Even though the factory powerplant was hardly even broken in, David thought it best to permanently retire the OG six-cylinder engine and four-speed transmission in hopes to find a combination with far more pep in its step. A 2010 Ford Mustang Shelby G.T. 500 5.4L motor and a 2014 Ford 6R80 trans soon appeared and proved that David’s F-250 would not only pay homage to his father’s truck but also boost the excitement level for his son. Increasing the power output from the modern V-8 is a custom air cleaner, JBA manually bent headers, MagnaFlow exhaust system, and a 2.3L Eaton supercharger. Oceanside Driveline, in Oceanside, California, provided the 88-inch driveshaft, and David fit a shortened 2005 Mustang rearend into position. The project began picking up steam in a very short amount of time, and the Tumino fellas leaned heavier into the positive momentum.

While the task of fabricating an entirely new chassis for a truck this big would be quite the undertaking, it was just the job David was looking forward to diving into. With the help of Rajan, the two began building a full tube frame complete with a Chris Alston’s Chassisworks Mustang II frontend and four-link at the back. To further promote better handling, Wilwood front drop spindles were brought in, as were Viking coilovers at each corner, and a NASCAR-style 3/4-inch front sway bar. A truck this size must have reliable stopping power, and to bring it to a controlled halt Wilwood 13.5-inch, six-piston braking kits, along with a Mustang G.T. 500 master cylinder, were put into place. With more than adequate brakes in position, David upgraded the truck’s wheel selection to 20×8 front and 20×14 rear Detroit Steel Wheel smoothie-style wheels and wrapped them in 225x30R20 Kumho radials and 15.5x29R20 Mickey Thompson radials, respectively.

“Regarding the background of the Fridge crew cabs, they were solely made for the government, and only 300 of them were built per year in the Orrville plant,” David mentions. “The cabs were given gray primers before they were painted special based on which government plant they were being shipped to.” While it’s awesome to have such a deep knowledge about the killer crew cab, David still had no intention to leave it in its found condition. David began modifying the F-250’s body by shrinking down the rear fenders, pancaking the roof 3/4 inch to give it a sleeker look, and shaving the driprails to enhance the cab’s sharp features. He also smoothed out the surface underhood and added some metal on the front of the hood and on each side to provide a nice, clean gap where the hood and grille meet.

“I also brought down the hood vents, making them twice as big as they originally were, and formed a slight dome for them to be housed in,” David accounts. “I also inserted a back window into the cab, welded up the gate to the bed, and laid down a custom white oak wood floor.” Add the CNC letters to the tailgate, an inch to the top of the bedrails, frenched center pillars into the cab to make the rear doors suicide alà Lincoln Continental style, and a set of custom taillights and David was soon ready to weigh out paint finish options. What he and Rajan decided on was a teal and custom off-white PPG color combo that gave the truck an instant classic vintage appeal.

The interior of the crew cab would comfortably seat plenty of cruising companions, but before David set sail on the F-250’s maiden voyage, he first outsourced one of the few aspects of the build to Scott Stanley in Cottonwood, California, to wrap custom door panels and 2009 Dodge pickup seats in teal vinyl and cloth upholstery. Matching teal 80×20 loop carpet was also installed to give the cab a well-balanced dose of color. The dash was stuffed with Dakota Digital gauges, a CON2R steering wheel, a RetroSound stereo, and an Old Air Products climate system for good measure. New kick panels featuring fresh speakers guarantee that every single ride around the block or trip to the next show is fueled by the right soundtrack.

“Despite it not being the most popular regarding its build and shape, I constructed the F-250 because I thought it would be different and that it would have a unique look of its own,” David says proudly. “This was the perfect opportunity for Rajan and I to create a sense of personal nostalgia based on my childhood and the truck my father often drove. Now, we have a wonderfully restored crew cab to cruise around in with our family and friends.”