That is why shops such as Barry’s Speed Shop (BSS) in Corona, California, are so important for the outcome of such efforts, as they can output the type of custom vehicles that the auto manufacturers are not equipped, or staffed, to complete easily and affordably. Shops such as Barry’s Speed Shop can take a brand-new, stock vehicle and turn it into a rolling showcase, and do it in a short amount of time. Many of our readers are familiar with Barry White’s “Wrecks to Riches” TV show, as well as the many technical stories we have presented on the work he has done. So when the owners of a company contact White they know they’ll get a vehicle that will attract attention, and it will be built by a shop that makes building outstanding custom vehicles its only business (well, that and being TV stars). 

One of the vehicles that Barry’s Speed Shop built for SEMA is this 2007 Ford Sport Trac. Dubbed by the BSS crew as the “Super Muscle Truck,” it actually features many more body mods than engine mods. The crew spent a lot of time on the cab removing the stock roof rack and filling the holes left behind. Speaking of removing, they also removed the roof ribs and valleys by covering the roof with a smooth skin. Gone, too, are the cleats on the sides of the bed, and the remaining holes were filled. The tailgate got a new look, as the Ford emblem was shaved and the depression built into the gate was filled. On top of the modified tailgate went a prototype Gaylord’s tonneau that features a trick remote opener. 

Some steel accents have been added to the truck, such as a Stull Industries prototype stainless steel mesh grille. A set of steel rocker panels was custom fabricated by the BSS crew, which features cutouts that are filled by the rectangular exhaust tips. Being a “Super Muscle Truck,” it was decided that the hood should get its own bit of fabrication. A hole was cut for an item maybe not seen on a pickup too often: a shaker scoop. The eye-catching early Mustang shaker scoop, courtesy of Grice Automotive in Saint Albans, New York, gives the truck a very cool look, one that definitely works with the muscle theme. 

The BSS crew also blacked out the stock mirrors. Of course, they didn’t black out the mirrors at the Speed Shop; they did it at the Speed Shop Custom Paint facility, which is located around the corner from the main shop. It was there that the specially mixed PPG Pearl Orange was applied to the truck. The mirrors and the accent stripe were shot with semigloss black, as were the Super Muscle Truck graphics and the rear Ford emblem. 

Even muscle trucks should be user friendly. That is why, even though the seats are stock, they now feature comfortable Katzkin Dark Graphite leather with Carbon Bullet inserts. The upholstery work, which was done by A&M Auto Upholstery of Norwalk, California, extends to the door panels, which also feature the Katzkin touch. Providing plenty of comfort for the brain is the cool Sony Xplod head unit. It comes with a flip-up screen and is driven by twin amps that power a subwoofer as well as four midrange speakers. It’s just the thing for those long nights tooling down the highway. 

Other items needed for highway happiness are good tires. The Sport Trac suspension has been modified to get the truck a little lower. The BSS crew did this by cutting two coils out of the rear springs while also modifying the stock front shocks. They cut 2 inches from the bottom stud and then welded the shock back together. For extra strength, they then welded a weave pattern over the body of the shock (strange but true). 

For the rolling hardware, they had only to go as far as the storeroom to install a set of their own SRRC Magnum 5 wheels. Measuring 20×8.5 inches, the five-spokes really do give the truck a muscle look. Giving it great handling characteristics are the BFGoodrich g-Force T/A 265/50-ZR20 tires.

Per the client’s wishes, the engine has been left basically stock. The sound and breathing capabilities of the 4.6-liter engine were enhanced with a custom exhaust system that was fabricated in-house at BSS using a muffler and a special exhaust “T” courtesy of MagnaFlow. 

Because new models are generally available only shortly before the SEMA Show (depending upon their release dates), the crew at Barry’s Speed Shop had only two months to turn a stock Sport Trac into a vehicle worthy of appearing at the show. They did the deed, including all of the body mods and other tricks, with only days to spare, but the new Ford made the Vegas show on time. What that means to us is this: If you need to have something such as a rolling billboard constructed on a tight timeline, you may want to give Barry a call. Of course, you may have to get in line—since moving into his new shop he’s become quite a busy guy. TB