1954 Ford F-100 - Group Effort

It's hard to believe this '54 Ford F-100 was once a gardener's nursery truck. With the help of some talented craftsmen and top quality parts, my wife Linda and I have turned this once shrub hauler into a showstopper. Our first step was to leave the truck in the talented hands of Craig Chaffers and his crew at Custom Rides by CMC Designs in Huntington Beach, California.

CMC started by cutting the factory front and rear suspension off the stock frame, welding up 180 unwanted holes, and adding new front and rear crossmembers. Once the welding was complete, the frame was sent to Sun Dial Powder Coating for a coat of gloss black.

Next on the long list of modifications was the drivetrain. A GM Performance 350 was ordered and painted champagne metallic to contrast with the yellow engine compartment. The Zoops engine brackets and valve covers were painted and gave the engine a very clean appearance.

Once the frame and drivetrain were out of the way, it was time to focus on the body. Craig Chaffers handled the metal fabrication, starting with widening the rear window 2 1/2 inches from top to bottom and pie-cutting the hood 1 inch. These two modifications my not look too noticeable at first, but they really add to the truck's flow. On that note, the bulky rain gutters were shaved, as were the door handles, emblems, and bumpers. The vent windows were removed and replaced with Mid Fifty's one-piece side glass, and the stock running boards were replaced with smooth steel ones.

CMC had their own ideas for the bed. The wood floor was replaced with a fabricated steel one with ribs and then sprayed with a Line X bedliner. The stake pockets were filled and the bottoms angle-cut. A Sir Michaels roll pan with flamed taillight openings was welded in to fill the gap left by the removal of the rear bumper. The custom flush-mounted tailgate was designed by CMC and built by the talented crew at Sir Michaels. The new tailgate uses hinges designed by Michael Burley and Pros Pick latches. When it came time to cover the bed, a CMC-designed and Sir Michaels-built custom aluminum bed cover was fabricated to follow the shape of the bedrails.

Up front, the stock '54 grille was replaced with one from a '53, and the turn signals were removed and replaced with '01 Ford dually fender lights mounted below the grille. Once all the metalwork was complete, it was time for CMC's ace body man Jerry Johns to come in and prep the body parts for paint before L&G Enterprises in San Dimas, California, applied the PPG Yellow. Once the paint dried, it was off to Jeff Jeppenson and the crew at Classy Cars in Huntington Beach where it was color-sanded and buffed for an absolute perfect shine. To make the orange flames jump off the yellow, Bob Iverson striped them in a bright green pinstripe. Street Rod Glass in Riverside, California, made the new rear window and installed a new front windshield.

Before the interior was installed, Accumat sound-deadening material was laid down in the cab to keep the road noises down. It was then taken to Revo at StitchCraft Interiors in Huntington Beach where they stitched up the Glide Engineering seat with sandstone leather and suede inserts, added molded armrests to the Rod Doors door panels, and stitched the suede flames in the Rod Doors headliner.

In just two years, our F-100 is complete and ready to hit the shows. We're very happy with the work from CMC Designs and the many others who worked on their project. We couldn't have asked for more.

A Sir Michaels custom fan...        read full caption A Sir Michaels custom fan shroud, a Hayden electric fan, a U.S. Radiator high-flow radiator and louvered inner fender wells ensure the engine runs as cool as it looks.

Tom Lingenfield of CMC Designs...        read full caption Tom Lingenfield of CMC Designs built the speaker boxes and amp box to house the Audiobahn amps and 10-inch subwoofers. The amp box features custom, flame-cut plexiglass panels, as well as the same leather treatment.

The ididit steering column...        read full caption The ididit steering column was color-matched to the interior, along with the ididit column drop and Audiobahn speaker grilles located in the Rod Doors kick panels. The Classic Instruments gauge cluster and Budnik Split-Grip steering wheel fit right at home with the So-Cal Speed Shop switches and dash knobs.