© Chad Ehrlich
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An abandoned Farmstead in Kansas gives up yet another treasure, a field-found F-100 long-bed pickup truck.
We still remember the before times, back then when a young hot rodder who couldn't afford a Mustang, Camaro, Chevelle, Challenger, or other popular car they desired could always count on finding a cool old truck to fix up and cruise. They were cheap and plentiful. After all, who wanted an old pickup truck?
© Chad Ehrlich Well, that was then, and this is now. Today, classic trucks have exploded in popularity. That old farm truck that was 1,500 bucks is now four times that price, if you're lucky. It started with Chevy C10s going nuts, and as the prices for those went up, people moved to other makes and models. The latest ones to start going up in cost are the late '60s and early '70s Ford trucks. And because swapping the beds is pretty easy, even the long-bed versions are getting scooped up for ever-increasing amounts. So, when a field-found F-100 like this is discovered, it's almost enough to make one giddy with excitement.
© Chad Ehrlich Some of you might remember our recent story on the 1963 Impala barn find that was found hiding in a nearly collapsed building. Well, that same abandoned farmstead held another treasure on the other side of the property: a 1974 Ford F-100 long-bed truck. Yep, it was a two-for-one day for Chad Ehrlich, owner of Nobody Else's Auto in Great Bend, Kansas. Ehrlich's business is finding cars, trucks, parts, signs, and anything auto-related for his business. A cousin gave him the 411 on the '63 Impala, which led to finding the 1974 Ford truck, as well. And it's a good thing it was rescued because trees were starting to overtake the old work truck.
The Ford F-100 pickup was abandoned by the last tenant decades ago when the farmstead was still occupied by more than cows and critters. It's just a base model, but it has its V-8 and manual transmission. At some point the original owner replaced the bed, and although the truck is a bit rough, it's still intact and fairly rust free. Original hubcaps? Check. Heavy-duty '70s-style rear step bumper? Check. Hell, it even had the original owner's manual laying on the front seat like the local cattle were trying to figure out how to take it on a joy ride.
Yep, they do ship, so you don't need to drive to Kansas if you need a cool truck project or some parts, and if you want to keep an eye on what new stuff is showing up to Ehrlich's salvage yard, you can follow him on Facebook (Nobody Else's Auto) or eBay (nobodyselsesauto); he even has a YouTube channel called Nobody's Show. If you want to see Ehrlich's salvage yard of treasures, then check out this video.