Don Schumacher’s Hemi F-1

There's any number of ways a guy can go about building the classic truck of his dreams. In the past Don Schumacher of Long Beach, California, no matter how hard he tried to keep his builds simple, always ended up going off the deep end. He'd start a project not intending to obsess and then worked continuously until it was completed to perfection. Two good examples are Don's black '35 Ford pickup that was featured in the Rodder's Journal, and his black '59 Chevy El Camino that's every bit as nice.

This time around after spending two years painstakingly getting the '56 Chrysler Hemi-powered chassis readied for his 1952 Ford F-1 project Don found himself putting other builds in front of the F-1. The completed platform sat untouched for five years before Don decided it was time to finish it. A bodyman for 30 years working at Skill Craft in Huntington Beach, California, Don knew there was at least two years of working after shop hours ahead of him. Instead of diving in headfirst, Don opted for tracking down a freshly restored stock '52 F-1 and rolling his Hemi-powered chassis underneath.

Five years prior the F-1 frame was blasted clean and soaked in a porcelain-like black urethane finish with C-notches at the rear, and a Southern Rods Mustang II IFS in front. For stopping power, there are disc brakes at all four corners. The differential is an 8.8-inch Tru-Trac-equipped Ford Explorer unit packing 3.73 gears. Power rack-and-pinion steering comes from a Mustang II rack boosted by a GM power steering pump. For rolling stock BFGoodrich radials are mounted on Wheelsmith 15-inch steelies painted Sungate Ivory to match the '52 F-1 grille. Don custom bent stainless steel tubing to fabricate the hydraulic brake lines.

There's 365 punched-out cubic-inches of firepower under the F-1's hood. Don scored a '56 Chrysler 354-inch Hemi engine and had Terry Straubel build it. Ala Art Chrisman style, Don ground the block smooth and painted it Chrysler silver. The authentic-appearing vintage Chrysler dual-quad air cleaner is actually an original center section Don brought back from junk and then fabricated the rest from scratch to have an original look. Don fabricated larger air horns for the dual Edelbrock AFB carburetors that induct air through K&N filters capped with 2-quart saucepans Don snuck out of his wife's kitchen. Internally, an Isky cam handles oversized valvetrain operations, while Sanderson headers deal with the end results.

Behind a Wilcap tranny adapter there's a fully smoothed 700-R4 automatic overdrive rebuilt by Huntington Beach Transmission. A Lokar shifter handles gear changes and transmission cooling is done via the radiator. Don custom fabricated a fan shroud to assist engine cooling and ensure sufficient airflow passes through the A/C condenser. Inside the cab, ice-cold Vintage Air emits from A/C vents concealed from sight in the speaker grille. The A/C controls are hidden in the glovebox. A chrome-plated Power Gen alternator keeps up with modern electrical demands, and an Enos black box directs the wiring. The original style of the stock '52 F-1 interior was kept intact thanks to a LeBaron Bonney restoration kit.

Don didn't have to do much to bring the exterior looks up to snuff — a color sand and rub brought the '52's Glen Mist Green paint up to near show quality. Underneath the black painted stock-style wood bed floor Don mounted a 23-gallon Ford Mustang tank to add range and throw weight over the rear wheels for extra traction.

From rolling the stone-stock '52 F-1's chassis out from underneath, it took Don six months to complete. The switchover was a task Don said he couldn't have achieved without the help of his good friends, Rich Farace and Skill Craft owner Ray Galvin.

1952 Ford F-1
Don Schumacher
Chassis
Frame:stock Ford F-1
Rearend / Ratio: Ford 8.8 / 3.73 with Tru-Trac
Rear suspension: parallel leaf
Rear brakes: Ford disc
Front suspension: Mustang II
Front brakes: Ford disc
Steering box: Mustang II
Front wheels: Wheelsmith steelie
Rear wheels: Wheelsmith steelie
Front tires: BFG
Rear tires: BFG
Gas tank: Mustang

Drivetrain
Engine: '56 Chrysler 354 Hemi
Heads: Hemi
Valve covers: Chrysler Firepower
Manifold / Induction: Chrysler 2x4
Ignition: Chrysler
Headers: Sanderson
Exhaust / Mufflers: dual
Transmission: 700-R4
Shifter: Lokar

Body
Style: Flareside
Modifications: none
Fenders front / rear: stock
Hood: stock
Grille: stock
Bodywork and paint by: owner
Paint type / Color: Glen Mist Green
Headlights / Taillights: stock
Outside mirrors: stock
Bumpers: stock
Interior
Dashboard: stock
Gauges: stock
Air conditioning: Vintage Air
Stereo: a what?
Steering: wheel stock
Steering: column stock
Seats: stock bench
Upholstery by: LeBaron Bonney kit
Material / Color: black
Carpet: vulcanized miracle rubber

---