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Most custom builds are made to be driven, shown, or flipped. This one was made to haul tractors. The 1949 Ford F-6 cab-over now live on Bring a Trailer was rebuilt over roughly two years into a show-tractor hauler. It swaps the original drivetrain for a Cummins 4BT turbodiesel, a Ford 4R100 automatic, and a ten-foot bed with foldable sides. As of Friday morning the bid sits at $12,000, and the auction runs through Wednesday, October 21.
There are plenty of Cummins swaps out there, but a 3.9-liter four-cylinder in a post-war cab-over is a different kind of project. Ford's first-generation F-Series COE trucks were built to work, and this one was reworked with that purpose in mind.
The Build Story
According to the listing, the prior owner acquired the truck in 2014 and rebuilt it over two years. The cab came off the frame for blasting and repairs, and the frame and cab received modifications and reinforcements to make room for the larger engine. The seller says the work was done by a farmer from Carthage, Missouri, who built it to carry his show tractors. The selling dealer, Excalibur Motorsports of Jamestown, New York, picked it up recently and says printed and CD records from the build come with the truck.
One number deserves a flag. In the comments, the seller says the build cost the original owner $70,982.65, not counting labor, and that every receipt is in a binder. That is the seller's statement. The listing itself only says build records are included, so treat the dollar figure as an unverified claim until you've seen the paperwork.
What's Under the Cab
The documented hardware list is the interesting part. The listing describes a Cummins 3.9-liter 4BT turbodiesel inline-four that received new front and rear main seals, new rod and main bearings, and a valve adjustment during the build. The charge cooler was rebuilt, and a new electric fan, transmission cooler, and power steering cooler were added. It's paired with a Ford 4R100 four-speed automatic, the same transmission family Ford used behind its Power Stroke diesels, and the listing says it's mounted with an adapter plate.
The chassis stays old-school, with solid axles on leaf springs at both ends and power-assisted drum brakes at all four corners. Service in September 2026 added new front wheel cylinders and two new front tires. Silver 19.5-inch steel wheels wear 245/70 Goodyears. The cab gets Vintage Air air conditioning, tilting bucket seats in grey vinyl, a floor-mounted shifter, and Omega Kustom gauges. Outside, the truck is finished in grey with black fenders and a black bed, with dual chrome exhaust stacks, a headache bar with extra lighting, and external storage boxes behind the steps.
Seller Claims vs. What's Documented
Here's what's backed by the listing: 1,350 miles shown on the digital odometer since the build was completed, with 400 of those added by the dealer. The truck carries a duplicate Florida title with the odometer marked "Exempt," and the dealer notes wear spots under the bed sides and hinges. Here's what's anecdotal: the seller says he drove the truck 345 miles home at a top speed of about 55 mph, and told commenters it can tow roughly 5,000 to 7,000 pounds comfortably. The seller also says nothing was ever hauled on the bed itself, since the original owner towed a trailer by gooseneck or receiver hitch. Those are useful color, but they aren't test data, and anyone planning real tow duty should inspect the rig in person.
Why It Stands Out
A 4BT is a torque-first engine, and this truck was built for work rather than speed, which fits. The result also lines up with a lane Motorious readers already follow. We've covered a Chevrolet COE that makes a very cool truck, a 1947 Chevrolet Snub Nose COE built to haul classics, and a 1941 Dodge WC-12 restomod hiding a Cummins diesel. For something even more extreme, there's the Ford Mustang that someone swapped a Cummins into. If modern diesel muscle in vintage sheet metal is your thing, our look at a modified 1988 Chevrolet V3500 is worth a read.
What sets this Ford apart is the purpose-built nature of the project. It isn't a restomod chasing a cruise-night trophy, and it isn't a replica chasing a movie car. Someone spent two years and a lot of money turning a 1949 cab-over into a rolling workhorse, and at $12,000 with five days to go, the market hasn't weighed in yet.
The Auction Details
The truck is offered on Bring a Trailer by Excalibur Motorsports in Jamestown, New York, and carries a Florida title. At the time of writing there were four bids and 17 comments. Bidding ends Wednesday, October 21 at 4:24 p.m. ET. You can see the full photo gallery, walk-around videos, and cold-start video on the original Bring a Trailer listing.
