Troy Lambert’s Big-block Ford-powered ’56 Effie

TROY LAMBERT’S PASSION FOR EVERYTHING AUTOMOTIVE BEGAN AT A YOUNG AGE WHILE HE WORKED AT HIS FATHER’S SERVICE STATION PUMPING GAS, FILLING UP TIRES AND KEEPING THE FLOORS SPIC AND SPAN. It was that early connection to cars and customers in his youth that planted both the gearhead and entrepreneurial seeds within him.

Serving the Marine Corp in the infantry and motor pool divisions, Troy—along with his fellow servicemen—would keep the tanks and equipment running smoothly. Once he rotated out of the Marines, Troy went to work driving an 18-wheeler and operating his own small trucking business running loads to Alaska. He eventually worked for Phillips Crane & Rigging, and channeling the entrepreneurial spirit ingrained in him by his father, Troy went on to launch TNT Crane & Rigging, Inc. Troy’s automotive passion shined through in the red cranes and matching fleet of red Ford trucks used in TNT’s day-to-day operations.

After building up TNT Crane and running it for several years, Troy sold the business, but the automotive flame continued to burn. A Ford man at heart, Troy searched for a classic ’56 Ford F-100 to quench his gearhead thirst and take him back to the good old days. Like most diehard Ford fans, Troy wanted a Ford in a Ford and searched high and low for a truck with a Blue Oval bullet under its bonnet. After looking at several trucks with Chevy engines  stuffed into a Ford doghouse, Troy elected to build his own custom pickup. After all, then he could create the truck exactly how he wanted it and with a Ford heartbeat to boot. A fairly solid ’56 was located and the build was off and running at Chaotic Rods & Customs in Conroe, Texas.

The build team at Chaotic started the project by removing all of the sheet metal, getting down to the Effie’s bones. The stock frame was boxed and fit with a Heidts front end complete with Heidts spindles, chrome control arms, coil-over shocks and rack-and-pinion steering. In the rear, the altitude was adjusted with a Heidts 4-link, coil-overs and adjustable pan hard bar all pivoting off of a 9-inch Ford posi-equipped rearend stuffed with Strange axles and 3.73:1 gears. A Nifty 50 replacement fuel tank was used between the rear frame rails to update fuel delivery to the nasty big- block Blue Oval fire-breathing mill. For stopping power, Mustang discs up front and Metric GM discs out back were plumbed with a factory Corvette master cylinder and 7-inch frame-mounted booster. Capping off the smoothed and modernized chassis is a dose of charcoal gray paint and 20×8.5-inch front and 20×10-inch rear Intro V-Rod billet wheels clothed in Toyo Proxes 2 rubber. Now that the rolling time for the drivetrain to be assembled and dropped into its position of power.

There’s usually a small- block Chevy under the hood of most F-100s, but that just wasn’t going to cut it for Troy. Pulling out all of the stops, a 427-ci Ford Motorsports crate motor was the mill of choice to push this masterpiece down the road and roast the rear Toyos in the process. The Blue Oval Rat was equipped with a steel crankshaft and topped with an Edelbrock intake and Holley 750 dual- feed carburetor. A March billet-aluminum pulley system and chrome alternator keep things running smoothly, while a March water pump, Champion radiator and a 16-inch electric cooling fan keep operating temps right where they should be.

For just the right mechanical music and to kick the octane cocktail out the back door, the Chaotic crew bolted up a set of Jet- Hot-coated BBK headers mated to a 2.5-inch exhaust to shove spent gasses through Magnaflow mufflers. The exhaust and camshaft combination belt out the perfect symphony of sound from the tire-frying big-block. A Cobra air cleaner and Ford Racing 427 Cobra valve covers lend the perfect race-inspired look to the engine bay. Backing all of this throttle-stomping madness is a built Ford AOD transmission fit with a 2,200-stall speed converter.

