Restored 1964 Ford F100 Styleside Has Come a Long Way, Baby

By S.J. Bryan - January 22, 2021

If “How it started versus how it’s going” was a Ford F100.

One thing we love to search online are barn finds. And by “barn find” we include all those cars and trucks found forgotten in garages, junkyards, even abandoned in fields. It is always intriguing to see these trucks lost to time. And if you’re like us, you look at these trucks and start thinking exactly what we’d do to bring that Ford F100 back to life. Often these dream builds would require we win the lottery first. But many of the uncovered gems are being salvaged, and brilliantly so.

Seeing a once trashed Ford truck brought back to life just never gets old.

Great truck projects and builds stand out for a number of reasons. But one aspect that is constant among all is a compelling motivation. A strong incentive certainly helps keep things on track when you’re ready to throw in the towel.

What drives us to restore and rebuild can be the desire to build your dream ride, or maybe something a little closer to home. This 1964 Ford F-100 pickup was brought back to life to keep a family tradition rolling along.

NFI Empire has been challenged with a lot of interesting restorations over the years from sports cars to 4 x 4s. Their work on trucks and SUVs is especially compelling. They may deviate from stock, but retain that true Blue Oval DNA.

They were approached by a client with a special request. She wanted NFI to build the same truck her father had growing up. Her father had great taste in his 1964 Ford F-100 Styleside Custom Cab.

The team got to work building the fourth-generation rig. Their donor vehicle had a lot of fairly solid parts, really–this held up well. But the engine and drivetrain needed work. While the body had held up pretty well, it was going to be stripped down to make way for a new look.

Keeping true to the spirit of the build, NFI Empire sought out original parts. This is a period-correct build, with a little wiggle room for upgrades. They restored the original straight 6 engine, which is paired to the and original 3-on-the-tree column stick transmission. A truly great touch.

It took time, but the project continued to roll along. After completing the full body restoration came the paint job. Creamy white is an especially sharp choice for the unfussy and bold lines of the fourth-gen F-100.

Complimenting the white is a crisp red interior. Original badging and period gauges really complete the mid-century rig.

Additionally, they installed a new vintage air system, completed a BASF paint job, updated the truck bed, and added the perfect kicks.

Simply, the result is clean, crisp F-100 perfection. The original owner is now selling this beauty of a build, so check it out if you’re on the lookout.