For bringing back the F-100's exterior, the Lamars had the help of several friends and craftsmen. Keith Boucher and Pete Shottz, of Blue Moon Customs in Millen, Georgia, rebuilt the cab's floor pans and replaced the cab's rotted corners with virgin sheetmetal patch panels. Once the Effie's exterior panels were paint-ready, Keith applied the PPG Viper Silver with extra metal flake, while Pete adorned elements of the body with airbrush flames and more metal flake. Larry Weaver, John, and Hunter fabricated 1-inch square-tube strips, for attaching the stainless steel stringers and plexiglass bed floor to the brightly hued chassis. That's why the owners chose Tangelo Pearl paint-to cover the high-tech foundation.
The flamed theme carried over into the renovation of the Ford's cockpit. Rob Thompson, of Jerry's Upholstery in Statesboro, stitched flames into the headliner and sun visors. He trimmed the '99 Dodge Stratus power bucket seats in Rod Doors charcoal UltraLeather and embroidered "Ford Racing" into the armrest. Pete airbrushed flames on the center console, which Larry and John crafted. Utilizing a Haywire harness, John and Larry wired the truck and installed Ford Racing instruments in the six-gauge polished aluminum cluster. To house the HVAC controls and vents, they fabricated a 3-inch-wide dash extension. When John and Hunter installed the Sony CD/stereo, Alpine amp, and Polk Audio separate speakers about the cab, they concluded the F-100's 1.5-year construction project.
As of the day of the photo shoot, the Lamar's Effie registered a mere 1.4 miles on the odometer. We're glad to hear they plan to drive the truck, after showing it a few more times. If you guessed this is the last father/son Ford project in the Lamar household, you'd be wrong. John and Hunter have already begun work on Hunter's first car, a '65 Mustang 2+2, with a numbers-matching 289ci V-8 under the hood. We told you they bleed Blue Oval blood! Now do you believe us?
The Plexiglas bed floor is...
The Plexiglas bed floor is 3/4-inch thick. It's easy to see why the Lamar's Effie was a Top Four trophy-winning F-100 at the 2005 F-100 SuperNationals and Ford Family Reunion. Notice the missing bolt at the lower lefthand corner. The bolt was installed when the judges judged the pickup. We told you the Effie was freshly finished!
Wilwood Engineering 13-inch...
Wilwood Engineering 13-inch ventilated and slotted rotors and six-piston polished-billet aluminum calipers provide prodigious stopping power at the front wheels. Wilwood disc brakes are also utilized in the rear. Speaking of the wheels, they're American Racing Torq-Thrust IIs, 17x8 inches in the front and 20x10 inches in the rear. Goodyear Eagle LS radials cover the rolling stock, P235/55R17 and P275/55R20-inch, front to rear respectively.
Among the few non-Ford items...
Among the few non-Ford items found on the Lamar's F-100 are the '99 Dodge Stratus power bucket seats, which Robbie Thompson of Jerry's Upholstery trimmed with Rod Doors charcoal UltraLeather.
Freelance photographer Rich...
Freelance photographer Rich Chenet is well-known for shooting race cars, sports cars, musclecars and high-performance hot rod haulers, like the Lamar's Truford. From this perspective, the Effie looks to be ready for launch-all systems go, Houston! Mission accomplished, Lamars.
Larry Weaver and John Lamar...
Larry Weaver and John Lamar frenched the running boards and cut a sleeve in the frame- rails to permit the 4x3-inch stainless steel exhaust tips to exit out the running boards. Magnaflow mufflers feed the quad tips.
The owners had only logged...
The owners had only logged 1.4 miles, as shown on the Ford Racing speedometer/odo-meter/trip gauge, when the photo shoot occurred. Rest assured, the Effie's driven more now.