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InTheGarageMedia.com

Tony Leal’s Slammed F-100

BY Fuelish Media

T

ony Leal’s killer 1964 that you’re witnessing here is the latest of his long line of incredibly built machines. While he has experienced much success with each of the Big Three truck brands, he figured he’d give it another go with a Ford pickup since the last one (a 1961) he built was on the opposite side of the spectrum as this one. It was a patina-clad unibody that he knew deep down he could easily top, even though it was legitimately cool as hell. This time around, he envisioned a superclean, supersmooth Ford that would hit all the marks as a standard cover truck—and then some.

There is an obvious deeply rooted passion for old trucks inside of Tony (if you haven’t noticed already), which had been planted long ago by his father. Tony has fond memories of his dad’s old trucks as far back as he can remember, and these memories have held a special place inside of him throughout his life. His father’s death, along with the loss of his brother, really pushed Tony to search for yet another Ford, since that was his dad’s truck of choice. The plan was to build this one to a level that would truly honor his family, with unique design work and unbeatable execution—something that Tony was more than ready to pour his all into.

Starting from the ground up, Tony thought it best to toss out the Ford’s entire original frame and start over from scratch with the assistance of ChassisFab Suspension of Texas. A full custom chassis was designed specifically for the F-100, and was outfitted with the top-of-the-line accessories—Air Lift Dominator ’bags, Performance 3H air management, and the plumbing of an amazing network of stainless hard lines by Arizona High Test. This amount of hands-on fabrication doesn’t get wrapped up in a day or two, and that’s what Tony appreciates when scouting out the talent to contribute to his builds. There’s an unmatched quality that comes with one-off craftsmanship, which is exactly what he seeks out with each go-around—with this 1964 being no exception.

To finish off the completed chassis system, Tony selected a set of high-end 21-inch forged Avant Garde F430 wheels to set the bar of quality that much higher. These wheels were made to order based on the truck’s exact specs and finished off with Avant Garde’s customizable powdercoat finish options to pull off the specific look Tony had in mind. Covering the wheels is a set of 255/30 and 335/25 Pirelli P Zero rubber for the look and feel of a true performance-driven champion.

With a proper foundation well in position, Tony was then ready to begin work on the truck’s exterior. Since the last Ford truck he pieced together featured natural patina, he wanted to invest some money into some killer bodywork and paint with this one, and Jazz Auto Body & Paint, in Stanton, California, was more than thrilled to oblige. The F-100’s metal surfaces were smoothed and finessed before being sprayed with a BASF blue hue that features an utmost luxurious yet sporty vibe. The paint complements that expert bodywork that was put into the truck, and to help capitalize on that progress, Paul Bosserman of Old Anvil Speed Shop in Orange, California, stepped in to create a custom aluminum bed floor and more, as well as fabricate matching paneling that would soon find a place in the engine bay and inside the cab—it was just too good not to use everywhere.

Bosserman’s work wasn’t done with the aluminum panels, however. Since he does, in fact, run a full-fledged speed shop, Bosserman was asked to whip the Ford Racing first-gen Coyote engine into high gear. A custom set of headers was made while at Old Anvil, as was a one-off, 3-inch stainless exhaust system topped off with Borla mufflers. El Monte Transmission was also recruited to help with the powertrain by prepping a Ford 4R70W to mate with the Coyote engine. A Currie aluminum 9-inch rearend was also utilized to help get the F-100 back rippin’ and roarin’ on the road.

With the Ford taking shape nicely, and Bosserman doing his best to work through one of the most trying times of his life, he relied heavily on close friends and family to put things into perspective and keep the build inching toward the finish line. Knowing that the truck was in need of a fully decked-out interior, he reached out to Ceballos Customs in Tempe, Arizona, to bless the cab space with his world-renowned stitchwork. The original seat was completely rebuilt and covered in black BMW leather, followed up by a fresh Alcantara headliner.

There’s a misconception out there that a stereo system is hard to incorporate into a single-cab truck. Well, it is possible with the right gear and specifically designed enclosures, and Ceballos, of course, was up to the challenge to prove that fact. Not only were they able to squeeze two 10-inch JL 10W3 subwoofers into the cab, but they were also able to wire up two Rockford Fosgate T-Series amps to power the subs and Focal separates as well.

In what seemed like no time at all, Tony found himself looking at yet another high-caliber custom pickup in his driveway. While the trucks before this F-100 have been special in their own way, this particular project is just a little more meaningful for obvious reasons. With his father and brother in his heart, Tony pressed on with a determination and vision that resulted in the creation of this absolutely stunning 1964. And while this project will certainly be tough to beat, it’s a safe bet to assume that Tony will come out swinging with the next one.

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