Peeling off old paint on a vintage truck is like peeling an onion. When you see some of the colors and excuses for paint that are in your truck's past, you're apt to cry. We've seen every sheen you can imagine, from bottom-of-the-pool green to turn-your-stomach brown. There have been brush hairs, paint-roller marks, thumbprints, runs, drips, and errors ad infinitum. Latex house hues, watercolors, paints from aerosol cans . . . almost anything could be hidden on a vintage machine. Mixed primer colors and gobs of bondo covering rusty body panels offend us still more.
When Joe Henke's grandpa and pop first purchased Joe's '50 F-1 in the '70s from an auto auction barn, the Ford was pink with black stripes. We know--hideous. With an additional application of primer to hide the garish paintwork, Joe's dad used the vehicle as a push truck for his garage, Tom's Service, for several years. Not too long after Joe and his father started a part-time automotive restoration/street rod business, Diversified Concepts, Joe's grandpa sold the F-1 to Joe for what he won it for at the auction, $125.The first thing Joe did was peel away all the old paint. He counted no less than 13 layers. For its second reincarnation on Joe's watch, the F-1 wore turquoise, had a McCulloch supercharger, and was photographed in show coverage for the premier issue of CCT.
We were drawn to the F-1 at the 2005 F-100 SuperNationals for its alluring bright blue finish, an impressive interior, and its bodacious flathead V-8. When we learned that it was fresh from the paint booth and trim shop, we were convinced Joe's Ford was worthy of a full feature.
As this is Joe's third time around with the truck, he decided to make his efforts count to the fullest. He didn't really attack in a logical, frame first, drivetrain second protocol. Joe simply went at it with well-skilled abandon.
For the foundation, he fully boxed the stock F-1 framerails and welded on a '76 Volare IFS. A '70 Ford Mustang 9-inch with a 2.79:1 final drive ratio replaced the F-1's venerable pumpkin. To accommodate a '91 Chevy Lumina rack-and-pinion steering system, he fabricated custom low mounts. A '66 Mustang 16-gallon fuel tank was mounted under the bed. After installing the front 1.25-inch-diameter anti-sway bar and the Monroe shocks, Diversified Concepts disassembled the chassis (remember, Joe and Tom Henke and Diversified Concepts are synonymous). They prepared the foundation with their air grinders and laid down a silver pearl paint finish before rebuilding the chassis.
As power would come from the F-1's original flathead V-8, Joe bored the block .050-over. With Offenhauser finned aluminum heads, Jahns pistons and a Fenton 2x2 intake manifold, Joe employed some sweet speed-shop finery from the olden days to revitalize the flatty. Holley 94s times 2 feed the mighty pristine mill with air and fuel, while a Motor City Flathead oiling system keeps the 55-plus-year-old engine's internals lubricated proficiently. Bob's Transmissions rebuilt a '73 Ford C4 trans and optimized it with a Flat-O-Matic 2,200-stall converter and Lokar floor shifter.
Throughout the renew of the Ford, Diversified spent ample time performing the extensive bodywork. Joe and Tom fabricated a custom bed, inner fenders, and a fan shroud. After all the sheetmetal panels received final paint prep and fitment check, Joe disassembled the exterior and painted all the components separately, utilizing Cloissone Blue coats and clear coats.
Before handing the truck off to the upholstery shop, Joe wired the F-1 with a Haywire harness. L&J Auto Trim trimmed the shortened Ford Ranger seats in Tan Ultraleather with snakeskin suede inserts.
The old adage, "What goes around, comes around," proved to be true for Joe Henke. After six years of hard work, the awards and accolades have come around for Joe's F-1. Come to think of it, there's also something to be said for getting your vintage truck featured in CCT. Joe, thanks for getting us to notice your flatty-powered, Cloissone Blue '50 F-1 at the 2005 F100 SuperNationals. We're glad the pickup's nowhere close to bottom-of-the-pool green!
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 The rear bumper comes from...  The rear bumper comes from a '53 Ford F-100. |
 A modified K&N filter shroud...  A modified K&N filter shroud and K&N filter protect the 278ci V-8 flathead Ford. Diversified Concepts created the custom exhaust system, which consists of Red's Headers and Smitty's mufflers. |
 Behind the Budnik Hurricane...  Behind the Budnik Hurricane steering wheel, Speedyne digital gauges reside in the dash. The owner fabricated the center console from fiberglass before painting it Cloissone Blue to match the exterior. |
 An Ohio Mercedes Benz dealership...  An Ohio Mercedes Benz dealership provided '02 Mercedes HID headlights. The front bumper is an original-style, stainless steel F-1 item. |
 Diversified trimmed the bed...  Diversified trimmed the bed floor with 1/4-inch White Oak planks separated by Cloissone Blue-painted stringers. |
 Bonspeed rolling stock, 20x10...  Bonspeed rolling stock, 20x10 inches in the rear as shown and 18x7 inches in the front, were covered with Kumho radials, P295/40R20-inch in the rear and P235/40R18-inch in the front. Backspacing rear and front is 3 inches and 4.5 inches. |
 Clarion 600-watt amps were...  Clarion 600-watt amps were installed under the rear window. Other elements of the audiophile stereo system include a Clarion CD/stereo head unit hidden behind an underdash motorized door, and MMATS separate speakers placed strategically throughout the cab for optimal listening. |
 Thanks to the addition of...  Thanks to the addition of a Vintage Air HVAC system, the modern cockpit is kept climatically comfortable. Power windows actuate the Vintage Glass owner-installed one-piece side windows. Vintage Glass was also utilized for the front and rear windshields. |
 Adorning the door panels are...  Adorning the door panels are owner-fabricated and painted fiberglass armests, as well as artfully trimmed Ultraleather with suede snakeskin inserts. |