When it comes to making impressions with a custom ride, there are many factors that can make or break it. Chris Beatty knew this and sought out to find the right shop to fulfill his visions of owning one of the wildest ’55 Ford F-100s. That’s when he turned to one of the industry’s best customizers, Lukasz (pronounced “Lu-KA-Zie”) Granicy of Needfulthingz Hot Rod and Fabrication Shop in Lancaster, CA.
Once there, the stance was changed with a one-off custom suspension that features a TCI Engineering IFS and upside down triangulated 4-link with an adjustable cantilever weight distribution system. Fox shocks and Slam Specialties airbags were implanted, along with an AccuAir e-Level ride management system that controls the height of the truck. This was built to fit 20×8.5 and 20×15 Intro Vista II billet wheels with 14” Wilwood brakes.
Under the hood is a Mustang 5.0L 4-cam Coyote engine to make it a restomod / pro-touring truck. It is boosted to 14lbs. with a Kenne Bell 3.2 supercharger and controlled by an A.E.M. engine management system. Behind it is is a custom-built 4R70W transmission that is controlled by an HGM trans controller. A Currie Fab9 rearend houses a set of 4.10 gears to force the 750-whp to the 18” wide Mickey Thompson Sportsman tires out back.
Countless body mods were performed, including many shaved items. The roof was also chopped 3”, hammer formed and TIG welded. In the rear is a custom bed with rounded and contoured edges. The front and rear fenders were modified to accommodate the unique running boards that feature a one-off Magnaflow polished stainless steel 3” exhaust.
Since the owner is into woodworking, steam-pressed black walnut and curly maple with CNC-designed sections were added throughout. After all the detailed sheet metal work was finished, the truck was taken to Status Motorsports for Carlos Munos and his crew to bodywork this truck and lay down the “Coyote Brown” that was formulated with PPG materials.
The interior features a full roll cage and a set of Sparco seats that were recovered in rich leather and a 4-point restraint. Other components include a Rockford Fosgate stereo system, Vintage Air AC controls, and an AccuAir TouchPad. Helping to keep control is an Ididit steering column with Billet Specialties steering wheel. Lastly, the Dakota Digital gauge cluster lets Chris monitor the vitals when he bangs through the gears with a Lokar shifter.
During the three-year build, Lukasz wanted to give this truck a theme and based it off the engine. It seemed fitting, and thus “The Coyote Truck” was born to represent what famed Looney Tunes character Wile E. Coyote would have built if given the opportunity. If you take a close look at the photos on these pages you will notice the many Ws that were implemented to solidify the theme. If only Acme would have made a truck like this, Wile E. Coyote might have caught that damn Roadrunner and put an end to his pesky “Beep Beep” noise!
TECH SPECS – 1955 FORD F-100
Built byNeedfulthingz Hot Rod and Fabrication Shop
Wheels & Tires
- 20×8.5 and 20×15 Intro Vista II Wheels
- 245/35R20 Nitto NT 555 Extreme ZR front tires and 29×18-inch rear Mickey Thompson S/R Sportsman tires
Performance
- 5.0L Ford Coyote
- AEM Infinity standalone engine management system
- Kenne Bell 3.2 supercharger
- Injector Dynamics ID 900 injectors
- Aeromotive fuel system
- Magnaflow custom fabricated 3” side exhaust system
- Magnaflow headers
- US Radiator triple-flow polished radiator
- Thermal Research and Development polishing
- Performance automatic 4R70W built by Torrance Transmission and controlled by HGM Compushift
- Two B&M transmission coolers
- Driveshaft by Inland Empire Driveline
- Painless Performance wire harness and accessories
- Custom 18-gallon aluminum fuel cell
- Redhorse racing fittings
- Power by the Hour power steering
- Vintage Air AC
- Powermaster starter
- (2) Optima batteries
- 4.10 gears
- Wilwood 14” disc brakes w/ 6-and 4-piston calipers
Suspension
- TCI front Mustang II IFS
- Slam Specialties bags and manifold
- Air Zenith air compressors
- AccuAir air management system
- Fox shocks w/ double dimple die brackets
- Custom-fabricated upside down triangulated 4-link w/ adjustable weight distribution cantilever system
- Powder coated, boxed and Z’d frame
- Energy Suspension bushings
- Currie Fab 9 rearend
Exterior
- 3” chopped top w/ hand formed pieces all TIG-welded together
- Shaved door handles, rain gutters, gas filler, fresh air and side vents, emblems and bumper holes
- TIG-welded grille
- Custom firewall w/ dimple die openings
- Redesigned front valance
- Custom roll pan
- Reshaped fenders
- Frenched Chevy Cobalt tail lights
- One-piece side window conversion
- Dapper Lighting custom #7 yellow headlights
- Eddie Motorsports billet hood hinges
- Mid-Fifty F-100 parts and accessories used throughout truck
- Double-walled F100 bed w/ radius corners
- Steam-pressed variegated black walnut and curly maple bed floor that opens w/ actuators
- “Coyote Brown” paint formulated w/ PPG materials
- Paint by Carlo Munos of Status Motorsports
Interior
- Wile E. Coyote-themed luxury cab upholstered by Santos Upholstery
- Sparco racing seats w/ brown leather upholstery
- Four-point seat restraints
- Needfulthingz-designed four-point reinforced roll cage w/ dimple-die accents
- Custom handcrafted black walnut and curly maple center console and matching door panels
- Dimple die openings for AC and heat vents by SoCal Designs
- Dakota Digital gauge cluster
- Rockford Fosgate sound system
- Ididit Touch-N-Go steering column
- Billet Specialties Steering Wheel
- Lokar shifter
- QuietRide Solutions deluxe insulation
- Backlit LED lighting throughout cab
SOURCES
Needfulthingz Kustomz NTKUSTOMS.COM | IG @NTKUSTOMSDOTCOM | IG @THECOYOTETRUCK
