The Custom Shop Truck

Vern Tardel once told me that a “custom” shop truck is nonsensical. “If you want a custom,” he said, “go get yourself a Merc, Buick, or Cad… Don’t screw up a perfectly good work horse just because your vanity needs some release.” As seemingly always, Vern makes a good point.

I’m a realist and a utilitarian. I believe form comes after function. And I believe a pick up truck should work like a truck… damnit.

Of course, I also have that vanity thing going. I love customs… and I love the functionality that intrinsically comes with a pickup. Considering the two sides in my mind, I feel like a flip-flopping politician with no real agenda or no real sense of what’s what. A real idiot.

The ’56 Ford truck featured here is the source of my idiocy this morning. It’s decidedly custom. Hell, it’s got ’59 Imperial quad headlights, a tube grille, rolled pans, and even ’59 Cad taillights. There’s even some substantial body work in the package – ’57 GMC fenders are mated to the stock bed, the grille surround is ’57 Chevy truck, and that hood is pancaked to all hell and back.

Yep, it’s a custom… and I guess I’m going to Vern’s version of hell… or maybe Washington as I really like the simple profile created. The little truck is just so damned sleek and athletic in appearance, but retains a realistic ride height and a fully functional bed. It’s a working truck with an ego.

Thoughts?

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