Go to any VW show and there’s bound to be a classic American custom truck or pickup mingling in among the Type 1s and Type 2s somewhere. No one ever complains, as such vehicles are generally a feast for the eyes whatever your speciality is, and this ground hugging effort from Ringbrothers is another that any show would be happy to feature.
Ringbrothers are Mike and Jim Ring and we’ve featured them before, simply because whatever they set their minds to generally turns out to be worth talking about. Now, out of Wisconsin comes the brothers’ fifties Ford F-100 based custom showstopper.
The bed has been custom built from scratch and the fenders are widened by 3 inches while the wheelbase is extended by 7 inches thanks to the use of a custom
subframe from a Ford Crown Victoria. A 5-litre Ford Coyote engine powers the truck with the help of Ford Racing fuel injection and 415hp via a 4-speed auto transmission – you really can’t have a truck like this without some power under the hood.
While many might have sprayed such a truck in a bright pearlescent colour, Ringbrothers have gone with a nod to the decade the truck hails from, using a paint colour called Speedy P Green giving a somewhat subtler look. But when you have a truck like this that’s finished so immaculately, you really don’t need any distractions.
While many might have sprayed such a truck in a bright pearlescent colour, Ringbrothers have gone with a nod to the decade the truck hails from, using a paint colour called Speedy P Green giving a somewhat subtler look. But when you have a truck like this that’s finished so immaculately, you really don’t need any distractions.
I guess they’re lucky to be in a part of the world where rust stays at bay long enough to allow classics to be spotted by people like Jim and Mike and turned into something wonderful. This F-100 is actually a mash up of the best bits of a ‘54 and a ’56 that the brothers found, though Ringbrothers are calling it a 1956 F-100 – or ‘Clem 101’ to be more precise.
As you’d expect, the inside is a much of a delight as the exterior, with Upholstery Unlimited providing some lovely custom seats while a Kicker stereo reminds your ears that you really aren’t in the fifties at all – despite the Classic Instruments gauges and Vintage Air Gen IV Magnum climate control!
It’s just impossible to fault anything Ringbrothers do; the level of detail is extraordinary, from numerous Mustangs (a favourite model of theirs) to custom Camaros… yet there’s something very special about the Wacky Races style Clem 101.
Share your opinion on the Ford F-100 in the comments below!
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Best 56 F-100 I’ve ever seen! I should know, I owned this truck, my Dad gave it to me when I turned 16. Had it till 1991 , sold it to Greg Vick , Decorah Iowa. I really need to see my old truck, could you tell me where it is located now? Please very sentimental to me.