AS SEEN IN OUR F-Series Builders Guide Fall 2026 ISSUE – Buy Now!
An F-100 Blended with the Best of a Mustang
It is hard not to be a fan of the Ford Mustang. An instant success, over 400,000 units were sold in its first full year of production in 1965. Only one year later, that number topped a cool million new Mustangs rolling across the roads of America. Even by today’s loftier sales numbers, that is still one hell of a successful vehicle launch. Today, over 10 million examples of Ford’s favorite muscle car have been put into the hands of eager Mustang enthusiasts everywhere.
But what if you are a fan of both early Mustangs and F-100s? That is the dilemma Mike Mills faced with his 1968 Ford F-100. The solution? Build a vehicle that blends the coolness of a vintage truck, styling cues from early Mustangs, and a modern drivetrain from more recent versions of Ford’s fabled pony car.
To blend the best of both worlds, Mills turned to Fat Fender Garage. Specialists in early Ford truck parts, chassis, and complete builds, Fat Fender Garage knows its way around Ford F-100s. And, as innovators in Coyote swaps for F-100s, the Fat Fender Garage team was more than capable of Mustang-izing Mills’ Ford pickup.
With Fat Fender Garage’s extensive experience with Coyote engines, it is no surprise that a 2021 Gen 3 5.0L V8 was sourced to propel the F-100. However, its factory output wasn’t enough, so a 3.0L Whipple supercharger was popped on top for a serious boost in horsepower. Squirting fuel into the hungry Whipple are GT500 injectors fed by a Boyd fuel tank. Fat Fender Garage then fabbed up custom headers and an exhaust for better exhalation and even more power.
Handling all the horsepower and offering optimal gear ratios is a 6-speed TREMEC T-56 manual transmission. Having a driveshaft that wasn’t going to go into a low Earth orbit was vital, and that task was handled by Arizona Driveshaft. From that shaft, power flows into a stout Currie 9-inch rearend equipped with 3.73 gears. Found at the ends of the axle housing and at all four corners are speed-shredding, Wilwood four-piston calipers hugging 14-inch rotors.
It is easy to get lost in the beautiful color-shifting hue of the custom-mixed BASF dark burgundy paint with heavy pearl that slathers the Ford’s body. However, look closely, and there are visual cues inspired by first-gen Mustangs. Functional heat extractors, hand-fabbed into the all-metal hood, pay homage to the Mustangs of yore. Side scoops tied into the sides of the bed also give off early GT350 vibes. To match the beautiful burgundy skin, Fat Fender Garage created a custom Cerakote tint for the grille, bumpers, and accents. The burgundy and gold color scheme gives Stark its name, but it looks better than any mechanical suit Tony Stark ever wore. Schott wheels in a lighter titanium color help to slightly break up the color scheme.
Mills’ F-100 originally started life much higher, as a 4WD model. Since Mills wanted handling more Mustang-esque than truckish, the decision was made to convert the Ford to two-wheel drive and get it much closer to the ground. To accomplish that, a Fat Fender Garage Level 2 chassis was swapped for the factory Ford frame. Beyond serious stiffness, the new foundation yields a much-improved ride and handling thanks to its coilover front and 4-link rear suspension. Falcon shocks paired with Hyperco springs yield even more cornering capability.
Inside Stark, the star of the show is a Fat Fender Garage bumpside interior kit. Bucket seats, also sourced from a Mustang, provide comfort and prevent Mills from sloshing around inside the cab while carving corners. Everything is tastefully finished in distressed and aged Apex leather with a custom bronzy finish to match the exterior. A mixture of a RetroSound head unit, Focal speakers, a Mosconi amp, and dual 10-inch subs provides serious sound. Keeping occupants at ideal temperatures is a RestoMod Air climate control system. A Sparc steering wheel handles directional inputs while Dakota Digital RTX gauges relay vitals.
Stark represents the perfect balance between classic truck aesthetics, early Mustang visual cues, and late-model muscle. The Fat Fender Garage team carefully selected every component on it to ensure they work together cohesively. The result is this stunning truck that pushes the boundaries of performance while making a massive visual impact.