Ford Employee Spends 15 Years Restoring ’78 F-150 with Son
Father passes his Blue Oval passion down to his son with a long-term restoration of a classic 1978 Ford F-150.
For most of us, Ford trucks have played a major role in our lives. Most likely, you grew up riding in your parent’s or grandparent’s Ford pickup. Maybe you were even lucky enough to learn how to drive in one. Or, perhaps that old pickup served as your prom ride, graduation present, or even first vehicle. For generations, this is exactly how many Ford fans have been brought into the fold. Their love of these trucks was essentially inherited, not necessarily learned.
That’s exactly the case with Wapakoneta, Ohio resident Denny Latham and his son, Brett. The elder Latham spent some time working for Ford Motor Company, so naturally, he also developed a fondness for their legendary trucks. As Latham explained to Lima Ohio’s local news site, he wanted to pass this passion down to the next generation. And what better way to do that than by buying a project truck they could work on together?
The two have also done most of the work themselves on the F-150 that is still referred to as a ‘work in progress.’
So 15 years ago, the elder Latham went out looking for one. He found the perfect project in this 1978 Ford F-150, a truck that he admittedly loved the look of. And who can blame him? These ’70s Ford trucks are easily the most popular here in the Ford Truck Enthusiasts forums, after all. So it’s no surprise that his son immediately fell in love with the new project, too. “He had his graduation pictures taken with it,” Latham said.
Over the last 15 years, this father and son duo have worked to make the classic F-150 show worthy. And judging by the photo they provided, we’d say they’ve succeeded at that. The two have also done most of the work themselves, save for the interior, which they entrusted to local shop 3G Customs. Regardless, Latham’s wife Sue still calls the F-150 a “work in progress.”
These days, Brett’s parents routinely cruise their old Ford around the local lake. They also display it at various local events including the Westgate Charity Car Show. And even though the article doesn’t explicitly state what truck the younger Latham bought for himself, Denny did say that it was a diesel. We’d like to imagine that it’s a Ford of some sort. After all, this is one family that perfectly exemplifies what it’s like to grow up with that infectious Blue Oval passion.
Photo: Lima Ohio
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