FORD PICKUP BACK IN BLOOM
Vintage truck played major role in B.C.’s famous daffodil and tulip farms
When Abbotsford’s Ken Ransford responded to an advertisement offering a 1951 Ford farm truck for sale, he had no idea he would have the opportunity to buy a piece of British Columbia floral history.
It was literally a barn find because the three-quarter-ton Ford flat-deck truck was stored in the barn at one of the Fraser Valley’s original and best-known daffodil and tulip bulb farms.
Scraping the dust and dirt from the doors yielded the faded sign: J.H. Ichikawa Bulb Farm Bradner, B.C.
Ransford concluded the terms of purchase with Ichikawa’s grandson and resolved to preserve as much of the truck’s history as possible.
Haruo Ichikawa immigrated to Canada from Japan at age 22 and helped open a Japanese language school in Port Alberni where he taught. But, he and his family were interned during the Second World War, first in Petawawa, Ont., and then Lillooet. Following the war, Ichikawa had four daughters and began a bulb farm that became widely known for yielding some of the most colourful daffodils and tulips in the region.
Early photos taken at the farm show the prominence of Ichikawa’s 1951 Ford truck. When the farm was put up for sale several years ago, the old truck hidden away in the barn had to be disposed of. It had been left there after someone had taken the brakes apart — a job that was never completed. The truck had travelled just 24,000 miles (38,600 km).
It was Ken Ransford’s good fortune to become the truck’s second owner. The lifelong vintage vehicle and custom car enthusiast and historian would turn this piece of history into his daily transportation. But a flat-deck truck was not practical for everyday driving in the Fraser Valley, so Ransford got parts from a Canadian-built Mercury pickup of that vintage and transformed the old farm truck into a versatile half-ton pickup.
He went a lot further than just putting it back on the road as it was. A major step was to scrape half an inch of tar from the inside of the fenders. The truck had spent a lot of time on gravel roads that had been oiled to control dust back in the day. But that tar had basically rustproofed the body. The fenders and cab were good enough to be preserved.
Ransford operates Top Ten Engine Recyclers, purchasing engines from scrap dealers and re-selling them to remanufacturers. He had just the right power plant for the old Ford truck to ensure reliability, performance and economy.
He transplanted a Cummins diesel engine and five-speed transmission from a 1993 Dodge truck into the old Ford.
Then he added custom touches, including a 1947 Chrysler steering wheel, a dash-mounted electric clock from an early 1950s Oldsmobile and a remotely operated spotlight that acts as a backup light.
A trunk lid from a 1952 Cadillac mounted in the box lifts up to reveal a covered storage area. The unique wheels are from a United Parcel Service delivery truck with clamps to hold the 1951 Mercury hubcaps in place. The tail lights came from a 1939 Pontiac.
He grew up in Steveston where his grandfather once supplied fishnets to Japanese fishermen. He went to Japanese school from grades one through seven, where he learned about Japanese culture.
Having a piece of history that relates to contributions made by Japanese Canadians has deep meaning for him.
He is hoping his truck can play a role in the Bradner daffodil and tulip festivals next year.
In the meantime, he plans to use his historic Fraser Valley farm truck as a tribute to a Japanese-Canadian who dedicated much of his life to adding colour and brightness to the Fraser Valley with flowers.