1938 Ford V8 Pickup
Ford’s commercial vehicles received their most significant update in three years for 1938, with all-new cabs, front sheet metal, and a redesigned cargo box (the first new pickup bed since 1931) featuring a steel floor with stamped-in skid ribs.
The characteristic oval grille earned these trucks the enduring nickname “Barrel Nose,” while the hood adopted a top-hinged alligator opening in place of the previous side-opening design.
The half-ton pickup rode a 112-inch wheelbase and was designated Model 81C, fitted with the 85 hp 221 cubic inch flathead V8.
1938 was a difficult year for the industry as a whole. Ford trucks ceded first place in the commercial segment to Chevrolet, and production fell to levels not seen since 1933, meaning 1938 Ford trucks were less plentiful when new and are correspondingly scarcer today.
This example has been built as a period-style resto-rod rather than a stock restoration. The 221 cubic inch flathead has been dressed with triple Stromberg 97 carburetors and supporting performance work, while the front suspension has been subtly lowered to suit the wider wheel and tire fitment.
Period-style pinstriping on the exterior completes the look (the sort of mild customization that would have been done to a truck like this in the 1950s), keeping it honest to its flathead character while making it more usable.
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