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When you had car trouble in the 1930s, something like the Pick of the Day would show up to drag your vehicle back to the repair shop: a heavy-duty 1934 Ford tow truck.
This bright-red relic looks like a faithfully restored original, but it’s actually something of a resto-mod powered by a modern drivetrain hidden underneath. The Ford even started out as a conversion, built in period onto the strong chassis of an earlier truck to create a potent working vehicle.
“The chassis is a 1913 Locomobile that was manufactured in Bridgeport, Connecticut,” according to the St. Louis, Missouri, dealer advertising the Ford on ClassicCars.com. “The rigging system is a Holmes 485 unit and looks exactly like it did the day it was made. Each boom is rated at 2 tons for a combined weight of 4 tons.
“The truck is being powered by a Chevy 283 that has been rebuilt with less than 1,000 miles on it. It is mated to a Chevy 4 speed automatic transmission making this truck capable of cruising down the road.”
The original Ford flathead V8 and original 4-speed manual transmission are available for purchase, the dealer notes, adding that the truck is coming out of more than a half century of ownership.
“This truck has been in the same family since the 1950s and has been restored very well,” the seller adds.
What was once a workaday vehicle looks today like pure theater, a rare survivor that would attract loads of attention at a local car show, Ford meet or just driving along. Its hand-cranked towing rig and rugged truck wheels certainly set it apart.
While the truck would be limited in its drivability with its original engine and trans, the more-modern upgrades make it capable of travel on a modern highway.
The asking price for this unusual piece of automotive history is $39,000.
To view this vehicle on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.
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