From Farm Truck to Finalist – Classic Car Studio brought this F100 Back to Life
Old farm trucks usually spend a rusty retirement in the back of a barn or communing with nature out in a field or under a tree. One lucky Kansas farm survivor is living the lush life after Thomas and Ashley Cauthen brought their ’56 Ford F100 to the team at Classic Car Studio to transform the 70-year-old hauler into a modern custom masterpiece.
To ensure proper footing for the road ahead, the truck’s original underpinnings were replaced by a custom Roadster Shop Fast Track chassis that features a three-inch extended wheelbase and is fitted with a modern independent front suspension, four-car rear suspension, Baer disc brakes on all four corners and a 9-inch rearend housing 3.50 gears. Custom Greening Auto Company wheels (19×8-inch in front, 20×12 in the rear) were wrapped in Pirelli P Zero tires.
To bring the power up to date, Classic Car Studio used a Ford Racing Aluminator XS 5.2-liter V8 that produces 580 horsepower and 445 lb-ft of torque. A Ford Racing Cobra Jet induction system sits between CNC ported aluminum heads. Exhaust waste runs through Ultimate Headers and custom pipes that exit through a custom rear pan. The Ford 6R80 automatic transmission is controlled by a column-mounted shifter.
Just about every part of the body has been massaged, from a custom front valance and one-off running boards to the trick double-walled bed sides and tailgate. Drip rails were removed, door corners were rounded and vent windows were deleted, along with the cowl vent. Door latches were replaced with modern GM units. Under the hood the firewall was smoothed, custom inner fenders and radiator cover were built, and a hidden hood latch system was installed. The sheet metal wears a custom pearl beige BASF hue with copper accents.
The interior received as much attention as the exterior. The Classic Car Studio team smoothed the dash and filled it with Dakota Digital TRX gauges, then 3D printed a lower dash addition that houses the Vintage Air A/C outlets. The audio system hides behind the dash. The custom bench seat is trimmed in a combination of leather and vintage cloth, with custom door panels and a one-piece headliner designed and upholstered to match. A Sparc Industries wheel sits on a tilt column, while American Autowire components provide the electrical connections.
One of the goals of the build was to create truck that was different than other F100s Classic Car Studio has built, while also making it clean, contemporary, and timeless. We’d say mission accomplished. The truck is currently racking up awards on the show circuit. Thomas says its future includes time on the road, but certainly not back on the farm.
Congratulations to Thomas and Ashley Cauthen on being named a Finalist for Goodguys 2026 LMC Truck of the Year (Early) with their 1956 Ford F100 built by Classic Car Studio!
Photos: John Jackson, Damon Lee
