True to "old-school" ways, Jeff sold off the 460 Lincoln-powered rolling chassis in complete form to finance the next phases of the build. Starting with a bare '53 F-100 frame that he already possessed, Jeff and his brother Steve, the welder in the family, boxed it and then converted the rear leaf-spring suspension to a triangulated four-link from Suicide Doors, aka the Thorbecke Brothers. Up front, the '54 rides on a Heidt's frontend, with all four-corners relying on Slam Specialties' bags for air-ride capabilities. The braking system is thoroughly modern from stem-to-stern, featuring Classic Performance Products exclusively. A CPP power-brake booster assists a CPP dual master cylinder connecting four CPP disc brakes. For rolling stock, Jeff mounted Diamondback BFGoodrich T/A radials with wide whitewalls onto a set of steelies, caps, and beauty rings from Wheel Vintiques.
Under the hood, Jeff chose a late 350-inch Chevrolet crate motor and mated it with a 700-R4 automatic transmission. For induction, the 350 relies on an Edelbrock Air-Gap intake manifold saddled with an Edelbrock AFB carburetor. To lend a tasty old-school feel to the late Vortec Chevy motor, Jeff purchased a set of Cal Custom finned aluminum valve covers with a matching Cal Custom finned-aluminum air cleaner. A Pete Jackson geardrive plus a pair of Flowmaster Hushpower mufflers installed by Kelly Purdy at Mufflerworks lend a hot and nasty note that combines a mechanical whir with the nostalgic mellow note of fiberglass-packed mufflers.
For the cab's interior, Jeff made use of the latest technology available by choosing brand-name products that are styled with a retro appeal. On top of a fully chromed ididit steering column, Jeff mounted a Billet Specialties steering wheel with a white leather half wrap. He also installed a Ron Francis wiring harness teamed with a fully chromed Powermaster alternator to handle the customized Ford's increased electrical demands. The additional juice helps to keep the truck's twin air compressors buzzing while Jeff watches a DVD of American Graffiti on the dash-mounted Alpine head unit. The red-and-white tuck 'n' roll interior, complete with red carpeting, was done by Jason Gradney at Gradney's Custom Upholstery. The glass was done by Don Ransom at Redwood Glass.
In closing, Jeff wanted us to make sure his dad, Bill Costa, and a friend, Marty Frey, were also mentioned as a part of the Sonoma County Street Rodz crew that played a substantial role in the five-month build of their "shop truck."