What you are looking at here is a modern version of the '37 Ford. Even though this one started out with new fiberglass body panels, it doesn't change the fact that it will get anyone's attention. It may not have as much clout as owning an original, but it is an easier means of owning a vehicle that has some rather aggressive body lines to it.
"I bought this truck from...
"I bought this truck from a kid who thought it was a simple bolt-together kit car, and it is far from that." - Mitch Henderson
Finding original sheetmetal dating back to that time would take an extensive search, and the price for a decent amount to work with would definitely take a toll on any bank account. Also, take into consideration that there is a lot of work to make one look like this one. If you're already tapped out from just getting your hands on the vehicle alone, it will leave you with little money to spend on making it cool.
With all the benefits of starting out with a new Wild Rod Factory vehicle, Mitch Henderson decided that it would be a great platform for his latest project. Mitch was looking for a replacement for his '92 Chevy fullsize that was tragically lost. It was a turquoise and white, body-dropped fullsize, with a fiberglassed dash that featured three amplifiers. It made some major steam a few years back and made him very happy to own such a custom. That all came to a crash when the truck caught on fire while it was being hauled in an enclosed trailer. A loose battery cable sparked, and the rig went down in a fiery inferno.
Luckily, the insurance company covered the financial side of the disaster. However, Mitch had to deal with the emotional side of losing his pride and joy.Once he got his insurance check, he moved on to the next thing. By word of mouth, Mitch found a guy named Keith who was working on this Wild Rod Factory '37 pickup. Soon enough, Keith got fed up, so Mitch bought it.
Mitch was now the proud owner of a pile of parts, so he sent it off to be assembled. This started as Rob Holiday assembled the two framerails with the included Mustang II frontend. Then, a Pete & Jake's triangulated four-link suspension system was attached to the rear frame, and a set of Air Ride Technologies Shockwaves was thrown in for adjustability. The chassis got a new LS1 motor and 4L65-E tranny fit to it, then the rolling frame and its works were prepped by Mitch with Kristen Ashley. Then, Mitch sent it out to be painted to a show finish.
Next, it was time that the pre-chopped and sectioned fiberglass body was worked on. The doors were aligned, and the dash was molded with a set of Auto Meter gauges. Then, the fenders were bobbed, and the inner fenders were smoothed since they came in raw fiberglass. Next, everything was all blocked smooth and painted with this Pat Maxwell-designed scheme.
After everything was either painted or chromed, it was assembled back together with the motor and tranny. The only task left was the interior and creature comforts of the compact cab. This task of making the interior pieces was left to Roger Suskey of Central Customs in Springdale, Arkansas. He handcrafted all the upholstered pieces, including the low-profile set of seats and bed work from raw materials. At that time, the mobile entertainment system was set up, and the Vintage Air Gen II A/C unit was installed to make the inside of the cab more comfortable.
The 13-month crunch to build this truck for SEMA was coming to an end, and Mitch was starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Though he was very anxious to get it done, he did not have such an easy time building it. It was a struggle that continues with a lot of reworking to fix all the imperfections from the rush to get it to SEMA. Mitch has gone through it completely and has made a perfectly running truck. Even though it isn't an original, he built it from a pile of parts to create a gorgeous custom. Mitch went all in with this project, and his bet has certainly paid off.