April 22, 2026

Goodguys 2025 Speedway Motors Traditional Homebuilt Heaven Winner – Ron Weeks and his Three-Generation ’56 F-100

Congratulations to Ron Weeks for being named the 2025 Speedway Motors Traditional Homebuilt Heaven Winner with his Family Heirloom ’56 Ford F100

(As told by Ron Weeks)

Some vehicles are bought. Others are inherited. And then there are the rare few that become part of a family’s identity. My 1956 Ford F100 belongs in that latter category – a truck that has served three generations, carried a family across the country, and lived a life measured not just in miles, but in memories.

The story begins with my grandfather, Warren Yoder, who purchased the F100 new. A cabinet maker by trade, Warren transformed the truck into a rolling workshop by installing custom cabinets in place of the rear fenders to hold all of his tools. Those cabinets were never removed – they became part of the truck’s silhouette and part of Warren’s identity.

When it was time for family vacations, Warren simply added a full‑size camper shell over the bed. The same truck that hauled tools every day became the family’s home on wheels whenever the road called.

Warren eventually passed the truck to his son‑in‑law, my father, Emerson Weeks, who drove it to work every day for many years. The F100 evolved visually under my father’s care. Originally black, he repainted it black with silver fenders, and years later gave it a deep maroon finish. Each color marked a chapter in the life of the truck and the family.

For me, childhood meant riding in the back under the topper my father added, often with a trailer in tow. This was an era before seatbelts, and riding in the bed was common. Those rides became some of my earliest memories of freedom, wind, and the open road.

By the time I was old enough to get behind the wheel, the truck was equipped with a 292c.i. V8 and a three‑on‑the‑tree manual transmission. It was in this truck that I learned to drive and earned my driver’s license – a rite of passage that tied me even more tightly to its history.

One early adventure stands out. Shortly after getting my license, two close friends and I took the F100 into the Mt. Hood area of Oregon for a couple of days. After parking on a mountainside and heading out for a hike, we returned to find the ignition had been left on and the battery completely dead. Fortunately, the truck was pointed downhill. A little choke and a quick bump‑start brought the old Ford back to life, and the adventure continued.

Years later, I received a call from my dad – the kind that makes your stomach drop. My father was retired and downsizing and was thinking about getting rid of the truck. By then, I estimated the F100 had accumulated roughly 450,000 miles of family history. Letting the truck go was not an option. I requested to be the next caretaker.

Dad agreed, and the truck was shipped from Oregon to Colorado, arriving at my home on October 3, 2012. After driving it for two weeks, I knew what had to be done. The truck was tired. It deserved more than patchwork repairs. It deserved a full rebirth.

I had spent my entire life learning from my father – countless hours of hands‑on lessons in building and restoring cars. I was confident in my skills and determined to honor the truck’s heritage, so I committed to doing as much of the rebuild as possible myself, while working within a budget.

The rebuild became a seven‑year journey of nights and weekends. I stripped the truck down to the bare frame and set a clear vision: preserve the traditional look and soul of a mid‑century hauler while integrating modern comfort and reliability. The suspension and steering were upgraded with a Heidts independent front suspension, a four‑bar rear locating the 9-inch rearend, billet coil-over shocks all around, and four-wheel power disc brakes. The frame was also modified to accept a 460c.i. Ford big block and C6 automatic transmission. Once everything fit perfectly, the entire undercarriage was powder coated and reassembled. Every wire, nut, and bolt was replaced. Nothing was left untouched.

The body was all original – and tired. Decades of use had left dents from minor fender‑benders, many of them my own doing in my younger years. The lower corners of the cab had begun to rot, and the bed was too far gone to save. I turned to my close friend Kevin Becker, who coached me through the bodywork. Kevin would give direction, step back, and return later to check my progress.

Many hours of effort guided by Kevin’s expertise resulted in a near‑flawless body, with a few modifications like a reverse-opening hood and 4‑inch rear wheel tubs to give the wider rear tires the clearance needed to put the horsepower to the pavement. One of the only tasks I can’t fully take credit for is the paint. Kevin and I teamed up to shoot the truck together – I mixed the paint and Kevin laid on the Firemist Orange finish. All of it happened in my two‑car garage, and the result exceeded anything I’d imagined. Afterward, I sanded, polished, and reassembled the body for the third and final time.

I designed and installed the interior myself. When it came time for stitching, my wife pulled out the sewing machine and brought together much of the leather and suede that now defines the cabin. The gauges were upgraded to Dakota Digital, and a premium sound system was integrated to give the truck modern comfort without compromising its classic soul.

What emerged from those seven years wasn’t just a restored pickup. It was a tribute to Warren, to Emerson, and to the decades of memories forged in steel, sweat, and gasoline. It was also the culmination of everything my father taught me – a father‑and‑son legacy preserved in metal.

Today, this F100 stands as a fully rebuilt, period‑inspired, modern‑capable machine. It remains exactly where it belongs: in the family, ready for the next generation to add their own miles to its story.