Photos by Mach1Media
Some truck builders are very brand specific when it comes to choosing their projects. Dyed-in-the-wool Chevy and Ford guys will hardly ever stray from their sides, which is fine and good but it’s interesting to see those one-off builds that come around from a builder who just wants to create something simply because it’s different.
Adam Spragen of Bellefontaine, Ohio definitely falls into the latter category of custom creatives who don’t care about the badging on the truck they choose to build. The ultimate goal of assembling something uncommon to see is the driving force at play instead. Adam stumbled across a ’68 International Loadstar cab for sale at a staggering price of $2,650. The cab was from an old grain truck from Liberty, Indiana, so there was some history there that he was interested in preserving. There was no way he could pass up that low of a startup cost. Knowing that there have really only been a handful of full-custom International builds like the way he wanted to do it, Adam knew he was staring at an absolute golden opportunity. Obviously, there was still a lot of work to do before his project could truly shine.
Adam’s new project was largely fueled by inspiration from other folks and friends who have successfully pulled off complete one-off builds that garnered lots of attention and respect from fellow fabricators. Adam planned on performing as much of the work on his Loadstar as possible himself, and the first order of business was to locate a donor truck that he could pull a frame, engine and transmission from. What he was able to find was a 2004 Dodge 3500 that had been issued a salvaged title due to a tree falling onto the cab, which crushed it beyond repair. This really didn’t concern Adam since he had no need for any portion of that cab, so be purchased the Dodge with hopes that he could drop the International cab atop its chassis and begin tying up all the loose ends to get it drivable. In theory, it shouldn’t have been all that difficult but reality swiftly swatted away any chance of the ordeal being as straightforward as Adam was hoping for.
“I quickly discovered that the International cab and Dodge chassis were not going to fit together well,” Adam admits. “The entire firewall and floor had to be cut out to make room for the engine and transmission, and after getting the body over the frame with the wheel wells centered I noticed yet another issue. The engine and transmission had to be moved back 10 inches from the original location in the frame to allow space for the radiator, intercooler and fans.” Of course, there is a domino effect when it comes to having to relocate parts from their factory positions. Given the wheel placement difference on the International cab to the Dodge, the fame was shortened 10 inches, which made it necessary to fabricate a full custom front core support to securely hold the grille, fenders and front bumper in position. Next came custom cab mounts, then rebuilding the inside floor, firewall and engine/transmission covers to make everything disappear again.
With some help from a few friends and his dad, Adam was starting to pick up steam with his Loadstar project. Even though this was his real first build that was as detailed and intensive as it was becoming, he was able to make sense of what needed to be done in order for everything to fall into place. “After making some custom pedals and steering column mounts, I then moved onto other items of the truck to get the rest of it looking right,” Adam says. “The factory International turquoise paint was still well intact on the cab, so I asked Ohio Auto Kolor out in Sidney, OH to mix up a batch of paint to color match a few accessories in the engine bay along with the fuel tank straps to add more of the classic color throughout more of the truck.”
Next, Adam then leveled the rear frame rails in order to give the truck a small semi look, then cut and installed diamond plate steel panels to create a more attractive and usable surface area. One-off hangers were then fabbed to hang the rear mud flaps just before a scratch-built rear bumper complete with LED taillights was mounted to successfully modernize the rear end. The fuel tank on the driver’s side is a full 60-gallon capacity reserve, which is more than what Adam felt was sufficient enough to hit the road with. Since he really didn’t need 60 more gallons of on-board gas, the tank on the passenger side was still mounted to balance the appearance, but it’s strictly ornamental as it hides the custom battery box below it. “I felt that this was a better use for the space,” Adam comments about the modification. “Most people wouldn’t expect to see this, and it’s kind of cool to have a secret compartment somewhere on this truck.”
With the majority of the truck well put together, Adam could then start focusing on adding the finishing touches that would create that truly custom appearance he was chasing. Dually King Industries in Auburn, IN cut and milled a unique set of 24-inch Alcoa wheels for the front and rear that were soon covered in Lexani LX-Thirty rubber to give them street truck styling.
“I got lucky when it came to the 8-inch exhaust stacks as I ran across a local trucker who was putting on a new set on his truck and was looking to get rid of these,” Adam adds. “I made some custom brackets and piping to hook them up. It was after I mounted these stacks when I finally felt the truck was looking like I really wanted it to before I even started.”
With what began as simply a passion to build a truck that invoked pure excitement through a not often used truck platform, Adam’s ex-grain-hauling Loadstar has finally emerged as one of the coolest builds in the diesel scene.
