Indholdsfortegnelse for Winter 2019 i F-Series Builder's Guide

WHEN IT COMES TO custom trucks, the aftermarket rules the land—and that sets the consumer up for a little Economics 101 and a lesson in supply and demand. For customizing and upgrading, parts are supplied for the most popular trucks, and for years now that truck has worn a bowtie. This creates a cycle where the parts that are available cause an increase in the same truck being customized over and over. “When building something to this caliber you have to build your own supply so that your brand is now the demand.” However, when you are a custom shop and you’re tired of seeing the same old truck being built time and time again, you create your own aftermarket and tip the scale of supply and demand in your…

REMEMBER HIGH SCHOOL Algebra? Every equation had a variable to solve, and once solved, a person could look at the now-completed equation and comprehend the formula for which one was needing to finish a theorem. Sounds like complicated stuff, but it’s actually similar to building a vehicle that has never before been attempted. You have to be able to envision what you are building far ahead of the first wrench touching the vehicle. Once the final product is realized, only then can you look back and see what you needed all along. Such is the case with Derrick Hodson and Hodson Motorsports. Derrick is a man who believes in proportions and is somewhat particular when it comes to the way objects fit together. Being retired from the commercial plumbing industry…

WHEN IT COMES TO WHEELS and tires, everyone certainly has their own style and favorite wheel company of choice. With wheels being possibly one of the easiest modifications you can make to update or customize your classic truck, it’s also one of the hardest choices to make. Which wheel will complement the look and style of your build the best? Have no fear. We’ve compiled a short list of some of the most popular makes and brands out there to help get you started on your hunt. From full one-off custom wheels to three-piece, billet, steel or cast wheels, there is a choice out there that will fully create the exact look and stance that you’re after. Matching your wants with your needs and, of course, your budget, just make…

AS MOST OF YOU HAVE SEEN IN THIS ISSUE, Solomon, our tech editor, picked up a 1972 F-100 now known as Oscar the Bump. Can check out the Intro to Oscar the Bump in this issue (page 42) for a more in-depth breakdown of the concept and plans for the build. After buying the truck, Solomon noticed that the bed floor of the truck had seen better days. Wanting to keep with a factory bed floor and not go with wood or a raised floor, he started to look around for bed floor replacement parts. While on a Ford F-100 Facebook group, Solomon came across a post about a Ford truck guy who redesigned the factory bed floor with all the correct depths and everything—even down to the same metal…

BRANDON FREEMAN IS NO stranger to customs. He owns and operates Freeman’s Hot Rods & Customs in Chesterfield, South Carolina, alongside his father, Junior. The father-son tag team has made its mark with hot rod, muscle car and truck builds over the last several years. As an industry man, Brandon comes across promising projects pretty often, but when this gem of a 1977 Ford F-100 rolled in, he pounced. The original plan was simple (it always is): suspension update and new motor. More than two years later, though, Brandon has a competitive show truck on his hands. But the method to the madness never changed. After countless builds, Brandon has learned to take pride in all aspects of his work and never rush a thing. These values have clearly paid…

IT IS A STORY AS OLD AS time: Boy plays with truck, boy needs truck, boy finds truck, boy buys truck. Solomon Lunger, the tech editor for us here at F-100 Builder’s Guide, has always had a love for classic Ford trucks ever since an early age. It started when he was a little kid playing in his grandfather’s used car lot. Over the years, he became a huge fan of the unibody and has since moved into all generations of F-100s. This time around, Solomon wanted a little more room and liked the shape of the 1967-72 Bump Sides. Solomon knew what he wanted from his next build—a driver-quality truck that handles and drives well but without the need to worry about scratching paint or being scared to take…

SOMETIMES GOOD STUFF slips through your fingers. If you’re lucky, sometimes it comes back quickly. Chad Seals from Rutledge, Tennessee, bought his 1977 Ford F-100 in 1999 and drove it all through high school. Even though he loved it, when the former owner came down with a bad case of seller’s remorse, Chad took pity and agreed to sell it back. It was almost nine years later before Chad saw the truck again. “I was surprised when a friend of mine showed up driving my old truck and excited to show off his new ride,” Chad says. “I tried to buy it right there on the spot, with no success.” Amazingly, the truck changed hands three more times, but Chad followed it to every new owner until he finally got…

THERE’S A LOT GOING ON IN SMALL-town garages and DIY shops. It’s so cool to see the true passion and history these classic Ford industry guys have. To give them the recognition they deserve, we’re highlighting these shops in special behind-the-scenes tours—with our F-100 BG twist, of course. First up is Gabriel Light of Rabid Muscle Cars in Athens, Georgia. Here’s what he had to say about what got him started. F-100 Builder’s Guide: What was your first shop-built vehicle? Gabriel Light: My first official build out of the shop was a 1972 Ford F-100 called “The Cow Truck.” F-100 BG: What’s your favorite build to date? GL: Probably still our first build—Cow Truck—as it’s still the most memorable. F-100 BG: How many years have you been in business? GL:…

