Words & Photos: Tommy Parry

Starting with a gorgeous aquamarine paint job, this ‘69 F100 could’ve ended right there and still had a few admirers. However, this was a classic rebuild, so the seafoam green paint was eventually scrapped for something a little more sinister and eye-catching – but not before a detailed inspection.

It turned out that a clean exterior hid a rusted floor, so a cab from a ‘72 F100 was sourced and replaced the original. It was around that time that a new color for the build was decided on. With the new cab in place, on went a coat of matte black paint and a dash of red on the wheels. It’s a classic color combination, and something that might get a little more notice than the original paint scheme.

Next came the interior glitz: A custom gauge cluster with LED indicators. Keeping with some of the more common rat rod themes, a sheet of diamond plate was found and cut to surround the new setup, and the inside of this Ford was looking like a nice place to raise hell.

The next step was installing a new layer of insulation, red carpet and a simple-yet-appropriate, slightly-faded bench seat from an ‘89 Ford F250. A set of three-point belts keep the occupants planted, and for a stylish touch, a pair of skull-topped door lock knobs welcome the occupants, who might feel a hint of fear when opening the doors.

With the interior dealt with, the engine bay was the next area to receive some polishing – not that it needed much. Aside from a quick dusting and degreasing, the 390 was fitted with an Edelbrock intake and carburetor, electronic ignition, and a set of long-tube headers. Now the car looked and sounded intimidating.

Of course, the engine bay wouldn’t be complete without a little bit of flash. To match the rims and the aged interior, a Cal-Custom valve cover, powdercoated and doused in Ford Red, was laid atop the motor. With a new radiator and fan, the engine bay was an eyeful, and the top of the engine gleaming – somewhere you could eat off of. Well, with all the degreaser used, that might not be a wise idea.

Along with the matte paint job, a bit of chrome was needed to be really flash; it couldn’t be properly rockabilly without a little of that. Door handles, trim, rear view mirrors, gas tank lid and 4” stainless steel – although not chrome – bolony-cut, Flowmaster tips exiting just ahead of the rear wheels were selected and installed.

The footwork was the next focal point. Out with the drums, and in with a new brake booster, spindles from a ‘75 F100, DJM beams, new rotors, calipers, master cylinder, hard lines, bushings, bearings, seals and hoses. If it was going to look this quick, it would make sense that it could stop in a hurry. Matte black is hard to see at dusk, anyways.

The C6 transmission was rebuilt with a higher stall converter and another flex plate. That power, driven to a Dana 60 rear end with 4.10 gears, was enough to turn the rear tires into vapor, but that didn’t stop a motor rebuild.

The truck ran smoothly, but sat too high up for a 2WD. To bring the F100’s rear axle down to a more appropriate ride height, a budget approach was taken to get the desired level. Using a set of front leaf spring hangers flipped upside down and mounted to the original frame holes saved a good amount of money over taking the traditional dropped shackle kit route, and the good-looking stance was achieved.

The front end was lowered with a more traditional approach. After grabbing an entire front end from a ‘75 F100, DJM’s 3” dropped beams, new kingpins, grease fittings, bushings and tie rod locators were thrown on. The combination led to visual perfection.

Sitting pretty and riding with an excess of torque on-hand, there wasn’t much more one could want from a truck like this. Simple, powerful, clean and yet very striking, it checked all the boxes and wasn’t overwhelming or crude. Especially gratifying must’ve been the price – only $3,500 was needed to take the car from its former green-in-the-gills state to its current, hardcore appearance. Beastliness on a budget: Not a bad approach to take.