Owner
Adam Spragen
1968 International Loadstar
Bellefontaine, OH
Engine
Chassis
Front Suspension
Rear Suspension
Wheels, Tires & Brakes
Body
International
Trucks that are handed down through one’s family are an extra kind of special. Sure, any old truck is going to have some history to it, but one that’s been passed down has your history—and the history of your predecessors—permanently ingrained its soul. Yes, trucks have souls. You grew up riding shotgun, you possibly got to help out with an oil change or two, and you definitely got to play in (or even ride in) the bed! One way or another, that history lives on in these old machines.
Sharma Mulqueen holds those memories close to her heart, id—and even before that when it was her grandfather’s truck! The truck remained stock for the first 65 years of its existence, so you may be wondering how it ended up in its current state. Well, here’s the loose chain of events that led to the transformation of this F-100.
The truck remained stock for the first 65 years of its existence, so you may be wondering how it ended up in its current state.
Sharma’s grandparents bought the truck in 1959 to serve as a daily driver and occasional errand runner. Her grandfather drove it all the way through the early 1980s, and then gave the truck to her dad. He used it as a work truck, so it was treated as such, and was then eventually stuffed in the garage where it began its next chapter as a storage container and oversized junk drawer.
Both Sharma and her grandfather would occasionally ask her dad when he would get around to fixing it back up, but it would never get any further than a shrug of the shoulders. Finally, in 2019, he conceded that he would likely not be restoring it, so Sharma politely asked for the keys and decided to make it a project of her own.
Everything began with the simplest of intentions: Get the truck back on the road, with Sharma’s son Declan eventually getting the keys as long as he put in some sweat equity. With some additional help from Sharma’s husband Keith, the family got the truck running and stopping again, and everyone was excited to have it back on the road.
Everything began with the simplest of intentions: Get the truck back on the road, with Sharma’s son Declan eventually getting the keys as long as he put in some sweat equity.
But what now? While everyone in the family was a gearhead to varying degrees, they knew that they wouldn’t be able to get the truck where it needed to be on their own. And as important as the truck was, especially to Sharma, they wanted to make sure that everything was done right and to a level that was deserving of a treasured family heirloom.
Well, that’s where Jason Noble and his crew at Fat Fender Garage came in. As the name of his shop implies, Jason is no stranger to F-Series trucks—especially ones that turn heads—and he happened to be local to the Mulqueen family, so it definitely couldn’t hurt to just stop by and see what FFG could do for the Sharma’s Ford. After a detailed consultation, Sharma and Jason had a game plan (and budget) on paper, and the old F-100 was dropped off for some FFG magic.
The foundation of the truck is a TCI air-ride chassis, which Keith had previously bought for Sharma for her birthday. Wait, what? Spouses, take note! Anyway, with the complete rolling chassis finished off with the addition of a 2019 Gen 3 5.0L Coyote engine and 10-speed 10R80 transmission, the Fat Fender crew was able to focus on the body, massaging each panel to perfection before the custom-mixed green pearl BASF paint was applied. Rather than go with standard chrome or painted trim, pieces such as the grille and FFG billet door handles were finished with Cerakote.
Interior appointments were kept simple and elegant, but they include everything expected of a truck that was built to drive anywhere in comfort. Restomod Air climate control, a Focal audio system, Dakota Digital RTX Retrotech gauges, and a Sparc steering wheel just in front of the white leather bench seat give Sharma everything she needs, whether driving to a local show or across Arizona.
The best was saved for last: Right before Sharma was scheduled to pick up the truck from Fat Fender Garage, the fresh 20-inch Schott Drift wheels and Sumitomo tires were bolted on over the Wilwood brakes—an amazing finishing touch that complemented the rest of the F-100 brilliantly.
So you may have noticed by the title of the story that the truck is named “Blue Thunder,” and you would be right to wonder why the heck that is. After all, the truck is very much green! The answer is simple enough: the truck was Ford Waterfall Blue for the better part of seven decades, and so that’s what the family has always called it, and that’s what they’ll continue to call it for generations to come!
OWNER
Sharma Mulqueen
Gilbert, AZ
1955 Ford F-100
Chassis & Suspension
Wheels & Tires
Engine & Drivetrain
Body & Paint
Interior & Stereo
Photos by JOE GREEVES
When it’s time for the next project vehicle, most folks have to decide whether to buy or build. It’s a serious concern since both options have clear advantages. Build it yourself and you know every nut and bolt. You’re the perfect one to fix it if something breaks. Unfortunately, doing it yourself takes time, there’s lots of parts sourcing, and the results may not turn out as you expected. On the other hand, buying an already completed truck means you will know in a moment if the styling is right and a test drive will fill in any remaining blanks. Purists may scoff at the notion of breaking out the checkbook for your next ride, but they’ll admit that it’s usually cheaper in the end. Rather than waiting years, you could be rolling that afternoon.
