely overhauled and the leaf suspension was given a four-inch drop to improve handling and give the truck a slightly more aggressive look. With the suspension updated, the front brakes were also updated with a front disc conversion to improve the stopping power. Up front lay Ford’s 160-horsepower flathead V8. Now most people would swap this out for a high-powered crate motor, or put a ton of money into getting the most out of the old flathead, but Ted wanted to keep everything fairly stock. The engine and gearbox were sent out and fully overhauled, while the only modifications made were three deuce Demon carbs feeding the combustion chambers, a couple of Edelbrock top covers and a loud, side-exiting exhaust system. However, he wanted to upgrade the truck with air conditioning. So, the battery was moved under the rear deck, and the space used for the A/C unit, which represented a technical challenge for the 360 crew with the addition of the Demon carbs. Another challenge was the pulley clutch which needed to be redesigned to handle the additional pulleys mounted to the belts.
Inside, the interior follows the same colour scheme as the exterior, with a modified dash designed to hold a stereo system so that Ted can listen to his Patsy Kline on long road trips. How fitting for such a truck. The rest of the interior was put together by Rags to Riches who mounted a Wiseguys bench seat, power windows and custom door cards and finishing upholstery. 360 added a final touch with a custom fabbed Peterbilt steering wheel.
After four months of building, the truck was finally ready for delivery. Both Ted and 360 were extremely pleased withthe finished product, as well as just about anyone else who sees the truck. So much so that it won two awards in the Historic Downtown Abbotsford Car Show. The truck will also do some touring next year, visiting three major shows in the Lower Mainland area as well as several show-and-shines. But don’t think for a minute that this truck has turned into a trailer queen. No, Mr. De Vries is so happy with his newly found dream, that it was said that he put nearly 900 miles on it in the first week, more than most owners of high-end customs put on in a year. That proves how happy he is with his dream now realized, and it just goes to show, good things come to those who wait.
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