Harold Robinson from Camden, South Carolina, has been a custom car and truck fanatic since high school. We won't say when that was, but it was more than a few decades ago. During the late '70s, Harold began purchasing and collecting more high-quality street rods of the '30s and cruisers from the '50s. He currently has 14 custom rides in his collection. Very cool.
Harold wanted to have another cool custom build when his pinstriper introduced him to Michael Neighbors from Michael's Hot Rod in Franklinville, North Carolina. Harold became a frequent visitor of Michael's shop for the next five years, and he was able to observe what was being built and finished at the shop. Harold had purchased the remains of a weathered, old '56 Ford big-window pickup cab, doors, front fenders, and hood from a buddy of his. Then, he loaded his trailer with the '56's body armor and had Michael examine it to see if it was worthy enough project material. High-caliber builders of Michael's talent would expect this kind of challenge.
Like building a house, the first thing in a custom-truck build is its foundation. Michael called Brent VanDervot at Fat Man Fabrication in Charlotte, North Carolina, and ordered a complete Fat Man frame that was shortened 3-1/2 inches, boxed, then smoothed and painted. The front suspension consists of polished stainless steel upper and lower control arms, which were bolted up to a pair of smoothed and painted spindles. The Ford 9-inch rearend was stuffed with 3:70 gears, and was anchored with a four-link suspension. The Air Ride Technologies airbagged system allows both front and rear suspension to effortlessly rise to a comfortable, cruising ride height, then be lowered, grounding the running boards and tucking the 20-inch Budnik wheels. Those billet hoops are consumed in 235/35R20 front, and 295/45R20 rear BFGoodrich g-Force KDW2 rubber. Harold's spinnin' spools are slowed by a set of Wilwood four-piston calipers with 13-inch cross-drilled, ball-milled rotors at each corner.