This Wood Cabin on Wheels Used to Be a 1983 Ford F-150, And It’s for Sale
The pickup truck was given a full wooden body conversion for reasons unknown.
The Ford F-150 is an American favorite, known for its rugged nature and utility. The tough pickup was traditionally built with steel, with later models adopting plenty of aluminum to save weight. Ford never really went down the wood route, but one owner did, to a hilarious extent.
This truly unique 1983 Ford F-150 is up for sale, listed on Facebook Marketplace by its committed builder. For the grand sum of $5,000, you could secure this former pickup that has had an all-wood makeover. Every original panel has been replaced, with the truck getting a new body assembled from planks, posts, and other construction materials. It's built on a long-wheelbase truck with an automatic transmission. Not only does this F-150 apparently run and drive, we're told it even has a title.
Pickup truck purists will note, however, that this is no longer technically a truck. The two-door wood cabin features two seats up front and a bench in the rear, with the additional pews leaving less room for cargo out back. At the rear, the build features more of a hutch than an open load bed, with the spare tire also taking up some of the available room. The rear end of the body also comes very low to the ground, something which could frustrate efforts at parking this wooden wonder on a steep driveway.
Overall, the styling and shape of the truck is an interesting mix of influences. There are some hints of Jeep in the vertical front grille, with the build retaining the rectangular sealed beam headlights from the F-150 front end. The bumper bar is a big slab-like thing, sure to hold up well in a contest against any modern plastic bumper. It also appears several windows may be built using some kind of mesh, so keep that in mind if you're used to trucks that are sealed against the elements.
One could easily look at this woodified F-150 and question why it was ever built. There are also some curious choices regarding the body lines, while various sections of the body also lack varnish. The latter choice does provide some contrast to the wheel arches and trim sections though, so it seems there was some design intent behind the decision. There is also something to be said for the weight penalty of all that wood, which likely exceeds that of the original steel body by some margin.
All we can really say is that the owner probably had a great time building it. Just don't rely on a custom wood-bodied F-150 to offer much, if any, protection in a crash. You've been warned.
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