Innholdsfortegnelse for Winter 2024 i F-Series Builder's Guide

DON’T WORRY, WE’RE DROOLING TOO! There’s really no better way to describe this truck than “WOW!” Fully custom from grille to tailgate, this 1961 Ford is precisely the type of vehicle you’d see on the floor of some of the industry’s greatest shows. In fact, in the last couple of months since its debut, that’s exactly what this truck has been doing—appearing in some of the most notable car shows in the country, including the Grand National Roadster Show and the Chicago World of Wheels. Built by 81-year-old retired crane operator John Lamb of Seneca, Illinois, with the help of his son Jeff and a few other very talented folks over a 15-year period, this 1961 Ford pickup is the epitome of classic styling, modern performance, and a plethora of…

INSTALLING NEW GLASS IN A TRUCK CAN BE one of those tasks that seems intimidating at first, but it doesn’t have to be. Starting with the rear window is a great idea for beginners. The process is straightforward and, with the help of a friend, can be completed quickly. The key is to take your time, especially if the truck has fresh paint, and be patient. New seals can sometimes be a bit challenging to work with, so patience is essential. For this project, we used tinted glass and new seals from LMC Truck for the 1976 F-250. Preparing your tools and materials beforehand is crucial. Make sure you have the glass, seals, and any necessary tools within reach. Begin by removing the old glass and seals, carefully avoiding any…

WHEN IT COMES TO THE WORLD OF LIFTED trucks, there are some out there who do it for looks, some who do it for function, and then some who actually want both. Yes, you CAN have your cake and eat it too! For our “daily dad mobile,” we knew that we needed a truck that would still function, tow, hit the trails, and do all the things that we’ve thrown at our Ford F-250 thus far. Falling in love with the newer-gen SuperDuty platform came easy as it is one of the most versatile do-it-all trucks out there, but it was time for a much-needed makeover on our daily dad wagon. For this story, we wanted to do something a bit different. Rather than show you the normal step-by-step instruction…

THE 41ST ANNUAL F-100 WESTERN NATIONALS held on June 22 at the Canyon RV Park in Anaheim, California, was nothing short of spectacular. Hosted by the Pickups Limited Truck Club of Orange County, this event has a rich history dating back to 1976, when a group of 1948-1956 F-100 enthusiasts came together. Today, it stands as the largest classic Ford truck show on the West Coast—a testament to its enduring appeal and growth. Originally known as the Truckin’ Nationals River Run in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, the event has evolved and relocated over the years. Canyon RV Park proved to be the perfect venue, as it offered ample shade under its many trees on a hot summer day, which in turn made it a family-friendly environment with plenty of space…

Aldan American ’53-’83 Ford F-100 Coilover Kits Upgrading your Ford F-100 chassis to an ’03-’11 Crown Victoria front suspension? Check out this new coilover kit from Aldan American. Designed for custom builds, the kits fit like OEM and are completely bolt-on to the Crown Vic front clip. The conversions lower 0.0-0.2 inches from stock when installed. Features: • Adjustable right height• Single or double-adjustable coilovers• Full adjustment of shocks, springs, and shock damping• Works with factory or aftermarket control arms• Made in the USA Aldan American310-834-7478 www.aldanamerican.com All American Billet ’64-’72 F-100 Taillight Bezels Add style to your truck with All American Billet’s taillight bezels. They are designed for trucks that didn’t have them from the factory. Machined from 6061-T6 aluminum, they come with polished, black anodized, or machined finishes.…

I’M SUPER EXCITED TO SHARE THE progress on the Green Giant with all of you! Last time it was still stuck in paint jail and now it is starting to look like a truck again. To keep the project moving forward, I had to finish the body and paint work on the cab, which always seems to take longer than you think it should. With the paint work being wrapped up, it was time to start putting the interior together. I started by putting down sound deadening material in the floors and the roof to make the ride a bit more enjoyable. While I was doing that, my wife Jasmine started wiring in the new RetroSound head unit. Next up was getting the carpet from LMC Truck laid in so…

THERE IS SOMETHING JUST SO ICONIC about a 1950s Ford truck. If you’re like us, you take notice of each one you see on the road or parked in a field, regardless of their condition. Whether fully restored or resto-modded, these trucks are sure to put a smile on your face, and sent straight back to a different time. This gorgeous 1959 Ford F-100 shortbed pickup is no different. Currently owned by Earth MotorCars in Carrollton, Texas, this beauty has just about everything you could love in an old classic truck rebuilt for modern fun, including a new Coyote engine under the hood! Need we say more? Built for Longevity The F-Series pickup was introduced to the market in 1948 with the first generation of the now famous Ford platform.…

