Customs 1956 F100 Mild Custom

So, my old 2002 F150 daily is getting a little long in the tooth and I can't stomach the new truck prices, nor do I particularly care for the looks of any of the new ones.

I have been on a search for a decent truck to turn into a daily. I bought a 56 F100 from a fellow hamber. The truck was blown apart and painted 20 years ago, never to be reassembled.
I am wanting to make it sort of a mild custom, but nothing radical.

The problem is that it already has paint, so I will be limited to the things I can sort of bolt on. Something that wraps around the edge of the fender would be perfect.

The hood is the only piece that remains unpainted, so it will probably get a couple hundred louvers to start. Maybe some belly burners and I have a cherry 1955 Ford Pass car grille on the wall I can drop in it. I figure a pleated tonneau cover and maybe some tail lights mounted in the rear fenders.

The truck is basically fire engine red. It needs some striping to help calm it down. I am leaning towards WWW and painted steelies, maybe gloss black?

I really dig the little book era of build.

Any trucks from that era come to mind?
Interior color options? I am leaning towards black, due to the daily nature of the driving.

I am heading out to meet @lumpy63 and @56fordtrucks in CA in a couple weeks. I'm stoked about this project.

 

Your post reminded me of this thread I ran across the other day. Maybe not the exact same truck or vision but maybe some ideas for you.
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/60-f100-daily-driver-project.1168506/

 

I think I've seen that truck. There's A LOT you can put inside the grille opening without paintwork to make it look custom. I have a Rod and Custom little book that features custom touches to trucks....I'll see if I can find it tonight.

 

That red one is the perfect blueprint!

 

Thanks. I have a vast library myself. Finding stuff is another issue…

 

I saw that truck for sale yesterday and thought what a great deal it was and that it was too bad I'm already up to my ears in projects including a '53 F500 into F100. LOL

A cool set of tail lights, bolt in grill, stance and some scallops and you will be good to go. Here is Aaron Lawrence's old F100 out of Dewey with scallops by Ron Myers. Goes a long way to tone the red down I think...

 

I was thinking about reshooting the running boards black , just to break it up a bit. I remember a set of tail lights I saw that had a chrome bezel that wrapped around the rear fender, but I'll be danged if I can remember where I saw it.

 

Check out the scallops thread

Features - The All You Can Eat Scallops Thread | The H.A.M.B. (jalopyjournal.com)

 

I'm gonna guess they were 49-50 Merc tail lights which is a classic 53-56 F100 tail light swap.

 

I drive a Dodge so am not known for good sense .... The gloss black steelies with dog dish & beauty rings is my favorite wheel .... WWW are cool, not for me though.

 

I think other books of that year did the same truck restyling articles. You can also do like a '50 Buick tail lights on the rear fenders or any that are flat on the backside, rear bumper change and some serious stripping or scallops.

Congrats on ditching the new model.

 

That’s it Dave! I knew I hadn’t dreamed it.

 

I saw that truck at Jacks last week, it's in good shape....These tail lights?
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/attachments/70fdae1d-94a4-4f33-b820-f85d3fa38d2b-jpeg.4750448/

 

Yes sir, I believe so.

 

You know I love 54-55 Olds caps. They basically look great on anything.

 

49-50 Merc taillights were a common thing and I really like that style. In today's crazy traffic if I went that way on my 53 I would for sure look into the additional Brake light that fits right into the bedrail roll. You have to be a long way behind those trucks to be able to see the Right side taillight. Just food for thought.

 

Saw one that had a set of 49-50 Lincoln tail lights sunk into the fenders. Thought it looked good.

 

Yeah, I am thinking I may have to add some modern concessions since I will be driving it daily.

 

Sounds like you have a great plan. I love those trucks. So does most everyone else. You just can’t go wrong with this one.

 

This is a tough package to beat for mega easy. Add to that and you already have one on hand.

I'd have to lose the Donkey Dick fill tube for sure. One thing I never liked on the 56 was the Gas Tank behind the seat and the fill tube on the Passenger side. For a daily driver I'd go with a new 53-55 Stock tank and not put the fill tube where it belongs with it, but switch the stock 56 unit to the drive side and make a new fill tube out of exhaust tube. Now you don't have to walk all the way around the Truck to fill it and Truck people would really be scratching their heads.

 

I think you might have a 55 Ford grille laying around?

 

Skirts ? You do know how dirty white walls get on a one hour drive. You will need to clean them daily.

 

please do not paint wheels black

 

I may run chrome steelies with spiders.

 

Chrome steelies is good, but no spiders

 

I like spiders…..

 

Love to see some pics....

 

I'm going out on Nov 9 to pick it up. Gonna be a flying trip out and back.

Here's a link to the ad.
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/sold-1956-ford-f100-project.1277527/