Pickup trucks have changed immeasurably over the last 80 years. When half ton was originally manufactured, the most luxurious item you could get was a heater. Other optional extras back then were a right-side windshield wiper and taillight, as well as duck-covered seating and a sliding rear window. 

This generation of Ford pickup was introduced for 1942, but production of civilian vehicles was halted that February, making for a shortened model year. After the end of World War II, production resumed, and this style of truck would remain on sale through 1947. 

Although not considered as stylish as its 1940-41 predecessor, the 1942-47 Ford pickup has, nevertheless, become a popular foundation for custom and hot rod projects over the years. And Rolfe’s super clean ’46 model is a good example.

After retiring right before the COVID-19 pandemic, Ray, who painted cars in his teens, was looking for an automotive restoration project. After fixing up a 1971 Triumph Spitfire Mk IV, Rolfe found himself yearning for another project. 

Custom project

“I was looking on Facebook Marketplace, and I came across this 1946 Ford pickup,” Rolfe explains. The truck had been a custom project that had been started, but the owner had unfortunately passed away. “It had a custom frame that had been put together the right way, and the cab was sitting on that frame, and the engine was mocked up and just placed in there.”

Ray was interested, so he decided to make an offer to buy the truck. “When I got there and met the owner’s son, I walked around the garage and found most of the other components required to put it all together.

Once he got the project home, Rolfe’s friends came over to look at it and then, a plan of action was formed. “The custom frame featured four by six square tubing, and it had front clip from a first-generation Dodge Dakota mid-size pickup,” says Ray.

Having taken stock of the truck and all the parts that came with it, Ray decided to build it as a custom. “It was really too far gone to return it to factory stock condition,” he says. “There were just too many of the original parts missing.”

Despite not being a licensed technician or body man, Rolfe nevertheless, dove into the project with enthusiasm and did almost everything himself, save for the transmission. He credits Rob Hood and Alex Bull from Under the Hood Automotive Services in Castleton, Ontario, (905-3447257), as being a huge help in getting this truck running and driving as nice as it does today. 

Vortec power

One thing that sets this classic Ford apart from many typical custom builds, is that it doesn’t have a V8 engine. “When I bought it, the truck came with this 4.3-litre GM Vortec V6,” says Ray “and the motor mounts for it had already been fabricated on the frame, so I decided to stick with this engine.”

The motor had very low miles on it, less than 100,000 km, still, Rolfe decided to tear it down and inspect it. “I redid the main bearings, but the pistons and rings were fine, and the engine had great compression because it was low mileage. “I replaced the camshaft bearings and rebuilt the cylinder heads, installed new gaskets and then added fuel injection,” Ray explains.

The transmission teamed with it is a GM Turbo Hydra-Matic 4L60-E four-speed automatic, transmitting power via a four-inch driveshaft, to a GM 10-bolt rear axle with Positraction, that came out of a 1978 Chevy Camaro. 

The truck still sports the Vortec factory exhaust manifolds mated to a dual exhaust with straight pipes. The Ford also features a fuel cell in place of a regular gas tank and a 140 lb electric pump to feed the engine, which cranks out around 300 horsepower. “It’s fast enough,” says Rolfe “and the combination makes for a great cruising truck that I can drive anywhere.”

Widened fenders

The paint and bodywork on this Ford are truly striking and reflect the two years of time and effort Ray put into the project. A key part was widening the rear fenders so the completed machine would look right on modern rubber. “The original rear fenders on these trucks are very narrow, so I decided to split them and fabricated extra metal in between. They are now 3 inches wider on either side.”  

The body and paint work were all done by Rolfe in his garage at home. “The colour I chose is really an off-white, a cross between a white and a beige,” he says. The finish is actually a single stage and a solid colour with no metallic, though from looking at it, you’d never know, such is the quality of the work. Additionally, the truck was painted piecemeal in Ray’s garage, with the fenders, cab, box and hood all done separately. “Everything is round on this truck, and it took a while but I’m really happy with end result,” he says.

Other custom features include smooth front and rear roll pans and suicide doors on the cab, with shaved handles. “That was a major project, because there is no adjustment on the hinges and it is a chore to get it right, because the panel gaps are all governed by where you weld in your hinge mounts,” explains Ray.

For the shaved door handles, Rolfe chose to install an electric release that operates via the key fob, or a hidden button mounted between the rear of the cab and the pickup box.

Separate wiring systems

The truck also has two separate wiring systems, one for the powertrain and a Painless system that runs everything else, including the lights, Kenwood stereo, seats and the doors.

Another aspect Ray wanted to incorporate was the truck’s classic Waterfall grille and hood trim treatment. “It’s very distinctive,” he says “and I had it laid back about an inch and a half and ground it down. It was a bit of work to do that, but I like the way it turned out.”

As for the bed, while it’s often typical for custom builds like this to have wood on the floor, Rolfe wanted to do something different. “I installed an 8-inch sheet of aluminum for the base, and I made five strips of eight-inch aluminum, about 2-inches wide, and I made additional strips of ¾-inch wide 8-inch aluminum for the runners.” Rolfe decided to paint the bed strips burgundy, providing a nice contrast to the exterior colour of the truck.

Homemade running boards  

Ray also fabricated his own running boards, while inside the pickup has a custom-made engine turned instrument panel, and 40th anniversary Pontiac Grand Prix front bucket seats with power adjustment, finished in black with burgundy leather inserts that match the outside trim on the truck. Rolfe also installed his own custom floor carpeting and rear panel. He also made up his own interior door cards, coloured to match the carpet and rear panel and installed jewel style scuff plates.

The Ford also has brand new rubber stripping and glass, as well as a coil-sprung front and leaf sprung rear suspension, with front disc brakes (slotted and drilled) and rear drums.

The wheels are 15-inch chrome units, with dog-dish hubcaps for a classic look. Rolfe says that he worked hard to ensure the truck had the right stance, including adding new front springs. From the results, we say he’s nailed it.

The Ford was finally completed in the fall of 2024, and we were fortunate to snap some pictures of it. Rolfe says it’s been quite a project, one where he learned some new skills, including welding, but the result has been well worth it. “I love driving this truck and the way it looks, particularly the stance.” 

Specifications – Ray Rolfe’s 1946 Ford half-ton pickup 

Type: Half-ton pickup with separate cab and box

Frame: Custom square tube with Dodge Dakota front clip 

Suspension: Independent with coil springs (front), solid axle with leaf springs (rear) 

Brakes: Front disc, rear drum

Wheels: 15-inch chrome with centre hub cabs

Engine: GM 4.3-litre Vortec V6 

Fuel system: Vortec Spider Multi-Port EFI system with fuel cell and 140 lb electric pump 

Transmission: GM 4L60-E four-speed automatic 

Rear end: GM 10-bolt with Positraction 

Exterior features: Front and rear roll pans, custom running boards, custom bed floor with aluminum runners, widened rear fenders, suicide doors with shaved handles, modified Waterfall grille

Interior features:  2002 Pontiac Grand Prix 40th anniversary bucket seats, custom carpet and door panels, Kenwood stereo system, and retractable electronic OBD operated gauge screen