By Chuck Vranas – Photography by the Author
When stepping into the world of classic trucks, it’s not often that you get to see a perfectly executed mild Kustom amongst legions of modified haulers regularly showcasing a cutting-edge performance chassis, modern driveline, and ground-hugging stance. Creating something truly memorable takes plenty of finesse in fusing just the right combination of design elements from any number of eras and models to bring a vision to life. By studying rolling sculptures straight from the pages of little books from the 1950s and 1960s, it gives a builder the opportunity to channel any number of restyling cues from names like Barris, Winfield, Starbird, or Valley Custom Shop, to name but a few. The alluring 1956 Ford F-100 laid out across our pages belonging to Matt Hayes of Dundas, Ontario, Canada, has been putting down plenty of miles since completed this year, drawing deep crowds wherever it’s been seen.
With a number of noteworthy mild customs already under his belt, including a cool 1936 Ford coupe taildragger and a subtle 1953 Chevy 210, Matt began to focus on looking for the base of his next build. Having always been a fan of countless custom trucks from days gone by, including Rod & Custom magazine’s “Dream Truck,” the “Ala Kart,” and Starbird’s “Ultra Truck,” it was time to hone in on just the right factory style to get started with.
While on a trip to the spring Carlisle Swap Meet in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, in 2019 he located a solid 1956 Ford F-100 cab shell. Knowing its potential, he swapped cash for the vintage steel and began the journey of sourcing the remaining missing sheetmetal parts, including a pair of original doors.
Getting started, Matt sourced a 1991 Chevy S-10 pickup standard-cab frame to act as a rock-solid base, bringing it to John MacFarlane of Waterdown, Ontario, Canada, to begin crafting a new spine. Once blasted clean, MacFarlane focused out back by first adding a custom C-notch, followed by a refreshed 1990 Camaro rearend spinning 3.73:1 gears through stock axles. It’s anchored in place by a combination of a Welder Series triangulated four-link with matching sway bar and Panhard bar deftly matched to Ridetech ’bags. To set the stance while adding sharp handling, a set of Michigan Metal Works (MMW) tubular control arms meet S-10 spindles and Ridetech ’bags along with a factory sway bar.
When it’s time to shave speed with plenty of bite, a Corvette dual master moves fluid through stainless lines to 1990 Camaro rear drum brakes and 1991 S-10 discs and calipers in front. Linking it all to the street with traditional flair are a set of 15×6 GM steelies capped with Coker Classic radial wide whitewalls, sized P205/75R15 at each corner, crowned with a set of genuine 1956 Oldsmobile Fiesta hubcaps.
Nothing gets you down the road better with dependability and performance than a vintage small-block Chevy V-8. To add just the right amount of punch underhood, Matt started with a 1970 350ci mill. The iron block base is massaged and filled with a forged steel crank and rods linked to forged aluminum pistons getting bumped by a factory stick. Up top, a set of warmed-over iron heads generate plenty of gusto, especially when matched to an Edelbrock Performer intake breathing deep through an Edelbrock 650-cfm carb topped by a 14-inch finned aluminum air cleaner from Mooneyes.
A factory GM ignition lights the fire while exhaust moves through a set of GM block-hugger headers to a custom-chromed 1-7/8-inch dual belly-burner exhaust with Porter mufflers for a perfect tone, all by Canning Customs of Canning. Other neat bits include a filled firewall, Edelbrock polished aluminum finned valve covers along with a chrome water pump, and alternator from Speedway Motors. To move the goods a fresh GM 700-R4 trans from Brant Transmission of Burlington, Ontario, Canada, links to a custom driveshaft by Industrial Brake.
After studying decade’s worth of design restyling to update the iconic lines of the F-100, Matt contacted Grant Geddes of Paris to bring it all to life by showcasing a classic blend of Kustom touches with a subtle amount of dazzle. Geddes got started by nipping a perfectly balanced 2 inches out of the roofline while also rounding the door corners, shaving the hood and door handles. Gary Thompson of Millgrove continued by reworking the nose with a set of classic 1962 Chrysler canted-quad headlights while Geddes added the matching grille. A fresh bed, fenders, and oak from Midwest Early Ford wrapped up out back with a set of frenched and canted 1952 Buick taillights being added by Thompson.
At this point Geddes and Karey Anderson metal finished everything while also gapping the panels to perfection. To give the truck its signature icing, Matt dove deep into the historical color books and decided on a seductive coating of 1960 Ford Orchid Gray Poly. Anderson did the honors, laying down the vibe from Nason Finishes to complete the presentation. The finishing touches came from the brushes of Pinstriping by Rollie from Guelph, Ontario, Canada, who laid down the fine lines in the engine bay and doorjambs.
To bring an equal amount of class to the interior, a glamorous 1956 Oldsmobile dash was fitted showcasing factory dials to monitor the vitals while a 1959 Oldsmobile steering wheel mounted to a matching column sets a course, complemented by a column shift to pull gears. For comfort, a fullsize 1989 Chevy truck bench set was reworked and treated to plenty of white Naugahyde with classic pleats along with matching door and side panels complemented by black loop carpeting. This is one wicked Kustom that’s already seeing thousands of miles since it was built and to us it’s the ultimate way to cruise into Koolsville!
Check out this story in our digital edition here.
