Only the Truly Devoted Will Work on a Truck After Hours

THERE’S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING A TRUCK FAN AND SOMEONE WHO ACTUALLY BUILDS THEM. Though there is nothing wrong with just being into the scene, it does take some courage to step up and create a crowd-pleasing custom truck. Most of you have the skills but just need to take the plunge to make something amazing. It also helps when you have support from others who will back you no matter what happens.

Teo Zoetemelk has been a fan of trucks since forever, but instead of taking the customizer’s route he focused his energy on his musical talents instead and played with a local punk band. Still, Teo was always there to help his buddies achieve their goals of vehicular stardom even though he never ventured out on his own. This all changed in the winter of 2014 when his cousin’s neighbor had a ’55 F-100 that desperately needed a new home. The owner’s grandfather had been working on the Effie until he passed away. Though it had a host of additions, the owner was moving and had no need for the truck. Since it was only $1,500, Teo scooped it up and brought it home with help from his friend, Robert Anderson.

TEO WAS ALWAYS THERE TO HELP HIS BUDDIES ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS OF VEHICULAR STARDOM EVEN THOUGH HE NEVER VENTURED OUT ON HIS OWN.”

The truck did have some custom touches, but only half of them were still actually on the truck since, like most projects, it was in pieces. The original plan was to put all of the pieces of the puzzle back together and flip it at the local swap meet in Pomona, California, to make some money. That plan didn’t last long because Teo works for TMI Products, a company with a lineup of pre-made interior parts for various classic vehicles. Up until this point, TMI has mostly offered upholstered products for vintage cars. Since the classic truck market has been booming, TMI has decided to dip its feet in the scene and see what the response would be.

The plan was to go all in at the then upcoming 2015 SEMA Show by having several trucks lining the perimeter of TMI’s booth. Teo told his coworkers about the F- 100 and, before he knew it, he committed himself to building the truck for the booth. Fortunately, Teo had a lot of the work done for him. The suspension was already pretty hammered since the front straight axle had been swapped for a front clip from a 1970 Plymouth Volare. This mod has a few benefits including an adjustable independent torsion bar suspension and disc brakes for better stopping power. In the back, a Dana 44 rearend has been mounted on top of the factory leaf springs with a flip kit.

Under the hood was a Cleveland 351 engine that was already rebuilt and restored to running condition with help from Chip’s Performance Tuning. An Edelbrock intake and carb were added and topped off with a Spectre Performance air filter and valve covers. Letting the exhaust out is a set of Patriot ceramic-coated headers that lead to a stainless exhaust with Flowmaster mufflers. Cooling is handled with a Champion radiator and electric fan. Behind the power plant rests a Ford FMX three-speed automatic transmission.

After the business end of the truck was handled, it was time to make it shine, or not—we’ll get to that. The first thing that was addressed on the exterior was the body. Like many old trucks, there was some rust that needed to be fixed. To help the situation, replacement doors and bed sheet metal were ordered from LMC Truck. Since the hood hinges didn’t work correctly, Teo reverse tilted the hood with a kit from Classic Performance Products.

“CRAIG HAPPENED TO BRING A SKETCHPAD WITH HIM AND THE TWO CAME UP WITH A NAME FOR TEO’S WORKSPACE, “CAP’T INSANO’S GARAGE.”

Then it was time for Johnny’s Auto Color and Body Werx to make the body straight and coat the F-100 in Gasser Green paint from Eastwood. When Teo worked at an RV shop, he used to paint panels and loved the way they looked before clear. To capture that look on this truck, a matte clear was laid over the Gasser Green paint and all of the trim was painted matte black. Once ready for final assembly, glass from LMC Truck was placed. To finish off the look, a set of 20-inch US Mags Heavy Artillery wheels were wrapped in Continental rubber and bolted up.

The interior was the last major item left to tackle, and TMI was gearing up to make all of the pieces for these truck models. Starting with the floor, a carpet kit was installed and topped with a Sport X split bench seat. TMI also made the slick door panels that match the seat. Topping it all off is a TMI headliner with visors. The dash was painted to match the body and a set of Dakota Digital VHX gauges and a Retro Sound radio and speakers were installed. For form and function, an ididit steering column crowned with a TMI steering wheel was placed in position. Coming out of the floor is a mean-looking shifter from Gennie.

