Top Reader’s Ride of the Month

Ford Fantasy

CHRIS AYALA’S FORD F-100 EASILY LOOKS AS GOOD AS THE DAY IT DROVE OFF THE LOT IN 1967, THOUGH IT TOOK JUST AS MUCH WORK AS WHEN IT WAS ORIGINALLY BUILT TO GET IT WHERE IT IS TODAY. Growing up with a diehard Ford owner for a father, Chris started looking for an F-100 five years ago. He bought four other trucks that turned out to be too far gone before finding the Ford he was looking for. A one-owner truck previously, Chris and his neighbor, Basil, spent the next three years restoring it to get the F-100 looking just right.

The ’67 houses a Ford 302-ci V-8 engine,

C-4 transmission with shift kit and 9-inch with posi and 3.70 gears, along with a host of upgrades to the engine that has it pushing out 375 hp. A Crown Victoria front swap by Modern Solutions has it sitting solid. The entire build rolls on 18-inch American Racing Torque Thrust II wheels wrapped in Cooper 275/40R18 rear and 245/40R18 front tires.

A frame-off restoration has the truck looking as good as new, and the gas tank has been relocated to the rear under the bed after being swapped for one from a 1968 Mustang. The frame was separated to get blasted and painted, with the body sandblasted as well. Chris had his friend, Oscar, paint the Ford using a base coat clear coat by Matrix. The bed has been covered in color matched spray-on liner. The whole truck has been rewired with a new wiring harness from front to back. All of the glass has been replaced by Valet Auto Glass Repair, which specializes in classic cars and trucks, and more than met the standard for quality Chris set for the build. On the interior, new carpet, dash, knobs, bolt kit and more came from LMC Truck, ensuring that the interior looks just as clean as the rest of the build.

Not only has Chris executed this project with his own two hands (with a little help from his friends), he also formed a club for F-100 owners. With that kind of passion invested, it’s easy to see why this ’67 turns heads everywhere it goes.