Josh McPherson is no stranger to building cool rides. A staunch C10 fan, he has owned a ’68 and a ’71 along with this 1979 Chevrolet K5 Blazer. Besides being a successful mortgage loan officer in Palm Coast, Florida, he is also a content creator for Street Trucks magazine. His last project was a badass 1967 C10 code named “Project Last Chance” and he is documenting the build of a 1993 Dually Pace truck “She Thic” (see Street Trucks’ August issue for Part 1 of the build, and page 70 of this issue for Part 2).
Definitely capable of either buying or building, Josh opted to buy this time and was looking for a kid hauler back in 2018.
“I wanted to get something that I could enjoy with my family so that our two boys Walker 6, and Wyatt 5, could grow up being a part of the classic truck scene, enjoying road trips with us at every opportunity,” Josh says. “Since I’ve been obsessed with C10s since I was a kid, I thought a 2WD Blazer would be perfect choice.”
After considerable research, he found a promising ride in Texas, hopped on a plane, and inspected it in person. A paintjob and engine swap had already been accomplished and the price was right. He struck a deal with the owner who shipped the truck to Florida a few weeks later.
When the Blazer arrived, close inspection revealed what he had bought. The new engine was a powerhouse—a 5.3L V-8 from a 2006 Silverado. Already quick in stock form, this one sported a combination of upgrades, beginning with Texas Speed PRC Stage 2.5 ported and polished aluminum heads and cam along with their LS3 intake and stainless steel air cleaner. Doug Thorley ceramic coated headers feed a 3-inch X-pipe exhaust with straight through mufflers. The dyno sheet confirms that the motor sends 342hp to the 2006 GM 4L60E, upgraded for the additional horsepower by Precision Transmission in Ormond Beach, Florida. Stance for the truck was established with adjustable Belltech shocks on all four corners and CPP 2.5-inch drop spindles.
Although the truck was a turnkey ride from the start, making it your own comes naturally to every serious enthusiast. The personalizing process began with a series of changes designed to transform the vehicle into the perfect family ride. One of the first moves was swapping the original performance (read: really loud!) mufflers with Borla Pro XS units, still performance oriented but clearly more kid friendly for the two boys. His wife, Lauren, also appreciated the quieter ride, made even better thanks to Noico’s 80-mil Sound Deadening mat applied throughout the interior.
The changes also added a new dimension to the Retro Sound Bluetooth head unit and speakers. The modern technology infusion began with a Digital Guard Dawg keyless entry system and push-button starter kit. Glass was also an issue so he added new all around. Interior upgrades consisted of refinishing the door panels and center console, and then adding new seat belts and carpet. The matching pair of child safety seats in the back seat highlights the fact that this is a full-time, family fun ride.
Josh loved the look of the Blazer the day he bought it so minimal changes were made to the exterior. He tucked the rear bumper and repainted the roof, then added a hand-fabricated, brushed aluminum grille from Engineered Vintage as one of the final steps in personalizing the ride. The Blazer rolls on a set of 22-inch Corsart Kingpin rims running 30-Series Lexani rubber. Josh has kicked around the idea of doing a full coilover chassis, big brakes, supercharger, and making it into a convertible with a fresh paintjob, but for now he’s going to leave it as-is and drive it a while.
“There are still lots of finishing touches scheduled for the future but we take the kids on road trips with ‘Bazer’ (Blazer was a little too hard for the youngest passenger!),” Josh says. “So the current conditions are perfect for our needs.”
We have saved the best for last, however. The Blazer is not only the perfect family cruiser, but it has also introduced Josh to the C10 community in a big way. After meeting several C10 representatives at the national level, John was interviewed and approved to establish a C10 club in Florida. He worked with a team of people heading charters in Ocala, Miami, Pensacola, Orlando, and Fort Lauderdale. After 2 1/2 years as head of state, it was time to move on, but he is looking forward to the next chapter with the club, all thanks to the family Blazer that got this “Bow Tie Ball” rolling. It’s something we already know. Trucks add fun to every element of life!
Owner
Josh McPherson
Palm Coast, Florida
1979 Chevrolet K5 Blazer
ENGINE & TRANSMISSION
CHASSIS & SUSPENSION
WHEELS & TIRES
EXTERIOR & PAINT
INTERIOR
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