While deep into the build, it was summer time and Teo had an ongoing schedule: working at TMI in the daytime and coming home to work on the truck while it was still hot out. Teo wondered if he was crazy for enduring such a schedule and almost gave up on the truck. Almost immediately, his wife stepped in to tell him, “BS, you said you could get it done.” And, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” Just when he was about to start singing “All by Myself,” Teo got a text from his high school friend Craig Cummings of Black Parrot Sign Studios who invited him out for tacos and beer. Craig happened to bring a sketchpad with him and the two came up with a name for Teo’s workspace, “Cap’t Insano’s Garage.” This morphed into the Rat-Fink-style artwork that’s on the truck’s doors now.

The result speaks for itself as the truck was fully completed and driven into the SEMA Show. The Effie was a hit, and Teo can now rest easy knowing that he really can pull off his own build.

---

TRUCK SPECS

OWNER

Teo Zoetemelk
1955 Ford F-100
Riverside, CA

ENGINE

• Shop: Chip’s Performance Tuning
• 351-ci Cleveland V-8
• Edelbrock carburetor and intake
• Spectre Performance air filter and valve covers
• Champion radiator and electric fans
• Patriot ceramic-coated headers
• Custom 2 ½-inch stainless exhaust by Jerl’s Muffle & Brake
• Flowmaster mufflers
• Painless Performance wire harness
• Ford FMX three-speed transmission
• Tanks, gas tank
• Optima battery

SUSPENSION

• 1976 Plymouth Volare front clip with disc brakes
• Original rear leaf springs with flip kit
• Dana 44 rearend

WHEELS & TIRES

• 20×8.5 and 20×9-inch US Mags Heavy Artillery U602 with painted centers and chrome caps
• 255/35ZR20 Continental Extreme Contact DWS

BODY & PAINT

• LMC Truck doors, bed, taillights and glass
• Classic Performance Products reverse- tilt hood hinges
• HID projectors headlights
• Wood bed floor painted black
• Eastwood Gasser Green paint with matte clear
• Paint and bodywork by Johnny’s Auto Color and Body Werx
• Door art by Craig Cummings of Black Parrot Sign Studios

INTERIOR

• TMI Products Sport X Pro Classic truck split back bench seat
• TMI Products Sport X door panels with pocket
• TMI Products steering wheel
• TMI Products headliner with visors
• TMI Products carpet
• LMC Truck seat belts
• ididit steering column
• Dakota Digital VHX gauges
• Old Air products AC
• Gennie shifter
• Retro Sound radio and speakers
• Quiet Ride sound deadening material
• Stereo installed by Rob Friedman

SPECIAL THANKS FROM THE OWNER: J and H Restoration, wiring; Chip Performance Tuning, motor; Black Parrot Sign Studio, graphics; Johnny’s Auto Color, paint; Old Air Products, AC; Painless Performance Products, wiring; Optima, batteries; Patriot Exhaust Products, headers; Petronix Performance Products, billet distributor and Flame Thrower coil; Retro Sound, radio and speakers; Precision, weather stripping and window rubber; Spectre Performance, engine dress up and air cleaner; Quiet Ride Solutions, sound deadening and headliner; Tanks, Inc., gas tank; US Mags, Heavy Artillery rims; TMI Products, interior; Champion Cooling Systems, radiator and fan; CPP, tilt hood conversion; Dakota Digital, gauges; Continental, tires; Flowmaster, exhaust; Eastwood, paint; Gennie shifter, shift kit; ididit, steering column; HIDProjectors.com, headlights; LMC Truck Parts and Accessories, body parts and glass; Mario Deleon, wheel measuring; Bob at Bob’s F-100; John Olin, brakes; Larry Ashley, carburetor; Dennis at D and R Machine for the engine accessory drive and Robert Anderson for help trailering the truck.

---