Some artists work with clay, oil, acrylic, and others with wood. At Classic Car Studio in Brentwood, Missouri they employ a team of artists who work in sheet metal. Using welders, cutters, grinders and similar tools, they transform ordinary cars into custom creations that defy expectations.
There were so many people crowded around Classic Car Studio’s 1956 Ford F600 crew cab pickup at the 2023 SEMA Show that I could barely get any pictures of the truck! Nicknamed “Kingpin” the truck is a full custom build by CCS.
The original cab was cut and extended into a crew cab with suicide rear doors. In the build videos on YouTube, you can see the crew fabricating the sheet metal for the roof, cab and other panels using bead rollers and body hammers, using time-honored techniques. Every panel on the truck from the front bumper to rear bumper has been massaged in some way, from the custom roll pan to the hand-formed fender flares.
The chassis is all custom built in house, with the exception of the Porterbuilt front subframe. It includes AirLift bags with AccuAir air management.
Under the hood is a 24V Cummins diesel engine from D&J Precision Machine, coupled to a Firepunk 48RE transmission and a custom GM 14-bolt differential with 3.42 gears.
While trucks aren’t typically known for comfort, KINGPIN is a very comfortable place to be. The custom-stitched interior uses Relicate leather for the seats and interior pieces. Behind everything, SoundSkins dampening cuts down on road noise.
Driver amenities include a Sparc Industries steering wheel and a full complement of Dakota Digital gauges. The electrical for the truck was completely redone with a Highway 22 Plus universal wiring system from American Autowire.
The exterior is finished in BASF Glasurit “Area 51” blue, which was originally offered on the current generation of F150 pickup. I like that they went with an OEM Ford color for the ’56, even though it’s not a color from the era.
There are so many custom touches on this truck, it’s hard to count them all. My favorite thing about the truck is the unique shape of the wood in the truck bed. I’ve truly never seen another custom truck like this before, and it really showcases the kind of creativity that CCS is capable of.
The fabrication shown in their videos is top notch, and really stands out, even among a sea of other amazing cars and trucks at SEMA. I can’t wait to see what Classic Car Studio comes up with next!
