Caught bolts, busted knuckles, burned espresso—there’s any variety of the explanation why you would possibly hear a bit alternative language exchanged across the typical auto store. However of all of the four-letter phrases you’re probably hear within the storage, just one is sufficient to make even the burliest wrench-turner blush:
Rust.
Rust is an easy truth of life for lovers throughout a lot of the nation. Not even the hardest Detroit iron is proof against the fixed barrage of frozen slush and highway salt introduced on by a median Midwestern winter. However for Brian Reed, a bit iron oxide has by no means been a trigger for alarm. In actual fact, he’s devoted a lot of his life to conserving wrecked, rusted, and run-down rides out of the scrap heap.
Brian’s historical past of automotive rescue began nicely earlier than he may get behind the wheel, lending a hand at his dad’s storage cleansing vehicles, emptying the trash bins, and gaining beneficial hands-on store expertise. “After I was 15 and on the brink of drive, my dad purchased me my first automotive: a wrecked Volkswagen Bug. I cherished it,” recollects Brian. “I put it again collectively in my dad and mom’ storage, and by the point I used to be 16 I’d offered the primary one and acquired one other one. At that time I spotted I may do that once more, and once more, and once more—and it by no means stopped!”
Nowadays, Brian runs the present at Buckeye Collision Middle, in Marion, Ohio, and his automotive tastes have graduated from Beetles to Blue Ovals, respiration new life into busted Broncos, downtrodden Tremendous Duties, and most just lately this 1964 F100. Dragged from a entrance yard in rural Ohio, the place it had sunken as much as its axles and developed an acute case of physique rot, this crusty Customized Cab has turn out to be the last word expression of Brian’s love for wayward sizzling rods.
Following its retrieval, the truck was parked safely throughout the partitions of Brian’s store whereas he and his head builder, Virgil Thoroughman, received again to the enterprise of fixing fender-benders and finishing buyer builds. However lastly, almost 5 years later, it was the F100’s time to shine…figuratively talking. “I didn’t actually have a path for the truck till after we began,” recollects Brian. “All I knew is I wished the underside of the truck, contained in the cab, and beneath the hood to look model spankin’ new, and the surface of the truck trying like we didn’t contact it.”
Beginning with a completely boxed pre-fabbed body, Brian and Virgil set to work salvaging no matter bodywork they might from the F100. “The purpose was to take it aside, put the cab on the brand new chassis, put the motor and tranny in it, and never must get too carried away fabricating and modifying and constructing,” says Brian. After all, merely dropping a 60-year-old physique onto a brand-new chassis is about as probably as casually slipping into your previous promenade tux, so a great little bit of finagling was required to make every little thing line up. “We virtually re-built half the chassis,” says Virgil. “It took fairly some time, nevertheless it’s an important match now.” “We didn’t put one shim on this truck,” provides Brian. “It’s put collectively prefer it’s purported to be. We take delight in that—identical to within the collision store. It suits the best way it was constructed, if not higher.”
However the underbody upgrades don’t cease there! Different highlights embrace a Mustang II-style subframe with 2 inch drop spindles up entrance, a 4-link setup out again, plus QA1 shocks and RideTech springs in any respect 4 corners.
Naturally, the truck’s AMC V8 and transmission have been put out to pasture (clearly not this truck’s first engine swap), and now it’s an all-Ford affair beneath the hood. Brian opted for a factory-fresh Ford Efficiency Coyote 5.0 backed by a 6R80 tranny. “I decide on him on a regular basis as a result of I believe the truck ought to have a handbook in it,” says Virgil. “I’m getting previous!” laughs Brian. “I simply wish to put it in drive and go. I don’t wish to have to take a seat and shift, I don’t wish to have to carry my foot on the clutch, I wish to put it in drive and drive.”
And drive it does! In response to Brian “It’s identical to driving a contemporary automotive—however lots cooler. If you actually put your foot into it, it simply rips the tires unfastened. It’s quick, man.”
If the muscular tone from the truck’s customized side-exit exhaust doesn’t get your head turning, the paintjob (or perhaps lack thereof) positively will. Greater than 60 years within the making, the F100’s patina’d end is a mix of real rust and layers of skillfully utilized airbrushing. “Initially once I was eager about patina I wished extra—I wished it lined. However I left it as much as my paint man, Tom Lusch,” explains Brian. “He’d by no means finished something like this earlier than,” provides Virgil. “He’s a customized paint man—he normally airbrushes good, fancy stuff, and he stated this was more durable than doing a pleasant paintjob.” A matte clearcoat prevents additional corrosion whereas conserving the end trying aged to perfection.
After all, all that patina makes the truck’s vibrant work actually pop, that includes a real new previous inventory grille and headlight bezels, plus high-quality replica bumpers, badges, door handles, and mirrors. The look is complemented with hand-applied graphics that includes none aside from the Buckeye Collision emblem (together with the unique cellphone quantity) plus a cartoon coyote teasing the engine improve lurking beneath the hood.
Out again, you’ll discover much more clues that this F100 may be extra than simply an previous store truck. Decrease the tailgate and also you’ll see what seems to be a brand-new F100 mattress. Besides it’s not. The Ford’s authentic mattress flooring was too far gone to salvage (and that’s actually saying one thing), however somewhat than supply a direct substitute, Brian and his crew dropped in some sheet metallic from a 2008 Dodge Ram, and the wheel tubs have been widened to accommodate the beefier rolling gear beneath. Yet one more clue: the customized pro-touring fashion wickerbill spoiler mated to the tailgate.
Resisting the attract of a farm-fresh inside, Brian referred to as up Angie’s Upholstery in Higher Sandusky, Ohio to re-cover the bench seat in period-correct plaid. Different enhancements embrace a Billet Specialties Victory 14 inch steering wheel, a customized 32 inch tilt steering column, and a slick Dakota Digital RTX gauge package housing a speedometer, tachometer, gasoline gauge, digital show, and extra all in a single unit—all whereas trying bone inventory.
Don’t fear, Brian, your secret’s secure with us!
Greater than a decade after being rescued from the scrapper, Brian’s pickup had lastly accomplished its lengthy journey from rusty garden decoration to rowdy highway warrior. However the story isn’t over! This “previous work truck” has already been handled to a brand new set of rollers and additional inside upgrades, plus Mind says just a few laps across the autocross circuit aren’t out of the query. And the most effective half is you’ll be able to test it out for your self! Watch our video walkaround of his unforgettable F100 beneath, the place we check out its lengthy record of stealthy upgrades and see the way it handles on the open highway.
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1964 Ford F100 Quick Specs
Proprietor: Brian Reed • Marion, Ohio
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Engine & Transmission
Chassis
Exterior
Inside
Particular Thanks
Because of Mark Arnold at Designs on the Mark for the lettering, Tom Lusch for the patina and airbrushed rust, and all the crew at Buckeye Collision.
