Jasmine Ence
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November 12, 2026
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Features
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Mach1Media
AS SEEN IN OUR F-SERIES BUILDERS GUIDE WINTER 2026 ISSUE – Buy Now!
Some trucks begin as clean projects with labeled parts and a plan. Tyler Nelson’s 1979 Ford F-250 crew cab began in a friend’s field. His dad spotted it there in 2019, and Tyler saw enough potential in the old chrome yellow Ford paint to imagine it back on the road. The truck had already spent years working in mines and in the woods, then sat outside long enough for rust to become part of the structure.
What started as a simple idea grew into a five-and-a-half-year build. Tyler stopped counting the cost after roughly $45,000, but the bigger investment came through time, fabrication, research, and a willingness to redo work until it functioned the way he wanted. He never intended to build a show truck. The original plan was something he could drive around town. Instead, it became a collection of parts from different Ford generations, heavy equipment, an army truck, and even a local hockey rink.
The crew cab still wears its factory paint, along with the rust and wear left from decades of use. Tyler calls the wheel well treatment “good old Midwest rust,” and there is no attempt to hide it. The stock grille remains, while a JC Whitney brush guard and twelve KC HiLiTES fill out the front and roof. At the rear, Tyler built a bumper from a house jack post, pistons from a Caterpillar C15 engine, and valves from a diesel engine.
Rust forced Tyler to cut the frame behind the cab and reframe the truck with another section. The finished wheelbase measures 150 inches. A Super Duty conversion brought in a 2009 F-250 front axle, while the rear came from a 2001 F-250. Both use 4.30 gears and limited-slip differentials. Rear leaf springs and hangers came from a 1988 F-250. Bilstein components are used up front, with Bilstein shocks and Rough Country springs at the rear. A seven-inch body lift creates room for 38×15.50 Fury MTS tires on 24×16 Liberty Forged LBTY14 wheels.
Power comes from a 1971 Ford 429. Larry Fernstrum handled the engine work using stock 429 rods, Icon flat-top pistons, an 11:1 compression ratio, and a Lunati camshaft. The heads received valve springs, valves, and seat work. A Weiand 8012 intake supports a Pro Systems Holley 1450 carburetor. Speedway big-block Ford headers were modified to fit, then Tyler fabricated a 3.5-inch side-exit exhaust. An MSD 6AL ignition completes the combination. Dan Lambert installed the engine.
A Ford C6 automatic from a 1979 F-250 4×4 sits behind the 429. Tyler built the transmission using a TCI shift kit, a Broader Performance reverse manual valve body, and a Boss Hog converter with a 3,000-rpm stall. A Hurst Quarter Stick pistol-grip shifter handles gear changes. The transfer case remains a stock 1979 F-250 unit, while Machine Service in Green Bay, Wisconsin, made the driveshaft. Hydroboost braking from a 1999 F-250 and a stock 2005 F-250 steering box help connect the later axles to the older truck.
Inside, the practical creativity continues. Cody Storer upholstered the Ford bench seat in yellow and black plaid vinyl and cloth. Tyler used wood paneling for the sun visors and headliner. A Ford 302 oil pan became the center console, with openings for the Pioneer stereo and cupholders. Small-block Chevrolet piston rods support the shifter. Stock gauges remain, joined by an AutoMeter tach.
One of the most unusual details sits in the bed. Tyler cut out the bed floor and replaced part of it with half-inch clear Lexan from the local hockey rink. It provides a view into the chassis and driveline, turning discarded material into a feature that fits the truck. The fuel tank came from an old army truck.
The build brought problems in nearly every area, from wiring and mechanical work to melted parts and heat wrapping the headers. Tyler solved them through research, phone calls, and repeated trials. He says there were no shortcuts and that he took his time and redid things until they worked.
That process defines the truck. It is not a restoration built around factory correctness. It is a collection of ideas from someone who likes fabrication and refuses to build the same thing everyone else has. The F-250 now travels to shows across the Midwest and beyond, carrying its mine, woods, and field history with it. What was once headed toward scrap became a truck recognized across the county, and Tyler is still learning from it every time he changes something.
Owner
Tyler Nelson
1979 Ford F-250 Crew Cab
Engine & Drivetrain
Chassis & Suspension
Wheels, Tires & Brakes
Exterior Modifications
Interior
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