‘51 Ford F1 Pick-up

This vehicle is a one-of-a-kind original hand-built creation. The chassis and frame are entirely hand built, as are the cooling, fuel delivery, electrical, climate control and all other systems. A 350 cubic inch GM Generation 3 Ram Jet crate engine producing 350 horsepower with a custom drive train have been installed. The fully adjustable front and rear suspension is set up for drag racing as well as daily driving, designed to go from the street to the track with little to no changes. Chromed parts have been used judiciously considering both aesthetics and ease of maintenance.

This type of project is far more complicated and time consuming then any restoration. It is being built to create reality from a fantasy. The owner’s fantasy interpreted by the builder with much leeway given to creativity. The floor pan and footwells were extended to accommodate the stature of the owner.

The customer specified which components he preferred from top to bottom. The vehicle came with a good assortment of parts collected over a 10 year period intended for this vehicle.

Fiberglas work is involved. The front end is a single fiberglas unit that tilts forward to access the engine for display and maintenance. The entire vehicle, both interior and exterior was customized by ARC.

Work in Progress Pictures

 

Frame graft of  '75 Camaro front frame sector to '51 Ford frame.  It was measured out correctly but the frame graft was structurally weak and misplaced.

Corrections to the frame graft were begun.

  
The X-frame member was hand built.  Extra crossmembers and frame members were needed to accommodate this very high HP engine to be installed

  
Chassis set-up after paint with  4-bar link rear suspension.

Completed chassis with engine, transmission and exhaust system in place.

Hand made radiator support with 4-core custom radiator, A/C condenser and transmission cooler in place, with a dual Flex-A-Lite fan assembly moving 4000+ cfm.  The cooling system is designed for use in Phoenix, AZ.

Media-blasted cab in bare metal.

Floor pans removed and ready to fit the extended floor pans for added leg room and to accommodate the transmission.  Firewall installed.

Floor pan installed.

Hidden door hinges.

Original dash before removal.

Layout for custom dash.

Dash metal work in process.

Completed dash and center console before cosmetic work.

Body assembled for fitting.

Bed with customization of rear roll pan and lights.

Fitting of interior components.

Cab in tinted primer for better top coat coverage.

First steps in the modification of the fiberglas single piece tilt front end.

Fabrication of headlight and grille cowlings.

Headlight and grille cowlings fiberglased in.  Fitting of grille and lights into cowlings.

Cosmetic gelcoat of fiberglas work.

Baffels added inside of hood, treated with bedliner coating.

Road test at the Lost in the '50s parade.

Spraying on red base coat paint in ARC's paintbooth.

And now... The finished product...