Longtime classic truck enthusiast Mark Coleman has built countless classic cars and trucks over the years, including a trio of early Mustangs, a ’56 F-100 Ford panel truck and a ’55 Ford SuperCab, which have graced these very pages. When it came time to build another truck, Coleman took a long, hard look in his own backyard and decided that his old ’53 F-100 would be the prime candidate. 

Coleman originally built the truck more than 20 years ago as a daily driver, which served him well for more than a decade until the pickup was hit by another driver. This incident put the old truck out of commission for more than 15 years, until Coleman decided it was time for a new project.

Coleman used the original running gear and frame on another project, leaving him without a base for the project, so Coleman built a new chassis complete with Volare clip and 9-inch rear. After discussing the new chassis with friends, he found himself loading the chassis onto a trailer and selling it to a friend. Now, without a chassis and a little jingle in his pocket, Coleman decided to build the chassis of his dreams.

With welder and cash in hand, he began his newest creation using boxed rails with a tubular inner structure and Corvette C4 components, which he picked up from a friend who had been storing the parts since they were new. Up front, an ’86 Corvette IFS provides the classic Ford with improved handling and ride, while the Corvette donated its independent rear suspension to the project. This combination provides the Ford with a lowered stance and outstanding handling. Coleman installed a 1-inch front sway bar and paired it with a 3/4-inch sway bar in the rear. The sway bars help to keep the Ford flat during cornering. To finish off all the new hardware, Coleman either repaired or polished all of the stock Corvette suspension and replaced the service items along the way. Dampening the ride of the Ford are Gabriel gas shocks on all four corners. The builder now had a chassis for the Ford and work could begin again on the truck’s body. 

With the chassis now completed, Coleman began bringing the 50-year-old sheetmetal back to life. Work quickly progressed on the classic sheetmetal as Coleman removed the cowl vent and side emblems. Since Ford did not offer the big-window option until 1956, Coleman decided to purchase a retrofit kit and install the larger window into the rear portion of his ’53 cab, increasing both visibility and style points. After installing the big back window, Coleman moved onto more subtle repairs like repairing the rusty cab corners, floorboards and various areas that required some additional metalwork.

With the hard work out of the way, Coleman began toying with the idea of tweaking the front grille a little. At first glance, you may not  notice the headlights, but they are no longer original. Coleman decided to remove the factory headlights and rings and exchange them for a set of ’34 Ford Commercial headlamps. This subtle modification looks great and is one of countless little touches on this Ford. After swapping the headlights, Coleman made the decision to add the ’34 Ford hood and side emblem in place of the bulky factory grille piece. With all of the modifications completed, Coleman sprayed a healthy coat of Mystic Silver over the truck. Once the truck was rubbed out and buffed, new chrome mirrors and door handles were installed.

While completing the body, power for the truck was being selected, but because every vehicle that leaves Coleman’s garage is a driver, this builder selected an ’84 Ford 302 small block for power. Since the truck is going to be driven to events all over the country, as well as to countless shows, Coleman kept the engine modifications to a minimum. He began by stripping down the 302 and adding a set of ported and polished Ford iron heads topped by a Power Plus polished intake and Edelbrock 600 carb. Exhaust exits through BBK headers and MagnaFlow mufflers to produce a beautiful-sounding exhaust note.

This rather mild engine approach produced around 275 reliable horsepower, backed by an equally dependable Borg-Warner T5 fitted with a bulletproof ZOOM 10-1/2-inch clutch. The five-speed not only allows Coleman full control of the gear ratio, but also provides the truck with plenty of cruising gear for highway long hauls. After all, that is what the truck was built for from the start—going places.

Once Coleman reassembled the truck, attention moved to the interior. With help from “Thumper,” the trim guy, Coleman designed and stitched a beautiful Lipstick Red leather interior. Since Coleman is a machinist by trade, he opted to design and build the custom gauge cluster, shifter and pedal trim for the Ford. The bucket seats were also built inside Coleman’s own garage. Buttoning up the interior is a Billet Specialties Outlaw steering wheel, tilt steering column, Vintage Air A/C and heat along with a set of Clayton Machine Works custom door handles.

After completing the four-year build of the F-100, Coleman has already put a few thousand miles on the beautiful silver pickup. During the truck’s first outing at the 2007 F-100 Supernationals in Knoxville, Tennessee, the truck was chosen for the Top Ten and landed a spot at the top of the hill. The truck not only took home various awards but also made the drive home flawlessly. We understand that Coleman loves his newly completed F-100 and is looking forward to racking up the miles on it. This is a great example of a good-looking truck that was built to be driven.