The '96 Ford 5.0L V-8 engine proved to be the perfect performance and cosmetic upgrade Matt made to his Blue Oval project. Tony Smith from T&C Performance, in Tyler, Texas, bored the engine and added a pair of Trick Flow heads and a Street and Performance pulley set to extract even more ponies from the power plant. And check out the paint and detailing that went into the engine's appearance-nothing screams 'custom' more than a totally cherried-out engine bay. The paint seamlessly ties the engine details and the rest of the body. Speaking of the truck's exterior, let's take a look at how Matt and Hill's Hot Rod sculpted old metal into a work of sheer wonderment.
To start, a 2-inch body drop was a necessity. Matt wanted this done ASAP, so he reached for all the necessary tools and got to hackin'! Now, it's common for door handles and emblems to be shaved clean from a truck's body, but this Ford wasn't destined to be just any ordinary rig. Jason Hill, from Hill's Hot Rods, grabbed the scalpel and severed not only the handles and emblems, but the drip rails, bedside and cab seams, turn signals and taillights, stake pockets, inner door panels and the underside of the hood were cut as well. The rear fenders were widened three inches and the black-colored, red oak bed floor had to be raised six inches to make up space the body drop had taken away. PPG and Auto Air DD red and charcoal grey colors were sprayed onto the newly transformed steel body and the Ford looked amazing.
Matt followed the streamlined simplicity of the truck's exterior and duplicated the results inside the cab. The original dash was removed and a newly designed, one-off mold was set into place. Dakota Digital gauges give Matt an at-a-glance reading of the truck's current condition from the percentage of fuel left in the tank to the psi levels of all four air bags. The charcoal grey suede covered I.S.S. bucket seats feature stingray backbone inserts - not sure where one would find a stingray anywhere near Lubbock but it still adds an exotic touch nevertheless. Roy Gibbs from American Trim wrapped and sewed the lush seats as well as laid down the Mercedes black wool carpeting. Matt really stepped up and successfully fused modern luxuries to his fabulous 50's truck.
You've now seen firsthand what can come of those days of wishing your neighbor's old truck was in your garage instead of his. Matt's persistence definitely paid off and truth be told, we find ourselves feeling simultaneously proud and jealous of him! We congratulate him on the final product after all the hard work and long hours he put into his F-100.