OL' YELLER

       Even though the " Old Dog " started out a complete basket hound, she's been taught a few new tricks! A major task to say the least. The owner wanted the 50 body to look stock when glanced at right down to the stock door hinges, but upon further examination if you know 50 Fords you will notice many subtle changes. When compared to an original body the cone head roof was pancaked 3 inches to give a sleeker appearance. The " To Tall " hood was sliced with 3 inches removed and smaller nostril trim was fabricated. The fender openings were radiused to fit the tire diameter selected. Bumpers were built from scratch to fit the body naturally. It takes on the feel of the way Ford should of could of built it in 1950.

       The interior features custom seating with one off buckets covered in ball glove leather and the matching wood steering wheel with shift knob and drink holder adorn the cockpit. The 302 fuel injected V-8 is backed by a 5 speed T-10 Trans and 9 inch Ford rear end. The frame was upgraded to independent suspension with rack and pinion, power disc brakes. A few other honorable mentions are a swing down battery behind the rear tire for service. The under bed mounted fuel tank was finished off with highly polished bed wood then covered by a power assisted aluminum lid matched to the seats.

Started Out As Complete Basket Case
As seen Ol' Yeller was a basket case in the roughest condition you can imagine. Talk about deep rust!

Hood Mods
We taped off the 50 Ford hood and are ready to cut 3 inches out to make a more streamlined body for this Custom F100 Truck

Roof Pancake
1.When chopping a roof or modifying any panel it is vital to lay out a template or guide. As seen we have three strips of masking tape to show the reference points of the crown in the original style roof.

Engine prep
The factory Ford 302 fuel injected motor was painted by Ford but we still strip it down to bare cast iron because we can not trust an assembly lines quality levels. Mask off and ready to prep Eric is set to go.

Fender Radius
This shot shows a stock wheel well opening. Notice how the edge of the opening seems to flow against the tire wheel combination.

Rear Valance
As seen the stock fenders swing up and do nothing to hide the springs and rear end of the truck. We will build a rear valance pan that incorporates itself in to the fenders while providing an exit for the tailpipes.

Seat Belts
Ol' Yeller had to have safety so we incorparated a seat belt system.

Custom Seat Bases
There are a myriad of ways to support and raise seats in a custom project. We like to do it with style, strength and storage space if possible. This bucket seat riser was designed with a Zee looking base for an aggressive structure.

Custom Upholstery
The finished product speaks for it's self. Note, the Customers Choice of Stars for his home in The Lone Star State!

Bed Cover
The customer requested a custom built Aluminum bed cover for his project. As seen we have built an X brace to keep the wide and long cover stiff to withstand many years of use.

Front Bumper Fab
Custom bumper fabrication starts with cardboard mock ups, Our first concern is how the inside perimeter fits to the body. We are looking to build a bumper that looks symmetrical in size. The original bumper was quite homely as Ford did not have a better idea when it was designed so we will do our part to give it style.

Rear Bumper Fab
Many times we will get a new bumper that looks decent but needs some fabrication changes from stock. As seen on this rear bumper the edge is wrinkled and rough. This is about to change as Kenny will implement his skills and change the beast to beauty.

Tail Gate Lock
We built a custom bed cover for this pickup and the customer wanted it lockable. As seen the key lock outer retainer is visible but all the work to make it happen was on the inside. Lets take a look at what it took.

Swing Down Battery
To keep the engine bay clean and free of as many components as possible we installed the battery box behind the passenger side rear tire. Our project truck offers a large space in this area. As seen the strength by design brackets were fabricated to hold up to the heavy battery weight during driving. In addition they are bolted to the frame fror easy removing. Check out the long pivot shaft which will allow the box to tilt for access in servicing or removal of the battery. Once again the Doctor has pulled out all the stops of innovation.

Spare Tire Storage
For our customers who will be driving great distances they want more then a bottle of fix it flat in their tool kit compartment. As seen we have built a spare tire well for a small space saver tire to mount in behind the seat of a Custom Street Rod Truck

Drink Holder
A Custom metal stand fabricated in our shop awaits a Custom drink holder. We start with a 3 inch slab of Red Oak and measured out accordingly to accommodate two drinks.  

Fender Liners
1.Custom inner fender liners are an option that many customers are now choosing to have fabricated for their special project. We cut them out in 20 gauge steel and then ran the outer edges through the power shrinker. As seen this raised an arch shape which makes a perfect fit to the inside of the 50 Ford fenders.

Stereo
When we build Custom Speaker enclosures we usually hide them or make them fit in a particular area for a natural look.

Control Arm Clearance
When we build a Street Rod that requires a custom IFS suspension mod or complete chassis build we always have to change and or modify the inner fender aprons to accommodate the different upper control arm swing clearances and or placement. As seen we are mocking up in paper board beforehand to be sure we are satisfied with the changes.

Brake Pedal Fab
1 Often we have to fabricate brake/clutch pedals to fit in different vehicles. Height and angle are important when building for comfort and safety. Things to consider are being able to lift your foot from the gas pedal to brake pad quickly and having the gas pedal, brake pedal and if standard shift the clutch pedal spaced so there are no interference problems based on the customers foot size. A size 8 shoe compared to 14 and leg length from hips will change the way we build a pedal assembly.

Gas Tank Supports
We design stainless fuel tanks for our projects on a regular basis and there are many clearance and support issues to consider during this part of the build. As seen we ran string to resemble the wood boards that would be in place on this truck bed. We will build braces to hold the tank securely at the top while providing clearance for all components affected.

Hood Hinge Fabrication
Antique and Classic vehicles pose many challenges while customizing and restoring their components and hood hinges are no exception to the rule. As seen a typical set of 1930 thru 50s style hinges with rivets for pivot points have the usual busted pieces as they were weak and not very suited to performance. We will start by removing the old bolts and welding up the distorted holes and drilling to our desired stud size.

Hood Opening Trim
We will be building trim for the hood openings on this 50 Ford Truck. The hood was shaved 3 inches lower than stock and will no longer accept the original stainless parts. As seen on the right the original trim is huge and gaudy looking. On the left it shows a smaller comparison.

Misc
We incorporated a sub woofer speaker system with a relief cut to achieve a hiding place for this bottle jack which can raise the vehicle just enough to change a flat.

Shock Angle Support
To clear the gas tank, bed wood, frame and other components the shocks on this custom truck had to have the position and arc changed to accommodate these other components. Doc is checking his options

Tranny Cross Member
We build transmission cross-members for easy removal of the transmission and ample room for exhaust tubing. Another important feature is that the rubber trans mount is at the same level as the bottom of frame and no lower.

Misc

Obviously we can not show you every one of the thousands of build photos on this truck but we chose a few to make a point. There are so many areas that need tweaking and the glass is no exception. As seen the "KIT" of laminated glass needed trimming on the edges to fit in the confines of the window channels. Read More...