Family First in This ’60 Ford F-850

When you’re a welder by trade, you can kind of just cut stuff apart, add some other stuff, and then weld it all together to make new stuff. And while it’s great to get paid to do it, it’s even better to have some downtime every now and again to put those skills to use on personal projects.  

Let’s take Sergio Cueto and his 1960 Ford F-850 as a prime example. When he decided to tackle another build to replace his previous ’59 Ford dually, he wanted to make sure that it would have more than enough room to carry the whole family this time around. Sergio loves ’57-’60 Fords, so he went on the hunt for a crew cab version to build his latest dream truck.

It turns out that they’re almost impossible to find, but Sergio wasn’t deterred one bit and planned out the build anyway. Coming up on either a complete crew cab truck—or just the cab—was a problem that he would just have to deal with later. As you can see, he made it happen.

STANDARD TO CREW CAB

You might have already guessed that the truck rides on a custom air suspension in order to tuck the 24-inch Wheels A Million aluminum wheels, and you might have even figured out that it sits on a newer chassis with modern running gear, and you’d be right on both counts. And yes, Sergio did most of the fab work himself, enlisting the help of buddies like Luis Gutierrez when needed.

But what might come as a surprise is that his truck started out as a standard cab. Yup, Sergio built the crew cab by strategically joining two cabs together, hinging the rear doors in suicide fashion because … well, why not?

Once the truck was operational, Sergio turned to the details, such as creating the faux patina finish and what might be the most comfortable interior we’ve ever seen in a fridge.   

Maybe even more surprising than that is the fact that Sergio cut up a perfectly good shortbed donor truck to get the extra steel he needed, even lengthening the bed a couple of feet to match the proportions he wanted. Yup, he went against the grain and turned a shortbed into a longbed. When he was done, the sheetmetal fit perfectly over the ’bagged ’99 Dodge Ram 3500 chassis, which is powered by a 5.9L Cummins diesel.

COZY WITH CUPHOLDERS FOR ALL

Once the truck was operational, Sergio turned to the details, such as creating the faux patina finish and what might be the most comfortable interior we’ve ever seen in a fridge. Plush leather seats and plenty of cupholders for the family go a long way in keeping everyone happy during those sometimes long rides to shows.

And yet, despite all of the joy and happiness the truck has brought him, Sergio knows that it isn’t just about the vehicle itself. It’s about the relationships he has built, the memories he has created, and the love he has shared with his family. It’s a symbol of the things that truly matter in life, and he’s grateful for every moment he has spent with it so far.

Sergio has thought about eventually letting the truck go (after all, you can’t keep ’em all), but for now he’s enjoying every moment with it, and he continues creating new memories with it until a final decision is eventually made. He often finds himself answering questions about the truck’s history while at events, but he doesn’t mind, as he loves sharing his passion with others—especially the rest of the Cueto clan!

Truck Specs

Owner 

Sergio Cueto

Homestead, FL
1960 Ford F-850

Chassis & Suspension

Work by owner
1999 Dodge Ram 3500 chassis swap
Nfamus Metal 4-link
Thorbros Watt’s link
Slam Specialties airbags
Monroe shocks

Wheels & Tires

24-inch Wheels A Million Mega Hole Plus wheels
305/35R24 Ironman iMOVE Gen2 tires

Engine & Drivetrain

1999 5.9L Cummins diesel engine
Xotic head stud kit
Banks High-Ram intake system
75mm over HX35 compound turbos
4-inch inch exhaust with custom bed-mounted exhaust stack
1999 Dodge 47RE transmission
Billet torque converter
Upgraded valve body

Body & Paint

Work by owner and Luis M. Gutierrez
Custom fabbed crew cab and bed
Widened ’56 F-100 rear fenders
1951 Pontiac taillights
Custom patina paint job
Custom wood bed floor

Interior & Stereo

Work by owner/S&E Custom, Inc.
1999 Dodge Ram 3500 seats reupholstered in Desert Tan leather
Completely custom interior panels with diamond stitching
Custom PRV Audio stereo system