HJ Customs Hits the Ground Running with Godzilla Powered 1956 F100 Pickup
It’s good to know that there’s a strong crop of young fabricators and builders out there who are willing and able to take the reins of the old-car hobby and steer it into the future. Holden Jung is one of those next-generation builders as you can see by this stunning 1956 F100. He cut his car-guy teeth working for Weaver Customs in Utah before opening his own shop – HJ Customs – in Nampa, Idaho, a few years ago.
“I didn’t know much but the owners – Randy and Sydney Weaver – were willing to teach me,” Holden says of those learning experiences. That on-the-job education paid off when he turned a 1956 Ford F100 pickup that he found in pieces in a farmer’s pasture into this stunning and sleek modified truck.
From the Roadster Shop chassis to the highly customized interior, the truck honors the classic lines of the 1956 F100 era while integrating modern components to create an eye-catching performer. Consider the powerplant: A Ford Godzilla 7.3-liter V8 topped by a Whipple supercharger that cranks out 700 horsepower. All of that muscle is directed through a 10-speed automatic transmission to a Ford 9-inch rearend.
The chassis utilizes an independent front suspension and a four-link rear suspension as well as Baer disc brakes. Schott Fuel 18×9- and 20×10-inch wheels are wrapped in Nitto tires.
The thoroughly massaged body of this 1956 F100 is where Holden’s work shines. The front and rear bumpers are tucked; the rear bumper is notched to accommodate exhaust tips. The rear fenders are widened three inches. Running boards and the tailgate are smoothed. A custom rear pan fills the space behind the bumper. The drip rails are shaved, the doors have rounded corners, and the stock wing vents have been removed to allow for one-piece door glass. All body seams are filled the engine bay panels are custom-built. A sleek PPG Byron Blue finish covers all the custom metal work.
The interior is far from the F100’s original work-truck origins thanks to the skilled staff at Interior Revolution. Relicate leather is used throughout, from the covered dash to the custom headliner. A custom bench seat and a hand-built console keep passengers comfortable. The console houses A/C outlets, power window switches, a video screen, and the always mandatory cup holders The door panels are one-off pieces and the stock instrument pod is filled with Dakota Digital RTX gauges. A Sparc Industries wheel sits on an Ididit tilt column. Dark grey carpet complements the red upholstery and is augmented with custom sill plates, door handles, and Lokar pedals.
Is Holden happy with the results of what he says is his shop’s first build of this caliber? “I don’t think I would change anything,” he says about this award winning 1956 F100. Neither would we.
Photos: Damon Lee, Terry Lysak
