Antique F-100 is a gorgeous sleeper, packing 560 horsepower into a non-assuming package.
The Ford F-150 is the most common display vehicle at the SEMA Show each and every year. With help from the F-250 and F-350, the F-Series lineup has been the most popular truck at SEMA for eight of the last nine years, but the majority of pickups from every brand are newer models. Fortunately, there are some classic Ford pickups on display at the ongoing SEMA Show, including the stunning 1955 F-100 shown here.
This truck is on display in the Roush outdoor booth, so it should come as little surprise that it is powered by a monstrous Roush engine, but as a unique surprise, this modern 427-cubic inch engine has a classic look under the hood.
Roush Power
The heart of this 1955 Ford F-100 is a Roush 427R crate engine. The 427-cubic inch V8 offers 550 horsepower and 530 lb-ft of torque with a four-barrel carburetor, but this truck doesn’t have a simple induction setup. Instead, an 8-stack injection system provides the air and fuel, increasing the horsepower to 560. In addition to adding a little more power, that induction setup provides an incredible, classic hot rod look to this sweet antique truck.
The 427-cubic inch V8 in this 1955 F-100 sends its power to the rear wheels by a Tremec manual transmission, while a set of 295/40/20 Continental Extreme Contact tires on huge 20-inch wheels put the power to the road. There are no performance numbers offered up, but it is a safe bet that this classic F-Series pickup hauls some serious ass.
Really, that is all that you would want to haul, as the bed is just too nice to deal with any cargo that might damage the new wood.
Spotless Antique Truck
As mentioned above, the bed floor of this 1955 F-100 is flawless, with new wood and metal trim, but the rest of the exterior is just as sharp. While the badging has been changed, the truck has obviously been lowered and it wears big, modern wheels, the classic lines and curves of this antique truck have been preserved.
While not everyone loves the lowered look with the big wheels, this truck has been beautifully restored by USA Classic Customs and it might be one of the nicest 50’s Ford pickups we have seen. If nothing else, it is the nicest antique F-Series at SEMA 2018.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
