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Ed Roth's 1956 Ford F-100 shop truck. In 1957 Ed sold his 1948 Ford so he could buy the F-100 truck. He painted red flames on the truck and used it as advertising for his business. On the tonneau cover of the car Roth had also airbrushed a mural. Roth traded the truck in at a used car lot in Southern California in the late 1950s. It was discovered in 2016 in a barn in Oklahoma where it has been painted green and used as a farm truck. Roth's truck was restored and was displayed at the 2017 Grand National Roadster Show.
The foregoing is an pleasantly awesome reminder of my senior years in high school 1966-67. (I know I know!) My buddies and I drooled over the latest car craft and hot rod magazines featuring this style of custom auto craft. Probably studied these magazines more than the school books required. When we got caught we would say it was our couple of super shop teacher's faults because they were teaching us about cars and motors and how to use tools and other stuff.
I've seen a bunch of photos of old school custom trucks over the past few days. Forgot about this thread. Thought I might add to it.
1953 Ford F100 "Mother Lode"
The appearance of the truck was cleaned up by removing the front and rear bumper. The bumper mounting-holes in the front rolled pan were welded shut, and the hood was shaved for chrome and ornamentation. The rear of the car was dressed up featuring a chromed rear end. Around 1970/1971 the truck received a 1972 Porsche Gold paint job by the guys at A&J Body Shop in San Jose. San Jose custom painter Bob Heinrichs gave the car a flame paint job. Bob did also pinstripe the truck and he lettered the name "Mother Lode" on the shaved hood. The roof of the truck featured a black vinyl top. It also featured a custom tufted Naugahyde upholstery by John Weatherly of Campbell. John fit the truck with padded running boards and a black Naugahyde cover for the bed. Under the cover the bed featured stained and varnished wood as well as chrome strips. Other featured included bucket seats, a 1964 Ford radio, chrome steering column and a wooden steering wheel. It was powered by a 1967 Ford 390 FE engine. The engine compartment was dressed up featuring a chromed radiator and valve covers. This version ran Ansen Sprints wheels with Goodyear Polygas GT tires. The truck was featured on the cover of Truckin' August 1975.
Full custom 1956 ford truck. The truck was originally built in the 60's, and has been a show truck since it was built. When it was first built it was Metalflake Green and went by the name of Green Giant. It was shown and driven a bit in that color. In 1970 it was Painted White with Murano Gold Pearl, Candy base Gold, And Candy Tangerine. At the same time as it was being painted, it was also being upholstered in White Pearl and Orange.
This truck is a survivor. The paint and interior is 43 years old and still looks 90 percent as good as it did when it was on the ISCA show circuit in 1971 and some in 72. After 1972 the truck was stored and has been kept inside except for the occasional drive to charge the battery and keep it mechanically sound. The truck won many Best Custom and numerous other awards when on the show circuit. Other than the wheels and tires the truck looks the same as it did in 1970.
The truck is a statement to the ingenuity and resolve of the early Rod and Custom builders. The grill is handbuilt from Electrical Conduit. The air cleaner is an original off of another ford from that era that has been customized, likewise the valve covers. All of the Chrome was done in the 60's and is still very presentable. This truck has not been to a show or rod run since the 70's, so would make a hit as a driver or a survivor.
This is a 1954 Ford F100 pick-up limited special edition. The chrome grill and spare tire mounting are original and only equipped on the 1954 F100 special edition. The Truck was totally "off frame" rebuilt and modified by a custom hot rod shop in Hollywood CA. The Body was lowered and custom fabricated steel fender skirts were added. Engine is a Ford Cleveland racing motor with all additional parts and equipment in chrome, including a Hilborn style chrome air scoop. Custom chrome panels installed on firewall. Chrome plated running board ribs. Chrome grab bars at truck bed were added. Only the body, chrome grill and oak wood truck bed is original. Custom painting under hood include Marlin Brando, Marilyn Monroe and James Dean hanging out at a 50's drive in diner. All the custom hand painting (not vinyl), including interior dash adornment, was done by Gary Glenn, famous custom hot rod painter in California during Ed Roth's "rat fink" days in the 50's and 60's.
Vintage West Coast show truck, a 1954 Ford F100. This custom was created in the late 50's by Ralph Ehorn of Red Bluff, CA, with work done by Ray's Custom Shop in Chico, CA. The body was smoothed & shaved of its trim and handles, the hood was louvered, nosed and peaked and the tailgate was paneled smooth. Lowering was done with a dropped axle up front, and relocated spring mounts in the rear. In 1958 it won 3rd in class at the Oakland Roadster Show. In January of 1959 the truck made the cover of Rod and Custom, dubbed "The Candy Truck". It featured a 55 Bel Air grill with 54 Buick headlight bezels, along with 50 Buick taillights. Later that year Ralph made some changes to the truck and it was again featured on the January cover of Rod and Custom. This time a 59 Buick grill insert was used along with quad headlights from a tilt cab firetruck. The car continued to travel the West Coast that year, earning trophies at a number of events.
In 1960 Ralph traded the truck for a Thunderbird and the truck bounced around between owners for the next 30 years, eventually falling off the radar. Steve Lemke of Washington State acquired the truck in 1988, by this time it had been sitting for some years and needed restoration. Steve sold the truck in 2002 to Pete and Joanne Rosenberg and when they learned of its history they set out to make contact with Ralph Ehorn. When Mr. Ehorn mailed them copies of photographs and old magazine articles from the 50s, the Rosenbergs knew then that they needed to bring the truck back to its former glory. They were rewarded in 2009 when the truck earned Best in Show at Billetproof, the first time a truck has been awarded this honor at that show.
