§ 01
THE BRIEF
Owner A. Skinner of Longview, TX brought this 1949 Ford F1 to Hammer Fab in January 2017. Over the next four and a half years the truck was reworked from the frame up — a custom air-ride chassis under the original body, a modern Ford 5.0L Coyote V8 dropped between the fenders, and a hand-built stainless exhaust snaked through the frame rails. The truck was finished in satin blue with the original chrome grille and hood spears preserved, rolling on white steel wheels with hubcaps and whitewalls. Completed September 2021.
§ 02 — Note from the shop
"Coyote power, laid-out stance, and classic F1 lines — a four-and-a-half year build for a Longview, TX owner."
§ 03 — Build journal
The updates.
A living log of every meaningful moment on this build — new photos, short notes, and the milestones worth marking.
2 UPDATES · 1 MILESTONES
Milestones
- SEP 1, 2021— Completed — 1949 Ford F1 delivered
UPDATE 02 / 02
Sep 1, 2021
DELIVERY MILESTONECompleted — 1949 Ford F1 delivered
After four and a half years, A. Skinner's 1949 Ford F1 was completed in September 2021. Coyote 5.0L power, custom air-ride chassis, hand-built stainless exhaust, and a satin blue finish over preserved period chrome.
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J008UPDATE 01 / 02
Jan 15, 2017
TEARDOWNBuild kickoff
The F1 arrived at Hammer Fab in January 2017. Plan from day one: custom air-ride chassis, Coyote 5.0L swap, hand-built stainless exhaust, and a satin finish that lets the original F1 lines and chrome do the talking.
§ 04 — Process
Chapter by chapter.
Every build is documented as it moves through the shop. Here's how this one came together.
C009Chassis & stance
The stock frame was set aside for a custom air-ride chassis that lets the F1 lay body on the ground. Air tank, valves, and battery are packaged neatly in the bed area, and the driveline tucks up between the rails for a clean underside.
C010Coyote power
A modern Ford 5.0L Coyote V8 was fit under the F1's short hood, dressed with a factory-style coil cover and tucked behind a smoothed and painted inner fender treatment. A hand-built stainless exhaust exits through the frame with tight, TIG-welded bends routed around the driveshaft and rear end.
C011Body & finish
The original F1 sheet metal was straightened and finished in satin blue. The chrome grille, hood spears, and trim were preserved and polished. Steel wheels finished in white with hubcaps and whitewall tires complete the classic-truck stance.
§ 05 — Gallery
Frame by frame.
8 FRAMES · SHOT IN-HOUSE
G012G013G014G015G016G017G018G019§ 06 — Next steps
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