1953 Ford F-100 - The Long Haul

The 52-Year Story of a 15-Year-Old's $500 F-100

 

Time passes and trends come and go, but the classics never go out. There's just something about an early F-100 with the right stance, meticulous work, and the right vintage (or vintage-appearing) components that will always turn heads. Covering it all with paint as black and shiny as onyx just makes those heads turn faster.

Harry Weasel, owner of this beautiful 1953 Ford F-100, lives in Rhode Island. The builder, Mike Russell, lives in North Carolina. Despite the distance, they have been friends for decades and managed to collaborate on the buildup of the truck.

But let's back up a little bit to California and the summer of 1963. Harry was 15 and Mike hadn't been born yet. "That's when I first laid eyes on her," Harry told us. "I knew I had to have her." A guy he knew was selling the truck for $500, which he thought was a reasonable price. Harry's dad thought that was too much money, but told him, "If you work hard and save your money you should be able to spend it on what you want." Harry said that he used his dad's words in his defense and made his case. His dad's answer was, "Let's go get it!"

  

Harry drove his '53 until 1968 when he enlisted in the Navy. His father (who loved it as much as Harry did) drove it while Harry was overseas. When Harry returned in 1972, he reclaimed the F-100 and drove it to Rhode Island where his girlfriend Kathy lived. Harry and Kathy got married and the truck got parked and stayed parked.

Next thing you know, it's 2010. Harry was having dinner with his business partner Rod Dunn, and Ron's son Mike, who builds rods as a hobby. Would Mike be interested in restoring a forgotten F-100, Harry asked. A month later the truck arrived at Mike's 28x24-foot shop in North Carolina.

Mike's work exceeded Harry's dreams. The stock cab was shaved of trim and handles. The front bumpers were extended to wrap around the fenders, and '56 Ford parking lights were incorporated into the smoothed grille. The rear bumpers were narrowed to fit the bed posts, flanked with '29 Ford taillights. A Dan Carpenter Specialties bed was widened, and a mahogany floor installed. Mike and Coley Summers applied the glossy black paint, provided by DuPont (Axalta). The grille was finished with a contrasting satin coat of Sterling Gray. The fenders were filled by 20-inch and 18-inch Billet Specialties Apex five-spokes with BFGoodrich 45-series radial tires.

Harry is a diehard Ford guy who would probably rather ride the bus than drive a non-Ford-powered F-100. The original plan was to drop a 351 Windsor between the front fenders. It was Mike who suggested using a brand-new 5.0-liter four-cam Coyote crate engine from Ford Racing. Harry's answer was "Let's get it!" Jeff Paxton, chassis dyno operator at Roush-Yates Performance in Mooresville, tuned the engine, which makes 412 horsepower and 385 lb-ft of torque. A Gearstar 4R70W transmission and 2,200-stall converter is shifted via a Compushift electronic shifter.

The chassis was modified to handle the power (and size and weight) of the updated powertrain. A Fatman crossmember was added to the original frame, along with at Fatman Mustang II tubular frontend with drop spindles, and anti-roll bar. QA1 shocks further improved the ride. At the other end, a Total Cost Involved leaf spring kit and gas shocks suspend a Ford 9-inch with 3.89:1 gears, and Eaton limited-slip differential. Stopping power is provided by Baer disc brakes in each corner.

The '53 didn't have to travel far for the interior work. Lake Norman Tops & Interiors is a local shop in Mooresville, where owner Chuck Hanna upholstered the bench seats in classy red synthetic leather. The dash was kept sanitary with a single panel of Classic Instruments gauges—and a lower dash to locate the Vintage Air A/C controls and vents. Tunes are provided via the JL Audio sound system. The red-wrapped retro-style steering wheel is a Billet Specialties Classic, mounted on top an ididit tilt steering column with shifter.

Despite being far away, Harry was able to make several trips from Rhode Island to North Carolina, frequently accompanied by Joe Conaty and Ron Russell, to check on progress and chip in with the build as necessary. Mike finished the project about a year and a half ago. The truck hit the road in 2014, getting exposure at a lot of shows. Now that Harry's '53 F-100 is back in Rhode Island, you're more likely to spot it on the streets of town or some country road than posing at some fairgrounds. After all, Harry bought it to drive it, and after 52 years, there's no reason to stop now.

1953 Ford F-100 Pickup
Harry Weasel

Chassis
Frame: stock Ford Modifications: Fatman Fabrications front crossmember, tubular rear shock mounts, lowered cab mounts, lowered radiator support
Rearend / Ratio: Ford 9-inch / 3.89:1
Rear suspension: Total Cost Involved rear leaf kit, gas shocks
Rear brakes: Baer Brakes 11-inch discs, drilled and slotted
Front suspension: Fatman Fabrication tubular Mustang II-style IFS, 2-inch drop spindles, QA1 shocks, Fatman anti-roll bar
Front brakes: Baer Brakes 12-inch discs, drilled and slotted, four-piston calipers, Master Power master cylinder and dual diaphragm distributor
Steering box: power rack-and-pinion
Front wheels: Billet Specialties Apex 18x7
Rear wheels: Billet Specialties Apex 20x8.5
Front tires: BFGoodrich 245/45R-18
Rear tires: BFGoodrich 245/45R-18
Gas tank: Classic Performance Products 19-gallon aluminum

Drivetrain
Engine: Ford Coyote 5-liter
Heads: factory
Valve covers: factory
Manifold / Induction: factory
Ignition: factory
Headers: factory
Exhaust / Mufflers: 2½-inch mandrel-bent steel, powdercoated / Flowmaster 50 Series Delta Flow
Radiator / Fan: Griffin with custom shroud / Spal 16-inch electric
Transmission: Gearstar Ford 4R70W
Shifter: ididit column shifter, Comp shift

Body
Style: Pickup
Modifications: lowered 1 inch on frame, filled cowl and heater vents, fenders modified
Fenders front / rear: stock, cut 1 inch at bottom / stock, openings lengthened 2 inches
Hood: stock, shaved
Grille: stock, smoothed
Bed: Dan Carpenter Specialties, raised 1 inch, mahogany floor, widened 2 inches, widened tailgate
Bodywork and paint by: Mike Russell and Coley Summers
Paint type / Color: DuPont (Axalta) / black
Headlights / Taillights: tri-bar headlights, '56 Ford parking lights / '29 Ford taillights with LED lenses
Outside mirrors: none
Bumpers: front bumpers extended, rear bumpers narrowed 3 inches per side
Interior
Dashboard: stock, smoothed with lower extension
Gauges: Classic Instruments
Air conditioning: Vintage Air
Stereo: JL Audio
Steering wheel: Billet Specialties Classic
Steering column: ididit with shifter
Seats: Ford bench
Upholstery by: Lake Norman Tops & Interiors
Material / Color: synthetic leather / red
Carpet: wool

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