Jerry Detweiler Retired then built his daily driver 1970 Ford into a modern performance pickup
After five decades in the paint-and-body shop trenches at a collision shop, you’d think Jerry Detweiler would want to relax when he retired a few years ago. But that was not the case. With a little extra time on his hands, the ’70 Ford F100 XLT that Jerry used as a daily driver for 30 years was finally able to rise to the top of his to-do list.
Tackling the pickup project meant his skills would finally be put to use on his own ride, not fixing someone else’s crumpled fender. With the exception of the interior work and some welding, the Pennsylvania resident built the truck himself, exactly the way he wanted it.
The stock frame and suspension pieces were ditched in favor of a Roadster Shop Slammed Spec chassis to achieve the desired stance and gain features like a modern performance front suspension, power rack-and-pinion steering, coil-over shocks front and rear, and a Ford 9-inch rear axle with 3.50 gears. Thirteen-inch Wilwood disc brakes on all four corners work behind big 20×10- and 20×12-inch Billet Specialties Turbine wheels.
Efficient modern power comes from a 302c.i. Ford Coyote V8 engine that generates 450 horsepower. Exhaust gases exit through a Borla system. A Fat Fender Garage cooling system package keeps the engine temp in the correct range, while the front drive accessories are managed by a Power by the Hour system. The Ford 6R80 automatic transmission is controlled by a Lokar shifter.
Jerry restored the Ford’s sheet metal and performed the custom touches that include TIG-welded and filled seams, a raised bed floor, a custom firewall, and tucked bumpers. Some trim pieces were deleted, and all the panel gaps were refined. Jerry applied the Sikkens green and white paint.
The interior work was handed over to Bux Customs, where they refined and updated the 56-year-old style inside the cab. This included a custom bench seat is wrapped in brown leather and custom door panels built and upholstered to match. Dakota Digital gauges were incorporated into the stock dash insert, while custom dash pad was sewn for the top and a lower valance was built to house the Vintage Air outlets. A one-off console houses the shifter and two cup holders with an American Autowire system keeps all the electronic systems properly fed.
Jerry’s goal for the F100 project was to spend the time to get everything right, rather than the hurry-up-and-get-it-done hustle of his years in the collision business. We’d say that mission was accomplished in fine style.
Congratulations to Jerry Detweiler for scoring a Finalist position for the Goodguys 2026 Dakota Digital Truck of the Year (Late) with his homebuilt 1970 Ford F100!
Photos: Terry Lysak
