June 6th I finished the project and took her for a cruise after a year of dust and plastic curtains in the garage.  I purchased this truck in 2004 completely done. The previous owner wasn’t a truck guy but his son-in-law was and built the truck. Cash was needed and his father in law purchased the truck but didn’t keep it long until I came along . A  deal was made and we both were happy.

Running the truck for a number of years and seeing so many F100s, I had some ideas of my own that someday I would fulfill.  Back in the early 70s there was a 56 that use to cruise my street, he had widened the rear fenders and I  just love that fat look from the rear on these trucks. At the time I had a 54 and no money to make changes, that would have to wait.

That is what got me started on my 56. I had the rear fenders widened but I had to do the bodywork, no problem. I ran those premiered for two years before we took off the bed to add the 20  gallon mustang tank in the rear frame rails.

Then we tilted the bed, cut off the drip rail, smoothed out all the lines (cab, bed, firewall) smooth tail gate, added the rear roll pan, curved the rear bed post to match the rear roll pan. Smoothed the dash put the controls under the dash. Rounded the door corners, added the Altman door latches, did the bed wood, three pieces.

That took me little over a year. Mostly weekends and late nights. Over the process the biggest advantage was the internet. Ordering parts on the fly. Watching YouTube of others who are redoing their hotrods or learning the  painting process, tons of information.

I wanted to thank everyone for your comments and private messages of support. This blog will take on some changes. More on shows and things I might do later to the truck. There is a few more things I thought of towards the end of the process but just couldn’t get them done and frankly I wanted to finish this and get back on the road. So stay tuned for those mods to come later.