A Tribute on Wheels: Fat Fender Garage’s ‘Vin’ F-100 Masterpiece

John Mata Jr. . November 06, 2024 . Buyer’s Guides

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Fat Fender Garage’s Latest Ford F-100 Masterpiece

When folks discover that this wonderfully crafted ’71 Ford F-100 has been dubbed “Vin,” inquiries pop up as to the reasoning behind its peculiar name. Let’s come right out and clear the air here—no, this truck doesn’t feature a diesel engine conversion under the hood, which would’ve been really cool to see, though. Even though this F-100 doesn’t have a baked-in “Fast and Furious” reference to its credit, the homage to its namesake runs much deeper than a dedication to a fictional movie character.

When Brad Visser of Southern California reached out to Fat Fender Garage to take on his classic Ford pickup project, he shared with the FFG crew a list of his inspirations behind his vision, with the major one being the late great sportscaster, Vin Scully. Brad is an admirer of baseball—specifically a die-hard Dodger fan, which makes much more sense as to the nickname his truck picked up along the way. Growing up watching the boys in blue play ball along with hearing Vin Scully’s play-by-play throughout his 67-year history with the team tends to build an unwavering allegiance to club. All Brad wanted for his truck was for it to have a heightened level of sophistication and serve as a physical representation of the velvety smooth demeanor and voice of the well-loved, sorely missed Dodger announcer.

…he shared with the FFG crew a list of his inspirations behind his vision, with the major one being the late great sportscaster, Vin Scully.

“Good is Not Good When Better is Expected”

Now, even though Brad had requested his Ford to be fashioned after a much-respected individual affiliated with his favorite baseball team, he didn’t want to run into any stylistic faux pas in the form of painting the truck in Dodger blue or incorporating any insignia anywhere that could potentially lessen the impact of elegance he was after. Nobody needs to see a paintjob emblazoned with “LA” logos or murals of the man who inspired the build. Subtlety speaks louder than insignificant noise, and Brad was hoping to drive that point home with the completion of this project, which was very near to his heart.

Subtlety speaks louder than insignificant noise…

Brad’s first correct move was involving Fat Fender Garage, who would handle the entirety of the build starting with altering the F-100’s ride height and on-road prowess for the better. FFG has partnered with Porterbuilt Fab to exclusively carry full chassis systems, which has been utilized on Brad’s ’71. The resulting stance is sportier and more aggressive due to the full custom frame, which is assisted by Falcon performance coilovers to create a low-slung ride that hungrily absorbs rough inconsistencies found on less-than-ideal road conditions. To allow the truck to come to a reliable slow down and stop, Wilwood front and rear disc brakes, along with an ABS electric master cylinder and E-Stopp electric emergency brake kit have been assembled for much more control while on the road or track. 20-inch Avant Garde wheels and Michelin Pilot Sport tires have been added to further the refinement and prowess of the Porterbuilt chassis system.

Swap Stars

The team at Fat Fender Garage has built a reputation of being the home of Ford Coyote engine swaps, so to continue that trend, a 2015-2017 5.0L Coyote unit was secured and prepared to be installed between the PB Fab frame rails. Building upon the performance levels of a stock Coyote, the crew doubled down and threw on a Whipple stage 2 supercharger and fabricated custom headers and a 3-inch exhaust system, which has been finished off with dual Borla mufflers for a beautiful baritone growl. Of course, there were far more parts added to the engine for the sake of boosting horsepower and torque, but an equal amount of craftsmanship was poured into the bay to create custom firewall and fender work to perfectly frames the Coyote mill within a museum-worthy sheetmetal encasement.

FFG has partnered with Porterbuilt Fab to exclusively carry full chassis systems, which has been utilized on Brad’s ’71.

A Toast to Subtlety

An astonishing amount of labor and creativity goes into each Fat Fender creation, and this ’71 F-100 is no exception. To start, every bit of trim was shaved clean off the Ford’s surface. Next, the body lines were sharpened to extenuate its natural Bumpside contouring. The factory bumpers were reused, although slightly altered and finished in a contrasting darker color than the fresh gray pearl paint. To further break up any monotony, a BASF charcoal metallic hue was used to cover the cab roof for a sleek two-tone arrangement. The front end was treated to a 3D printed grille that has been stuffed with Holley Retro Bright headlights, and the mirrors and door handles were treated with a darker gray finish to better blend in with the chromeless landscape. A Mar-K wood floor kit was utilized in the bed, which also has a hidden panel that lifts with the push of a button, exposing the chassis system and fuel tank just below deck. Not only is this feature trick, but it also promotes routine maintenance.

…an equal amount of craftsmanship was poured into the bay to create custom firewall and fender work to perfectly frames the Coyote mill within a museum-worthy sheetmetal encasement.

The FFG team carried the same level of stylistic subtlety that defines this truck’s exterior inside the confines of its cab. A set of Recaro seats were incorporated into the interior refresh due to their comfort and sporty appearance, but they were vastly upgraded with two-tone Prison Break and Broken Bone Apex Leather colored hides. The same leather material was also used to cover much of the dash, door panels, and the one-off 3D printed center console that features plenty of storage, houses the Lokar shifter, and of course, dual drink holders right where they should be. Other notable amenities in the cab include a Sparc Industries steering wheel, Dakota Digital gauges and a well-balanced sound system starring a Retro Manufacturing stereo, high-end Morel speakers in the custom kick panels and a Focal subwoofer that resides in a leather-clad enclosure behind the seats. A Restomod climate control system will keep Brad cooler than the freshest California breeze during the upcoming summer cruising season, which he will be taking full advantage of.

The front end was treated to a 3D printed grille that has been stuffed with Holley Retro Bright headlights…

“The Roar of the Crowd Has Always Been the Sweetest Music”

Fat Fender Garage was able to finish this truck just in time for it to debut at SEMA 2023, where it captured a lot attention and buzz, but it wasn’t until the Grand National Roadster Show in Pomona, California, in February 2024 where it solidified its spot among the greatest street machines in existence. Vin took home 1st place honors at the show, which is a huge accomplishment and testament to the quality design work that was sunk into its creation.

A set of Recaro seats were incorporated into the interior refresh due to their comfort and sporty appearance…

While this truck doesn’t fly a big Dodger flag wherever it goes, it does embody Vin Scully’s timeless legacy he left behind for baseball fans on the west coast and beyond. There will never be another on-air personality quite like Vin’s, and there will certainly never be another classic Ford pickup quite like the F-100 created in his honor.

There will never be another on-air personality quite like Vin’s, and there will certainly never be another classic Ford pickup quite like the F-100 created in his honor.

TRUCK SPECS

Owner

Brad Visser
1971 Ford F-100
Southern California

Engine & Transmission

2015-2017 Ford 5.0L Coyote V-8
Whipple stage 2 gen 5 supercharger
DW DeatschWerks 72-lb/hr fuel injection
Fat Fender Garage (FFG) 1.75-inch headers
Borla mufflers w/ custom cut outs
3-inch exhaust system
Modular Motorsports Racing billet timing chain guiders, billet tensioners, oil pump gears
2016 6R80 Ford transmission
Lokar electronic sport shifter
Derale 9×15-inch transmission cooler behind driver side of cab

Chassis & Suspension