1956 Ford F100

The popular Ford F100 pickup was introduced by Ford in 1953 and remained in production until 1983 when it was replaced by the segment leading F150 pickup.  During its production run well over one million trucks were sold.  Popular with collectors, it is not uncommon to see F100 pickups at car shows and other events.  Angels Camp's Henry Petithomme has been an F100 fan for years and approximately ten years ago decided that it was time to add one to his garage.  The search began in earnest in 2017 and in 2019 friend Dennis Gomes discovered a potential candidate, a semi restored 1956 F100 in Manteca.

Henry mustered two friends, including Dennis, and the three of them made a trip to Manteca to check out the truck.  Fresh paint made the truck cosmetically appealing but the drivetrain left something to be desired.  In spite of this, Henry decided to take the plunge and a deal was struck.  Unfortunately, with the drivetrain issues the truck was not able to complete the trip back up to the foothills and AAA had to provide assistance for the final leg to the Petithomme household.  

As it turns out, the truck had been partially restored by Craig Avey, owner of G&H Service in Sonora (a company I use for all my classic car alignment needs and highly recommend).  In addition to a very nice Summit Red paint job, Craig widened the fenders to accomodate a wider rear tire, added a Mustang II front suspension, and a 9" rear end.

Once the truck was safely in the foothills, Henry started on the drivetrain to make the F100 a reliable and comfortable ride.  The first order of business was to swap out the tired 327 with a crate 350 motor paired with a new Turbo 400 automatic transmission.  Henry did not stop there, he added air conditioning, power brakes, a new interior, a new bed with custom inlaid aluminum and a custom exhaust with cutouts.  

The final product is a stunning truck, both visually as well as in terms of performance.  As you can tell by the video, this thing is a beast but is outfitted with all the creature comforts that make driving it a breeze.  Henry uses the F100 these days primarily for local car shows, Monday breakfasts at the Murphys Hotel as well as our Calaveras Cars & Coffee events.  Look for him at your next Calaveras Cars & Coffee, you can't miss the stunning color, look and sound of Henry's 1956 F100!