1956 Ford F-100 restyled by Barris Kustoms for Johnny Zupan of Hollywood, California. According to Custom Cars October 1958, the car was fit with 1958 Ford quad headlights, however in Rodding and Re-styling March 1960 and Rod & Custom January 1959 the headlights were told to be from a 1957 Chrysler Imperial. The grille was made from a 1957 Chevrolet pickup outer grille filled with expanded metal and a backdrop of gold colored fine mesh screen. The space between the headlights and fenders were filled by installing Lucite custom made parking lenses. The door handles were removed, the hood was filled and louvered and the tailgate was filled with etched aluminum sheet stock. A 1957 Chevrolet grille piece was also adapted to the rolled rear pan. 1957 Chrysler Imperial taillights were canted and installed in the rear. Chrome tape was used to highlight the top of cab. Dean Jeffries painted the body green and gold metallic scalloped in Lime Green, Silver and Rust. Exhaust was routed under the flairs beneath the bed, while header plugs were routed through the fenders. A warmed over chromed Cadillac engine nestled under the louvered hood. Johnny's truck was later re-painted in pearl white with fogging in green and gold around the edges by Larry Watson of Watson's House of Style.
Text via H.A.M.B. / Photos from various sources
THE FIRST CUSTOM F-100?
1954 Ford F-100. Joseph Botti purchased this truck new in November of 1954 and took it to Tommy the Greek for a two-tone scallop paint job in December of that same year. The truck also got complete new color matched upholstery including a full tonneau cover for the bed. It was lowered front and rear. Mercury wheels were added and a 55 grille replaced the 54 by the time it was featured on the cover of Rod & Custom magazine in August of 1956. The truck received 19 first place trophies in the first three years including the Oakland Roadster Show in 1955 and 1957. The truck went back to Tommy the Greek in 1964 for a color change of candy apple red and black to the scallop paint. The upholstery was dyed black to match and the front grille was swapped out for a Chrysler 300 and canted headlights. The truck remains in that configuration today. It even has a phone on the dash that was striped by Tommy. The truck was known as the "Mystere" (pronounced Miss Tear). It originally had reversed spring eyes and a 4" mor-drop in front and the rear was mounted on top of the springs. The eyes are still reversed, but Joe put the stock axle back in because he was driving it a lot. It has just over 93,000 miles. The canopy and truck mirrors were a late addition in the late 70's or possibly the 80's. The engine is the original 239 Y-block with Thunderbird finned aluminum valve covers. The firewall still has the original seafoam green paint and you can see some of Tommy's overspray from the violet scallop color of the first custom paint job! It came with the original '54 grille that is seen on the cover of Rod & Custom in 1956. Still has all of the red & white paint and signature "tear drops" by Tommy the Greek. The original tonneau cover is in good condition, but has shrunk quite a bit. The mirrors were removed and the canopy was replaced with the original custom tailgate.
There is an amazing amount of craftsmanship here. What people can do with trucks is incredible. I'm not a big fan of most of these. I'm more of a stock kind of guy. But you have to appreciate the work done.
The first post goes to show that you usually can't build these to make money. If you have a unique vision of your build, it will generally stay unique to you with little interest to actually buy it later.
Holy smokes! Is this paint real? That paint has about 100' depth. Amazing!
There is an amazing amount of craftsmanship here. What people can do with trucks is incredible. I'm not a big fan of most of these. I'm more of a stock kind of guy. But you have to appreciate the work done.
The first post goes to show that you usually can't build these to make money. If you have a unique vision of your build, it will generally stay unique to you with little interest to actually buy it later.
Holy smokes! Is this paint real? That paint has about 100' depth. Amazing!
The great thing about customs is that they reflect the owner's vision, talent and preferences (and yes, often the pocketbook). However, the trouble is that everyone has different tastes. That's why it is so difficult to price something like that. I was at a show recently and a for-sale sign said the owner spent upwards of $175,000 on his pro-street truck but would sacrifice for $85,000. Personally I thought it was so ugly that I wouldn't have been interested if the sign said $8,500 or best offer. But to the next guy that might have been his dream truck - who knows! It's not just the custom crowd. There are some stock originals that the owners have more invested in the restoration than what the vehicle is actually worth. I have a full-custom truck and a concourse correct unrestored original so I find the beauty on both ends of the spectrum.
In the original Rod & Customs article on the Botti truck I found it funny - "he wouldn't part with it for $7,000" (that's roughly $72,000 today) - $400 custom upholstery, $250 tonneau cover, $400 paint job, $150 exhaust. Plus, he could afford to customize a brand NEW 1954 Ford in 1954. Not everyone could do that. The other article described it as a "$7,500 '55 Ford". Yet the Barris Kustoms truck in the previous post was asking "$3,450 delivered".
I do need to find me one of those phones though! Plus it had a built-in TV and Hi-Fi record player - that must have been the original "Pimp my Ride".
Harrier - the power of HDR photography and some photo adjustments! It does have a pretty radical metallic purple paint job.
06-02-2017, 01:46 AM
