Custom Car – September 2019

it’salloriginaldown

totheswageline...

Wilmington,Ohio,andfromthemcame
thevulcanisedrubberrunningboards,
stakepocketsandafewotherbitsand
pieces,butjustabouteverythingelsewas
handmadehereintheUK.

Relentless
SoenamouredwasLukewiththebigman
fromSuffolk'sworkmanshipthat,inthe
end,itwentbacktoTimforre-assembly
andfinishingafterpaint.“Itwasn’tmeant
tohappenlikethat,butI’msogladitdid
andIcanhonestlysayitwouldn’tbethe
truckitiswithoutTim.”
WithasquirtofTVRGunmetalGrey
byGavinPinkatThePaintShopand
re-assembled,therevampedchassiswas
finished,andtoastandardworthyof
aBestinBritaincontender.Somuch
so,nobodythatsawitwantedtoseeit
coveredbyabody.
Asthechassiswasgoingbacktogether
inLuke’sgarage,withGaryandFred’s
help,thetruckbodytookitsturnin
theboothatThePaintShop.“Itwas
relentless,”Lukeremembers,“unlessyou
havepaintedoneofthesetrucks,you
havenoideajusthowmanyseparate

panelsthereare.Thepick-upbedis 10
piecesalone,andeverypieceispaintedas
wellontheinsideastheoutside.
“IhadtogoandbuytwoArgosvalue
duvetsjusttowrapthepanelsineach
timeIwentandcollectedsome.Atone
pointwehadpaintedbitsofthetruckin

everyroominourhouse,andthenwe

hadtotransportthemalltoTim’splacein

Suffolk.Thatwasoneofthemostnerve

rackingpartsofthewholeprocess.”

Alongsideallthat,choosingacolour

wasrelativelystraightforward.“Ilikecars

tolookstock,justwithbigtyresunder

thefenders.Ievenconsideredstock

colourschemesforawhile,butinthe

endwentfortheoldfavouriteofblack.”

Headlightsarestock–askLuke,orTim

forthatmatter,aboutthegamesthey

hadwiththosewhenyouseehim–but

thetaillightshavebeenchangedfor’37

Forditems.Theyjustworkonanything,

don’tthey?

Ovenready

Finally,thetruckwaspaintedandallback

together,justawaitingtrim.Following

recommendationsontheRods’n’Sods

forum,hecontactedChrisViningat

CustomCoachTrimming.“Ican’tfaulthis

AUGUST 2019 CUSTOMCAR 49

ThefirstthingLukeboughtforthetruckwas

builtaroundthem. thewheelsandtyres.Everythingelsewas

They’re5x15E-TlowangleFiveWindowswith

SportsmanSRs,therearsare 15 x15highangle 26 x6.00-15M/T

FiveWindowswith (^33) x22.00-15MickeyTs.
°BackaxleisanarrowedFord 9 -inchwith
Protechcoilovers,aGaryLayton-built 4 -link
anddiagonaltracklocatorandthede-tuned
anti-rollbaroffGrahamEllis’oldProMod
Superbird.Towbarmountsandwiringare
allinplacesoLukecanaddoneandtowa
caravan,he’sjustnotdoneityet.
Truckcamewith7-inchsealedbeams,butLuke
wasadamantithaveoriginalheadlights.Four
setsoflenseslater,helovesthem,buthasn’t
yetdaredtakethemapartagaintofitthe
stainlesstrimsTimHammondmadeforthem.
“They’vebeenachallenge,”hesays.
°Findinganypartsforthistruckhasbeen
hardwork.Lukehadatouchwiththegrille
furniture,whichwasadvertisedwrongly,but
hadtopaystrongmoneyforthehighquality
reprogrilleinsertbyAlumicraftintheStates.
°SeeachoppedLondonbusandyouknow
you’relookingataSmokeCityWheeler
production,withsomehelpfromTimHammond
inthiscase.