BLACK VENOM
This F-100 Always Strikes First
CCODY ROUSSEL SAW A HOLE in the game, a hole that a slammed fourth generation F-100 could fill nicely. It’s easy to forget that the F-100 boom in the custom truck scene is recent. Just a few years ago, few people were putting these trucks closer to the pavement. Parts were, as Roussel puts it, “slim pickins.” Aftermarket solutions were expensive and scarce. But stepping all the way outside of the box takes some deep cuts. So did laying out a 1966 F-100. But a frame-on-asphalt stance was Cody’s vision from day one. With a couple of years of hard work, he brought this vision to life. The “Venomous” F-100 was one of the first in the community to reside so close to the ground beneath.
The ’66 frame received the typical treatment for this low of a stance. The rear is C-notched and updated with a parallel four-link. The frame is fully clipped from the firewall forward. It uses a combination of custom 2x3-inch square tube steel and a Mustang II IFS setup and drop spindles for extra clearance. Slam Specialties RE6 airbags keep each of the four corners afloat and a full custom steering linkage was fabricated around the engine swap.
The build strikes a balance between pushing the envelope and keeping it classic. It’s a perfect formula for a build with longevity. And the perfect ambassador for frame-laying F-100s everywhere.
Oftentimes, the most attractive features leave a little something to the imagination. This is definitely true of the gorgeous Raceline fivespoke wheels. The polished billets boast a classic stagger with 20 inches in the front and 22 in the rear. They are wrapped up in a set of Hankook Ventus V2 tires. The rear hubs also house 10-inch brake drums and the fronts make use of ’96 Cobra Mustang disc brakes.
Their archnemesis takes shape under the ’66 hood. Roussel’s truck is powered by a 1996 Cobra Mustang V-8. This was the debut year for the aluminum block 4.6L DOHC motor for the SVT lineup. It’s topped with a C&L intake manifold and ends in a custom 2.5-inch exhaust with Flowmaster tones. Originally fitted with a T-45 standard, the motor is now hooked to a 2001 4R70W 4-speed automatic. The four-speed is was updated with a US Shift electronic controller. A B&M auxiliary cooler keeps the transmission at an optimal temperature, while power spins down a custom-length driveshaft to a Ford 9-inch rear end. The bulletproof pumpkin uses 3.55 gears.
The classic exterior is just timeless. The impeccable bodylines of the ’66 are kept in-tact. They are accentuated with custom paint accents and restoration. The original beauty of the factory design is front and center. The grille and light bezels display restored chrome, as
does the “Ford” lettering, windshield trim and body spear. The hood badge is re-polished and the red center section is untouched. The “Twin I-beam” fender badges have been replaced with custom units that read “Venomous,” the nickname given to the truck for its venomous V-8 beneath the clamshell. The body and bumpers were coated in PPG Omni Black paint and everything polished to a deep mirror richness.
The inside of the cabin takes a similar approach. Fresh black carpet coats the floor. The PPG finish extends throughout the interior and along the dash. The OEM bench seat was re-clad in black vinyl. A simple audio system hides in plain sight, and a Sony single-din pushes sound to twin 6.5inch speakers housed in a custom console.
Cody Roussel’s 1966 F-100 is a dangerous combination of classic and custom. The OEM body appearance clashes with the dramatic stance. The updated motor is a common move, but uncanny in its SVT Cobra trim. The build strikes a balance between pushing the envelope and keeping it classic. It’s a perfect formula for a build with longevity. And the perfect ambassador for framelaying F-100s everywhere.