Car of the Week: This Former Paratrooper’s 1975 Ford Restomod Project Will Be Auctioned on Veterans Day
If some vehicles seem to have a heart and a soul, it’s because of the people whose deep care and attention have imbued them with it. And while ultimately all projection, it’s hard to deny that this 1975 Ford F-250 custom pickup almost lives and breathes. On Veterans Day, Saturday, November 11, Mecum Auctions will feature this towering restomod as a main attraction of its Las Vegas sale, held at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
The truck’s nickname is Wheelie. Those familiar with the Transformers movie franchise (anyone with kids) knows the character Wheelie, who starts out as a bad Decepticon but, through time, becomes a good Autobot. About the moniker, owners Chris and Jenn Leathem, of Palmer, Alaska, explained, “We wanted something that would appeal to kids and adults alike, and that would show the character of this restomod: bad, yet good!”
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The project was conceived and built by the husband and wife, with even their son Colby turning a screw or two. Like the majority of old cars and trucks, this Ford has a distant past that’s unknown. It was purchased by the Leathems with the intent of making a reliable daily driver. But a long-dormant idea soon took over, according to Chris, a former paratrooper in the U.S. Army who served multiple deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan while assigned to the 101st Airborne (Air Assault) and then the 501st Airborne.
“One of my favorite pastimes when on deployment was reading the latest edition of various car and truck magazines,” says Chris. “The amazing builds inspired me to construct a magazine-worthy truck of my own someday. So, we decided to go all the way and do a complete frame-off restomod. But it had to be a real street pounder and trailer puller. A truck that has the courage to step into an arena with other contenders at county fairs to drag sleds down the track, yet cleans up nicely after a hard day’s work. We started by assessing common failure points that we observed as spectators. Throughout countless hours of research, we eliminated as many of the design weaknesses as possible.”
This truck left the factory as an F-250 crew cab short bed, one of 2,123 produced by Ford in 1975. A total of 13,948 F26 Vin trucks were produced by Ford from 1973 through 1979. Naturally, as with any exceptional restomod, this one has an arm-length roster of custom components and fabrication to its credit. The 5.9-liter Cummins inline-six, 24-valve, P-pump diesel engine is a real stump puller, shifted by a six-speed NV5600 manual transmission, with an NP2441DHD (Heavy Duty) transfer case.
In fact, everything about Wheelie is heavy duty. The factory OEM frame, boxed in from stem to stern, uses rear leaf springs from a Ford F-450 Platinum and front “snow package” leaf springs from a Ford F-350. Heavy-duty front and rear axles, 4.10 gears, Fuel wheels, and custom-designed diesel fuel tanks are just a few of the other enhancements.
Despite the seriousness of the build, the black-and-white pickup is understated and right at home in Alaskan snow. Not so discreet is the brute strength of Wheelie. Custom bumpers—front and rear—are each equipped with Smittybilt X20 winches rated to 12,000 pounds. And a Super Hitch super-truss rear hitch, a B&W gooseneck hitch, and rear traction bars help with heavy sled dragging.
Inside the commodious cabin, driver and passengers stay cool with Vintage Air. Hydraulic-steering assist and Dakota Digital’s gauges are also welcome touches. A custom grille and headache rack (the mesh that shields the rear window—and occupants— from shifting cargo), as well as Rigid LED E-Series Midnight Edition lights—front and rear—enhance safety, as does the HornBlasters Outlaw Train Horn installation.
The upcoming national holiday has always been celebrated and loved in the Leathem household. Says Chris, “My family and I couldn’t be more honored than to have our hard work displayed and showcased while going across the auction block on Veterans day.”
Click here for more photos of this Ford F-250 restomod pickup.
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