“SHOP TRUCK” CAN MEAN different things to different people. For some, it’s just a matter of enlisting whatever vehicle can haul parts around for one’s place of business—with dents, scratches, or whatever. As long as it runs and has a bed, it’s all good. For others, a shop truck should be as clean and detailed as possible at all times—ready to represent at any given moment. Holden Jung took that second notion to heart, and then bumped it up about a hundred times over to create the truck you see here. Now, you won’t be seeing this truck haul anything but trophies for the foreseeable future, but you can bet your ass (or someone else’s, if you don’t happen to have one) that this ‘56 F-100 certainly delivers! In fact,…

THE 2ND ANNUAL SOLOS BEACH Bonanza took place on January 19-20, 2024, offering a unique blend of automotive culture and tropical relaxation. This two-day event began with an exhilarating 300-mile cruise from Miami to Key West, followed by a spectacular truck show at Gilbert’s Resort in Key Largo—a private island resort featuring 360-degree water views, three tiki bars, a beach, marina, and more. Solos Beach Bonanza was conceived by Solomon Lunger, known as Solo, in 2023. The idea sparked during a phone call with his friend Kyle Delfel. While Kyle was experiencing snowy weather in Snohomish, Washington, Solo was enjoying 75-degree blue skies in Florida. This inspired Solo to create a destination event where friends could gather, relax, and appreciate classic trucks without the pressure of having to bring their…

I GOT A CALL BACK IN OCTOBER 2022 from KC Mathieu of KC’s Paint Shop asking me what my plans were for SEMA. I told him I was going to fly in, and he offered me the chance to come out to Texas a couple of days before they headed to SEMA and record the journey for my YouTube channel, Ford Era. At the time, I was also the editor of F-100 Builder’s Guide magazine, so I figured this would make a fun article. Here we are, a couple of years later, and finally getting this story published. I flew into Fort Worth, Texas, two days before KC told me we were supposed to drive to Vegas for SEMA. What I didn’t know until I got to his shop was…

JUST WHEN I THOUGHT THE adventures with KC Mathieu couldn’t get any better, he called me up a few weeks before SEMA 2023 with another exciting proposition. This time, he asked me about my plans for the week after SEMA, specifically for Dino’s Git Down in Phoenix—a show primarily dedicated to Chevy trucks. KC invited me to join Luke and him on an epic road trip from Fort Worth, Texas, to Phoenix and back. They planned to drive the 1948 Ford F-1, Larky the 1976 F-100, and the Godzillaswapped SuperCab towing an enclosed trailer. If there’s one thing I’m known for, it’s my love for making memories and having a great time, so it didn’t take much convincing for me to say yes. Plus, this time I already knew the…

IF YOU’RE LOOKING TO LOWER YOUR 2015-2020 Ford F-150 2WD shortbed truck, Belltech’s front and rear complete suspension kit with Street Performance shocks is a great choice. This kit includes everything you need to achieve a lower stance and improved ride quality. Belltech’s Street Performance complete lowering kits are designed to provide your sport truck or SUV with the look you want and the performance, safety, and ride quality you need. The kit includes all the parts, pieces, and shock absorbers required for lowering your vehicle by 1 to 3 inches in the front and 5.5 inches at the rear. This all-in-one solution simplifies the purchase process and ensures compatibility with your truck. We spent the weekend installing this kit on our 2020 Ford F-150 crew cab before bolting on…

I HAVE BEEN WATCHING MY FAMILY PUT LOVE AND energy into our 1976 Highboy, wondering how I could help contribute to the project. I don’t have experience restoring these beautiful trucks. However, I have done a couple of simple DIY electrical projects with great success (meaning I have never felt the sting of the electrical current). This gave me the confidence to try the install of the new RetroSound radio and subwoofer. The assembly for the radio was simple and very straightforward thanks to the installation manual giving perfect step-by-step directions. The only time-consuming part was the placement of the face into the dash. It took several attempts of minor adjustments to put the InfiniMount Brackets in the correct position for proper depth and centered location. Next, we had to…

THIS YEAR’S GRAND NATIONAL SHOW WAS anything but uneventful! The event was marked by constant off-and-on showers and numerous instances of trucks experiencing part failures, engines blowing up, rear differentials coming apart, and clutches going out, which kept everyone on their toes. My journey to the event was an adventure in itself, with the first incident occurring just 20 minutes into my five-hour drive. From a fuel delivery issue, to the driver side rear brake drum locking up, and a nasty oil leak that I couldn’t stop, I encountered more unexpected turns on this trip than I had anticipated! When I finally got into Pigeon Forge, all my stress and worries faded like an old paint job! With the abundance of old-school F-Series trucks everywhere, I felt like I had…