Stage 1
The first day we went to see the 1950 Dodge Panel Truck.
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Our Story
Panel Truck Restoration
The idea was to restore a vintage panel truck as a way of showing how much electrical work and technology have changed since Charlie Ford opened Ford Electric in 1919. This is the restoration story, from the day the 1950 Dodge was found in a field to the finished truck.
Stage 2
After we managed to drag the truck out of the field where it had been sitting.
Stage 3
The restoration begins with the front end starting to come apart.
Stage 4
Most of the front end is removed as we prepare to separate the body.
Stage 5
Attention turns to dismantling the 218 flathead six-cylinder engine.
Stage 6
After decades of dirt and grease are cleaned away, we can see what we have to work with.
Stage 7
The truck turned out to be military-spec with an unusual bore and stroke; replacement pistons were eventually found in Texas.
Stage 8
The engine goes back together with new pistons, valve seats, valves, timing chain, crank and cam.
Stage 9
With fresh paint on the engine block, it is lowered onto the restored black frame and reassembly begins.
Stage 10
Work continues on the rear brakes, clutch and pressure plate as the chassis is rebuilt.
Stage 11
The main body is sandblasted, revealing just how much body work lies ahead.
Stage 12
A 1948 Dodge donor truck found in California supplies the front fender, hood, grille and other body pieces.
Stage 13
The 1948 donor cab is prepared to become part of the 1950 panel-truck project.
Stage 14
The panel-truck body is ready for its front-end transplant.
Stage 15
The panel truck and pickup donor have become one, with substantial body work still ahead.
Stage 16
The original rear floor shows how badly deteriorated the truck had become.
Stage 17
Before the oak floor is installed, the rear is reinforced with a new steel floor.
Stage 18
The oak flooring receives its first coat of stain — a dramatic change from only months earlier.
Stage 19
The pieces begin coming back together and the truck finally starts looking whole again.
Stage 20
With the front end installed, the restoration really begins to take shape.
Stage 21
Body finishing and detail work continue as the restored truck moves toward completion.
Stage 22
A small museum of tools from the early years of Ford Electric
Stage 23
A small museum of old electrical equipment and a travel thru time with switches and receptacles
Stage 24
The 1950 Dodge Panel Truck is near completion after an eight-year restoration funded through recycling materials from Ford Electric job sites.
Stage 25
The completed restoration preserves a piece of Ford Electric history and the story of how the trade evolved.
Stage 26
The finished panel truck stands as a rolling link between Ford Electric’s early years and the company today.
Eight years in the making.
The restoration was completed using funds collected through recycling materials from Ford Electric job sites — turning the company’s working history into a restored piece of its heritage.
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