When it comes to building a truck, it's always easy to pick out the guys who have experience in having done it before as opposed to the guys who are doing it for the first time simply by asking what it is that they're starting with. Having said that, this really only applies to the guys who set out to build a truck at a level of completion like Gordon McGilton has done with his '51 Ford F-1. Those guys who are building workhorses or primered hot rod trucks aren't concerned with every panel being straight and the sheetmetal in perfect virgin shape. Patina is oftentimes the name of that game; the more distressed the more impressed. But if one's setting out to build a five-star truck, those with experience know that the better the foundation, the better the end result.
Gordon is no newcomer to the truck game, having built nearly 100 trucks over the years when he owned a shop in Southern California. He's always had a soft spot for the second-generation Ford F-1s. He owns a half dozen currently and when he saw an ad for a restored '51 Ford pickup in the classifieds section in a freebie paper in northern Washington, he just couldn't help but call the owner and get the story behind the truck. As he had hoped, it was too good to be true and not long after the transaction was made, the restored Flareside was on its way to Chris Odom's Extreme Metal and Paint in Anacortes, Washington, to be disassembled and stripped down to bare metal.
The first step in the build process was to box the entire chassis in anticipation of the Flat Out Engineering Corvette C4 suspension kit. The stock suspension was disassembled and set aside-no doubt as backup bits to one of Gordon's other trucks-before the framerails were strengthened and the new crossmembers added. The Corvette suspension components were then bolted up hub-to-hub, including the stock rack-and-pinion. RideTech Shockwaves replaced the stock Vette devices and allowed Gordon to adjust the height of the F-1 from in the weeds to an appropriate ride height. A set of Foose billet wheels shod in BFG radials completed the rolling chassis affairs.
To power the hauler, Gordon had Chris install a GM Performance Parts Chevy ZZ3 crate engine backed by a 200-4R transmission. A Barry Grant Six-Shooter induction system was added to give the motor a decidedly more hot rod vibe, while a Billet Specialties Tru-Trac serpentine pulley system was added to tuck the Powermaster alternator, power steering pump, and Vintage Air A/C compressor nice and tight against the block.
Outside, Chris massaged a number of the body panels. The rear fenders were moved forward 2 inches and the running boards were extended forward to meet the bottom of the front wheelwells, which were completely reworked. A careful eye will notice that the openings are identical to those of the rear and have been lowered to allow the reveal to continue uninterrupted to the front of the fender. This exaggerates the lowered stance of the F-1 even further. Chris then set out by rubbing every square inch smooth before spraying it in Glasurit Black.
The truck was then sent over to Paul Atkins' upholstery shop in Hanceville, Alabama, where every interior panel was custom fabricated before being covered in black leather. That silver material covering the inserts on the door panels above the one-off armrests as well as those on the custom-formed seat is stock upholstery material from a '57 Chevy. Chris also had his hand in on the interior portion of the cab, having reworked the dash, combining the glovebox door and ashtray resulting in one long glovebox door, as well as lowering it to allow the custom, one-piece dash trim to continue across the face of the dash. Where the stock gauges once sat, Chris installed a pair of Classic Instruments items that keep a close eye on engine management. Above the Vintage Air climate controls is the stock speaker grille that now functions as a center A/C vent. Circular side vents are at opposite ends of the dash. An ididit Inc. tilt column and a Lecarra '40 Ford-style wheel complete the interior accoutrement.
For a man who's built hundreds of cars in his life, many of which were trucks, Gordon maintains that the '51-52 Ford F-1 pickups are among his most favorite. And this is coming from a guy who has a '65 Corvair with a Joe Mondello-built 455ci Olds Toronado stuffed behind the seat, a former factory racer '63 Pontiac Catalina with a 455, and a handful of other equally mind-boggling hot rods, muscle cars, and pick 'em ups. When we asked Gordon if he's ever owned anything other than classic American tin, he just smiled and said that he was a hot rodder through and through and that the pompous, ego-driven sports car crowd just didn't get his low-key, T-shirt and jeans attitude. Gordon, we totally get it!