For many guys like Scott Burdett, classic trucks such as the '56 Ford F-100 hold a special nostalgic place in their memories. These trucks were a common sight on the roads of yesterday, and most everyone had a neighbor or a relative who owned one. Although they were everywhere back in the day, these vehicles were generally used for hauling, so it's getting more and more difficult to find a good one to rebuild.
In his high-school days, Scott was fortunate enough to own a '56 as his first vehicle. He and his father wrenched on it together so that he would have something to drive around in. Once he got older, the beloved F-100 was sold off to help finance the beginnings of his own family. Though there wasn't too much money left for spending on nonessential things, Scott saved some dough whenever he could.
Now that Scott has a little more cash in the bank, he is able to afford a few toys. One of the things he wanted to play with was a truck like the one he had when he was younger. So, he searched around and found himself a decent F-100 for a rebuild. When he got this truck, it wasn't in the greatest shape, but the rust and wavy body panels would be easily fixed during the rebuild process.
The unique thing about this particular truck was the '58 Hemi motor Scott found under the hood. This engine made the truck unique, so Scott decided to keep it and rebuild it. He took the Hemi to Performance Automotive Warehouse for its restoration, and it was there that he set his eyes on a polished-out version of it with a supercharger attached. Scott couldn't resist. He dropped off his block to get done up in the same fashion.
Before The Build Check out...
Before The Build
Check out the truck as it sat waiting for Scott to make it the jewel that it is now.
As you can see, the '58 Hemi...
As you can see, the '58 Hemi went through a lot of work to get looking good again. This is what it looked like when Scott first got it.
With the motor getting worked on, Scott took the rest of his project F-100 to BS Industries' Bodie Stroud. The suspension was torn down for an air-ride system with a Mustang II IFS and a four-link with Panhard bar for the rear. After the new suspension was attached, the framerails were boxed in and received custom crossmembers.
To rid the body of rust, it was sandblasted down to bare steel. All of the rotted sections were repaired with replacement pieces. The rear panel of the cab was swapped for one that was made to hold a big rear window. The majority of the truck was rebuilt to look OE with a few choice custom pieces. That's why the body only got cleaned up with a few shaved items. The hood was cut for the engine's air scoop to protrude just a few inches. After the old steel was bodyworked, the Ford was disassembled so that everything could either get painted in Hugger Orange or chromed.
Once the F-100 was reassembled, it received a final touch of interior work. This included the Stewart Warner gauges that were placed in the dash and custom center console. Bill Dunn reupholstered the original seats and the rest of the interior panels, finishing the two-year build.
With most everything together, the Ford was shown at the '08 Grand National Roadster Show. Out of all the F-100s at the show, this one placed Second, making it one hell of a replacement for Scott's first ride.