A Truck Purpose-Built for Fun

No matter what anyone says, we all want to be cool, whether it’s to the boss or our friends. For Dustin McLeod, his love of all things on four wheels would eventually turn him into the coolest kid on the block, but it would take some time. 

Dustin realized that the fastest track to coolness was a classic truck. To get a better sense of what would be involved in a complete build, he stopped by local shop Scot Rods Garage and spoke to owner Scot McMillan. Yeah, the same Scot McMillan from “Fast N Loud” and “Misfit Garage.” We don’t have to tell you that Scot had quite a few ideas for Dustin and really got his head spinning. In the end, Dustin decided that he wanted something that would look awesome, but could also handle like a slot car. Now he just had to find the perfect starting point.

With his new perspective and thoughts of a rad truck swimming through his brain, Dustin tracked down the owner and was able to buy the truck within a matter of hours.”

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That same day, Dustin was on his usual daily route, when he took special notice of a ’64 Ford F-100 that he had seen sitting in a field for at least the past year and a half. With his new perspective and thoughts of a rad truck swimming through his brain, Dustin tracked down the owner and was able to buy the truck within a matter of hours. Well, that took care of the first step. Now it was time to boogie!

Despite what reality shows may have you believe, it takes more than a couple of weeks to finish a project like this. In fact, it took the Scot Rods Garage crew (and other supporting shops) a total of six months to complete the truck. In our experience, however, that’s still lightning quick for a truck of this caliber.

One thing that Dustin did not want was a ‘bolt-on’ truck, and with this generation of F-100, he pretty much guaranteed that this wouldn’t even be possible. Almost everything had to be custom-made, or at the very least, custom-fit for the truck. 

One thing that Dustin did not want was a “bolt-on” truck, and with this generation of F-100, he pretty much guaranteed that this wouldn’t even be possible. Almost everything had to be custom-made, or at the very least, custom-fit for the truck. Because of this, the truck was stripped down completely, and the only parts of the chassis that were retained were the main frame rails. A 2010 Ford Crown Victoria front suspension clip was massaged to fit up front, and a Ford 8.8 rearend with F-150 brakes was attached via a custom Scot Rods Garage 4-link. RideTech adjustable coil-overs were installed at each corner to bring the Effie’s handling into the 21^st century.

At first glance, the engine that ended up in the truck might not seem out of place, and some might even mistake it for a Ford product sans the distributor location. The hard truth, however, is that it’s a 5.3L GM—and it’s carbureted at that. The Scot Rods Garage crew added a few key go-fast parts to the mix that really woke things up under the hood. Gibson headers, a Bullet cam and a Holley 750-cfm carb over an Edelbrock Performer intake manifold all do their part to help the Nitto tires break loose with a blip of the throttle—460 horsepower tends to do that. Add to that a toughened-up 4L60E, and the drivetrain was ready to go.

With the exception of the rear roll pan, the body remained pretty much stock, but it was smoothed out and painted by Corrbett Tucker and Jon Bridges at Creative Paint Worx. DuPont’s version of Quartz Smoke was laid out on all of the body panels and engine compartment. Odds and ends, such as the taillight lenses and grille, come courtesy of LMC Truck.

Inside, Dustin’s Ford rocks a combination of old and new, which meld together perfectly for a cockpit that anyone would be proud of. Keith Kirt Upholstery handled the trim work, and the stock bench seat was improved with new padding and leather, while the once-bland door panels received similar treatment. A Billet Specialties steering wheel improves forward-facing aesthetics, while a trick Restomod Air climate control setup helps Dustin stay cool on hot Texas days. The fresh red carpet ties everything together.

The paint on Dustin’s truck was barely dry on the Friday morning that he went to pick it up from Scot Rods Garage, but he couldn’t wait to put in some drive time. In fact, that same afternoon he was on the autocross track (mostly) avoiding those pesky orange cones and having the time of his life. ST

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TRUCK SPECS

Owner

Dustin McLeod
1964 Ford F-100
Burleson, TX 

Engine

• Work performed by Scot Rods Garage and Trans Doctor
• 2006 Chevy LS 5.3L V-8
• TSP valve covers
• Converted to carbureted setup
• Edelbrock Performer intake manifold
• Holley 750-cfm carburetor
• Billet Specialties air cleaner
• Bullet Cams camshaft
• Crane hardened pushrods and beehive valve springs
• Gibson headers
• Custom Stainless Works exhaust
• Griffin aluminum radiator
• SPAL electric fans
• American Autowire wiring harness
• Tanks, Inc. 1968 Mustang fuel tank
• 2006 GM 4L60E transmission
• Precision 3,500-rpm stall converter
• B&M shift kit
• B&M shifter
• Ford 8.8-inch rearend

Chassis & Suspension 

• Work performed by Scot Rods Garage
• 2010 Ford Crown Victoria front clip
• Frame notched
• Scot Rods Garage 4-link
• RideTech coil-overs
• F-150 rear brakes
• Wilwood brake master cylinder

Wheels & Tires

• 19×8 and 20×10 SVE series 3 wheels in silver metallic with machined lip
• 245/35ZR19 and 275/35ZR20 Nitto tires

Body & Paint 

• Work performed by Creative Paint Worx and Scot Rods Garage
• Molded steel roll pan
• Custom fuel filler
• DuPont Smoke Quartz paint
• New trim from LMC Truck
• New glass from Mike’s Auto Glass

Interior & Stereo 

• Work performed by Keith Kirk Upholstery and Scot Rods Garage
• Factory bench seat refinished with red leather
• Simpson seat belts
• Custom leather-trimmed door panels
• Custom center console
• Clayton Machine Works billet handles
• Classic Instruments gauges
• Restomod Air climate control setup
• Flaming River steering column
• Billet Specialties steering wheel

Special Thanks From the Owner: “Scot Rods Garage, Creative Paint Worx, Justin at Detailing Garage, Restomod Air, Keith Kirk and my wife, Angelina.”

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