Words & Photos: Gary Rosier
It’s always great to see a father/son project, especially one that has come together like this one.
Sean Teehan of Edgewater, Fla. often spends time hanging around with his dad and doesn’t ever remember a day when there wasn’t a car or motorcycle involved in one way or another at their home! His dad, Pat Teehan, has run a cruise-In locally (New Smyrna Beach) for 23 plus years (EastCoastCruisers.com). It regularly draws upwards of 500-600 cars any given month.
A friend of his Pat’s had bought some property up in Georgia a while back. There was a barn on the property that had this truck parked in it for some time. It didn’t run, but was mostly all there. When Pat’s friend brought it home and parked it for a few years outside his home nearby, languishing away, Pat asked – was it for sale?
Sean was about to have his 16th birthday. For the princely sum of $900, Pat purchased it and gave it to his son for his birthday. What a present it was!
This truck is a 1956 “Task Force Series” Chevy. It was the first year for the new body style. A “wrap-around” windshield — a truck industry first – and the optional wrap-around rear window, as this one has, were all new. It also had a 12 volt electrical system that was new for ’56. This was the only year for the seven-foot bed length. Fenders had single headlights and a one-piece emblem mounted below the horizontal line on the fender. There was only one tail-light, on one side no less, and they upgraded that to dual 1959 Cadillac lenses.
It was on its way to being a driver – once they upgraded the brakes, radiator and yanked the original 6 cylinder. Together they installed a stock small block and Turbo 400 they bought used. They were able to get it running just in time for their first monthly cruise-in together.
Early on they were trying to keep it simple, they said, so they used scotch-brite pads and a little “elbow grease” to scuff up the old paint and a rust preventative type of clear coat over everything. This gave it a “Wet Look” and, never losing their sense of humor, they posted a sign on the windshield that tells everyone to watch out for the wet paint!
An education was important, so part of the deal was for Sean to complete a Daytona State College program that would give him various certifications for welding. He completed that in 2015 and landed a job with Boston Whaler Boats not far from his home in Edgewater, Fla.
Car guys can NEVER leave anything alone – so over the next 8 years, a newer small block (383 stroker) found its way into the engine bay backed by the Turbo 400 found earlier.
Once graduated from school, Sean wanted more (imagine that!). He set out to install a Mustang II front suspension (Jimnez Bros.) in their modest two car garage with a used lift they purchased. The air-ride was given to Lucky Tramp Customs in St. Cloud, Fla. so they could handle the air-bags, modifications and air tank installation as well as the 4 link, Watts link and wiring upgrades.
The interior seat was pretty much gone, he says, so Shark Bite Upholstery, again in their hometown of Edgewater, was assigned the task of updating it. Alligator Hyde was used for the seat, headliner, doors, sun-visors and shifter boot.
While Sean’s friend Nicole did name it “Maggie,” you also can’t deny that sign in the front window “Wet Paint” – representative of a sense of humor that has helped them maintain their sanity as they dealt with so many busted knuckles, late nights of thrashing and various obstacles in getting her back on the road again. “Wet Paint?” Sure, we’re digging it, Sean!