With the chassis slung low and detailed and the drivetrain complete, it was time for the Chaotic crew to shift their focus to the metal work, bodywork and paint. The door locks were shaved and all of the cab seams were welded for a clean, sleek look. The factory taillights were relocated with custom mounting arms and the gas filler was shaved. The running board bolts were also shaved and custom tailgate latches were made. A tailgate and custom roll pan, both with louvers, add some traditional hot rod attitude in the rear. Up front, the factory turn signals were relieved of duty and the new signals were integrated into the headlights. A reverse flip hood shows off the engine bay in style. Metal work inside consisted of shaving all of the seams in the dash for a smooth finish.

Once all of the metal modifications were complete and the bodywork’s dust had settled, the Chaotic crew rolled the truck into the paint booth and laid down the PPG Galaxy Red topcoat. After the paint and clear had time to cure, the finish was color sanded and polished to shine, and the truck was reassembled with all stainless hardware and the smooth addition of one- piece side glass.

Once the paint and body were finished it was time to bring the build home with a knock-out interior. Ricki Duke of Duke’s Custom Upholstery went to work sculpting the inside of the F-100 into a leather masterpiece. A custom-made seat frame took the place of the original bench, and the seat, custom door panels, headliner and custom under-dash panel were covered in triple-stitched gray leather. A billet steering wheel topping a billet steering column combined with a Lokar shifter, Lokar billet door handles and under- dash-mounted vents for the Vintage Aired system rounded out the aluminum touches. Custom-stitched gray carpet took the place of the original rubber floor mat. Dakota Digital gauges report on the engine vitals, while a complete Alpine audio system designed, wired and installed by Chaotic gets the beats kicking for Troy’s weekend cruising excursions.

Troy Lambert had this truck built to remind him of the good old days, when things were mechanical and people put in an honest hard day’s work. It serves as a tire-burning reminder of his roots: where he came from, where he’s been and what it took to get to where he is today.

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TRUCK SPECS

OWNERS

Troy and Gayla Lambert
1956 Ford F-100
Conroe, TX

ENGINE

• Shop: Chaotic Rods & Customs
• Ford Motorsports 427-ci crate engine
• Edelbrock intake manifold Holley 750 carburetor
• BBK headers
• Magnaflow exhaust
• Easy Wire wiring harness

SUSPENSION

• Suspension and Chassis by Chaotic Rods & Customs
• Heidts front end
• Heidts dropped spindles
• Heidts chrome control arms and coil-over shocks
• 4-link rear suspension with coil-over and pan hard

WHEELS & TIRES

• 20×8.5 and 20×10-inch Intro V-Rod billet wheels
• P255/35ZR20 Toyo Proxes II

BODY & PAINT

• Metal work and bodywork by Chaotic Rods & Customs
• Reverse flip hood
• Baer Claw door latches
• Shaved door locks
• Welded cab seams
• Relocated taillights
• Smooth running boards
• Custom tailgate latches
• Louvered tailgate
• Custom louvered rear roll pan
• Shaved gas filler
• One-piece side glass
• HardieTrim boards to replace wood bed floor
• Rear mini tubs
• Shaved turn signals
• PPG Galaxy Red paint by Chaotic Rods & Customs

INTERIOR & STEREO

• Interior performed by Ricki Duke of Duke’s Custom Upholstery
• Custom seat, door panels and headliner
• Gray leather
• Billet steering wheel and column
• Lokar shift
• Vintage Air AC system
• Billet oval AC vents
• Dakota Digital gauges
• Audio installed and wired by Chaotic Customs
• iPod
• Alpine amplifiers
• Alpine Type-R shallow-mount subwoofers
• Alpine Type-R speakers
• Dynamat sound deadener
• Optima battery

SPECIAL THANKS FROM THE OWNER: “My wife Gayla for her support, my son Shannon for his input and the build team at Chaotic Rods & Customs and Duke’s Custom Upholstery.”

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