We will be updating this blog weekly with build pictures and information about Terry Altman’s SEMA 2016 offering….Capone. This amazing Ford F-100 Panel will make its debut in the Axalta booth at SEMA this year. Make sure to stay up on the build, Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter
The story of Terry Altman’s 1954 Ford F100 Panel Truck starts like a lot of projects…….a long time ago. In 2006 Altman acquired a 1954 F100 Panel to begin what would turn out to be his best build yet.
Altman knew what he wanted to build before getting the F-100 Panel. Terry is no stranger to ground-up builds, or F-100’s. He has built 2 magazine featured, award-winning F-100 trucks, and numerous cars over the years. So it began. The Ford was brought into Altman’s Body Shop in Russellville, AR and immediately stripped of its roof. That was the beginning of what would become a build that has dramatic changes, mixed with countless subtle changes that work together to reshape this classic panel truck into a one of a kind ride.
Fast forward 4 years. Altman put the idea and his project on hold for a while. In that 4 years he wasn’t exactly resting though. He and his wife Terri, own a successful body shop in Russellville AR. Altman fully restored a 1939 Ford Business Coupe because he has always wanted one. He also founded Trique Manufacturing built on the backbone of the very successful bolt-on door latch kit for Ford and Chevy Trucks, the Altman Easy Latch.
After removing the roof of the Ford……..Terry removed every other panel too. The new cowl sides, rocker panels, and firewall were purchased from Mid-Fifty F-100 Parts. Now stay with me here. The front of the rear quarter panels were then shortened 6 inches and the doors were stretched 6 inches. Altman then took 6 inches off of the rear of the Ford, leaned the tail section inward 1.5 inches and widened it 5 inches. All of this was mocked up on a custom built frame from TCI.
There is going to be a roof on this panel, but first, proportions. Terry knew the proportions he wanted, he had seen them on a car that would occasionally run through his body shop. The Chrysler 300. Altman measured the proportions of the body section and roof section of the 300 and found that, as he suspected, the body is twice the height of the roof. These were the proportions he would shoot for on the later named “Capone”. The body of Capone measures 36 inches tall and the roof height comes in at 18 inches. Next order of business, he needed to lower the roof line of the “Effie”. This was done by cutting the windshield frame loose from the cowl and lowering it 1 inch, then leaning it back from the stock 45 degree angle to a 62 degree angle. This allows Capone to run a full size windshield, but achieve a very low profile. I mean when the airbags have this thing laid out on the ground, it has a killer stance. We will get to that later though. Remember, this story was a long time in the making.
Next time…..
”Honey, does this license plate make my butt look big?”
We will show you the major changes and subtle touches that Terry made to the rear quarter panels. We will also get some more insight into the awesome tailgate that he hand fabricated and how he handles the weight of it. This old girl has some junk in her trunk.