WHEN WE SET OUT TO BUILD THE FLO-100 (our 1962 Ford F-100 SEMA build), we wanted it to stand out in a crowd and do something a bit different. Creating a visually appealing concept that is different than the rest takes a bit of time, vision and sometimes even luck. We happened to come across a company called All Real Gold on Instagram and saw its unique “Copper Paint,” which sparked the idea to really go all out. In the past, a lot of people would send their parts to the chrome shop and say, “Just put the copper on it.” The issue with that is that over time the copper starts to tarnish, and different types of material end up different shades of copper plating so it’s extremely hard…

TEAM321 NOW OFFERS ADJUSTABLE coilovers to effectively set the ride height of your Crown Vic front suspension swap. Crown Vic front suspension swaps in F-100s have become popular due to their wallet friendly budget and readily available parts. Besides the CV front ends, another issue facing truck owners is tuning the front suspension to better suit their desired ride height and driving/ handling characteristics. Considering the Crown Vic was equipped with civilian springs or Police Interceptor springs, F-100 owners had to either settle for the ride height and spring rate of their swap... too soft, too stiff or make due with the limited spring options, which requires spring compressors, potentially cutting coils in a time-consuming trial and error effort that ultimately resulted in what many feel is a compromised ride.…

IT’S RARE WHEN YOU CROSS paths with a truck such as this. It’s even rarer to see one that can hold a candle to it. But even in those rare cases, what lies underneath is often a Frankenstein of salvaged pieces. A solid-ish floor pan here, a mostly straight bed there. But something with this clean of a history, this simple of an existence—that is a once in a lifetime find. “Lynn selected nothing but high-quality products and companies from start to finish.” Lynn Pace purchased his 1966 Ford F-100 out of a Tennessee barn 32 years ago. With 80,000 miles on the clock and original owner, Lynn jumped at the opportunity. And as life would have it, this F-100 would also live in Lynn’s garage for three decades, patiently…

JESUS LOPEZ OF HOUSTON, Texas, is a self-made man. The process of building and maintaining his own business is a perfect analogy for his build. His 1985 Ford F-150 single-cab truck is functional with humble roots and badass styling, and his hard work over the last two years has culminated in a gorgeous example of the ’80s classic. The ’85 is increasingly popular among truck enthusiasts. This example uses Texas-sized styling and classic finishes for its signature look. The 1985 F-150, as a part of the series’ seventh generation, got a brand-new chassis. The seventh-gen models were to first to receive a “from scratch” chassis since the fourth generation. For the most part, this new frame is still in place underneath Jesus’ truck. It’s been modified for its aggressive stance.…

TCI Engineering Pro-Touring Pickup Chassis TCI ENGINEERING ANNOUNCES THE RELEASE OF its all-new Pro-Touring pickup chassis. Built to fit 1948-1956 Ford F-100s, the new chassis began with the TCI tried-and-true 8-inch-tall main frame rails that follow the original F-100 frame profile. The company took a decade of hardcore auto-crossing and road-racing experience and integrated that technology into a new Pro-Touring IFS, using custom designed TCI spindles with bolt-on steering arms. This allows maximum performance from the suspension geometry. This new Pro Touring IFS still utilizes over-the-counter brakes, ball joints and rack-and-pinion, so replacements are readily available. Ridetech million-mile warranty coilovers are standard equipment. The TCI Pro-Touring IFS will provide the ultimate in handling, weight savings, strength, ground clearance, along with a broad range of alignment adjustments. Moving to the rear,…

JACI PIATT IS A STUDENT FROM FORT Loramie, Ohio. Like many students, Jaci needed a new set of wheels—but unlike other students, she has Joe Henke for a stepdad. Joe, a longtime member of Negative Camber truck club, has been building lowered customs for years. For this special project, he pushed the suspension in the opposite direction. Jaci got to work alongside Joe and express her own style with her 1978 Ford F-250. This single-cab truck was just begging for monster-truck styling, and the family duo happily obliged. The 1978 F-250 3/4-ton truck was big in its own right. The sixth-generation Ford F-series trucks carried a lot of changes with them; major updates in the front fascia and accessory styling mark the ’72-’79 years. But the sixth generation F-250 4x4s…

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN A CUSTOMER comes to you with his 1971 Ford F-100 that he bought brand new in 1971 and wants some work done? Well, if you’re anything like Gabriel Light from Rabid Muscle Cars in Athens, Georgia, then you would spend the next few hours drooling over such a fine original specimen before making a solid game plan to spend the next few months fully restoring said truck, which is pretty much exactly how it went down here. Michael Cann approached Gabriel about creating the ultimate family heirloom with this 1971 Ford F-100 Sport Custom that he bought brand new off the lot in high school of ’71. Keeping the truck as clean as possible through the next 48-plus years was no easy task. Like any…

AS MOST OF YOU HAVE SEEN, WE’VE BEEN hard at work on our 1963 Ford F-100 known as project True Blue, currently under the knife for a full frame swap with a 2008 Ford Crown Vic P71. One of the most difficult aspects of this budget swap is dealing with the wiring headache. The Crown Vic P71 isn’t a very sophisticated platform, but it’s still no simple task compared to the classic truck. They are designed for everything: security systems, door locks, window electronics, trunk latches, lighting and much more. But when swapping the body for a 1963 F-100, it can be simplified dramatically. We reached out to the experts at Mi-Ty Motorsports to see what we can do and how to do it properly without a bunch of trial…