The Ringbrothers, are known for building insane vehicles for others, but this time Mike and Jim Ring built a truck for themselves, transforming a rusted 1954 farm truck into a stunning restomod 1956 pickup….
For the first time in its history, world renowned custom shop Ringbrothers debuted a lovingly restored pickup at the 2017 SEMA Show in its booth. “Clem 101,” a Ford F100 with extensive body modifications, stunning chrome work and newly engineered Ringbrothers billet accessories, was unveiled by Jim and Mike Ring, who designed and built the vehicle for themselves as a “shop truck.”
The culmination of a project that began as a rusty 1954 F100, “Clem 101” evolved into a 1956 model when the Rings swapped out the ’54 cab for a ’56. The truck’s bed has been custom built from scratch, while its fenders were widened three-inches and wheel openings were narrowed.
The truck retained its original 1954 grille, which is complemented by modified front and rear bumpers that feature chrome work performed by Advanced Plating. Its doors have also been customized with rounded corners and hand-formed running boards now extend from the front to back fender. All custom bodywork has been finished in a flawless BASF Glasurit “Speedy P Green” color, applied with the 3M’s Accuspray system.
The build’s wheelbase has been extended seven-inches in front, utilizing a custom Ford Crown Victoria subframe that was narrowed by five-inches to fit the F100. To accommodate this length change, front fenders were also extended forward. I
n true Ringbrothers fashion, new billet hood hinges were engineered, as were custom tie downs for the bed. These new billet pieces help highlight Ringbrothers craftsmanship, combining with unique details like a completely machined tailgate and a custom-fabricated trailer hitch.
“Clem 101” gets its power from a 415-horsepower 5.0-liter Ford Coyote crate motor with Ford Racing fuel injection, hooked to a four-speed automatic transmission. Both are well-lubricated by Royal Purple synthetic engine and transmission oil.
Prestone coolant helps keep the engine running at the optimal temperature, while custom stainless steel Flowmaster headers and exhaust give the truck a unique performance tone.
Power is put to the ground through a John’s Industries nine-inch rear end while a set of RideTech coilovers and four-link rear suspension along with a custom QA1 front sway bar help keep the truck firmly planted around corners.
The truck rolls on a set of HRE Vintage Series 545 forged wheels sized at 19×11 in the front and 20×13 in the rear, and is shod in Nitto tires sized 305/35/19 up front and 305/50/20 out back. Bringing “Clem” to a stop are Baer six-piston disc brakes on all four corners.
Inside, the cabin is equipped with modern conveniences like a Kicker stereo system and a plush custom interior by Upholstery Unlimited. Other highlights include gauges from Classic Instruments and a Vintage Air Gen IV Magnum climate control system.
