Ford truck lovers often tell us their first experience with an F-Series pickup is something they’ll fondly remember for the rest of their lives. That’s likely why the Ford F-Series has been America’s best-selling pickup for the past 44 consecutive years. One way that owners can keep that fond memory alive is to simply keep that first F-Series truck in the family no matter how old it gets – and that’s exactly what F-150 Raptor owner Elmer Porter of Eureka, Nevada, has done. His dad gifted his 1955 F-100 to Elmer on his 16^th birthday 45 years ago, or one year longer than the Ford sales record. With all of the Ford F-Series in the news of late, we thought you’d like to read Elmer’s email to us below to hear his remarkable journey with that now-restomodded -- and quite roadworthy – 1955 F-100 pickup:

“Dear Ford Performance, my name is Elmer Porter. First and foremost, as a lifelong FoMoCo enthusiast who has only owned Fords, I want to congratulate you and all involved at Ford Performance on the 2021 Ford F-150 Raptor debut earlier this year. The technology enhancements to the chassis and drivetrain places the third-generation Raptor it in a class way above any other manufactured pickup, including what Ram has to offer. I cannot wait until the often-rumored but highly anticipated V-8 return to the Raptor lineup happens, but from what I have seen on the 2021 model, I am not sure I can wait!

“I am writing you because I have a story to share about my favorite-owned Ford which I have had in my possession since my 16^th birthday in January of 1976, about 45 years ago -- my, how time has flown! Although I had been driving my dad’s 1955 Ford F-100 pickup since I was 14 years old around the wheat fields in eastern Washington, I took possession of it the year I got my license to drive as a freshman in high school. It was my vehicle throughout my high school years.

“Dad bought the ’55 at auction from the local school district where it was used for several years as the school’s FFA Agricultural Instructor’s pickup. (In other words, lots of sheep and pigs were hauled around in this rig back in the day.) The school district originally purchased the pickup at auction as the ’55 was originally a military pickup. (It still has the original military vehicle nomenclature on the dash.) The school district painted-over the original olive drab ‘OD’ green paint with ‘school-bus yellow’ paint. The Ford pickup was quickly painted ‘Porter Red’ once dad bought it from the school district. Red was a favorite vehicle color of Dad’s, and the ’55 has been red ever since.
“In high school my brother and I replaced the original 223 cubic-inch 6-cylinder, with a standard three-on-the-tree transmission, with a 292 cubic-inch Y-Block V-8 and a Borg Warner T-98 truck four-speed transmission. After high school, the ’55 was stored in dad’s warehouse as I headed off to college in my new but well used 1978 Ford Fiesta. After earning my teaching degree in college and getting married, we took the ’55 out of storage and drove it for several years as a daily driver. It was the only pickup we had, as we could not afford a newer vehicle at the time. After several years of teaching, and saving money, we were able to afford a newer Ford F-150 pickup, so the ’55 was relegated to an occasional ‘around the town’ driver.
“Over 40 years after dad gifted me my first vehicle, we decided to upgrade the ’55 and make her into a vehicle that we could drive anywhere that the road would take us -- in style, of course. We solicited B&T Custom Rods & Restoration in Reno, Nevada, to do the build. I wanted the build to incorporate as much Ford related parts as possible, and retain the originality of the pickup that I have known since my formative years of driving it.
“The Ford Y-Block and four-speed are now gone and replaced with a high-performance remanufactured Ford 302 V-8, Ford Racing dress-up kit, with aftermarket fuel injection and ignition components. The transmission is a remanufactured Ford C4 automatic linked up to an aftermarket shifter and linkage. The chassis has all been redone with a boxed-in independent front suspension, Curry Ford 9-inch differential and power disc brakes on all four wheels. The front and rear suspension was lowered to level the body. Wheel Vintiques supplied the 16-inch painted steel wheels, with vintage Ford hub caps and beauty rings. Power steering and Vintage air conditioning make the long Nevada drives more comfortable. The original electrical wiring has been replaced to accommodate new components including the Dakota gauge cluster, LED lightning and electric radiator fan. Shorty headers connect to dual glass-pack free-throw mufflers which exit through 3-inch stainless dual exhaust pipes.

“Small additions to the interior were done with new seat covering, carpet and a tilt steering column. Although the pickup is new inside and out, we decided to keep the look of the truck as close to as it was during my high school days. Plus, we did not intend to build a show pickup, but rather a vehicle we could drive every day and not worry about scratching the paint and trailering to car shows. The cab sunshade, custom cab emblems and bright trim were courtesy of another 1955 Ford F-100 Custom Cab pickup which my wife let me buy for parts with our wedding money back in 1985.

“The last item we did to complete the build is what we are most proud of and what really sets this truck apart from any other. We enlisted Lane Walker of Solo Signs in Reno, Nevada, to paint a patina replication of dad’s agricultural implement machine company logo on the doors of the pickup. It now says, ‘Porta Products and Machine Company,’ in remembrance of a great man. It puts a perpetual smile on my face every time I get behind the wheel of the ’55.

“By the way, the ol 1955 F-100 also looks good next to the wife’s 2015 Taurus SHO and my own 2014 F-150 Raptor SE. Our vehicles are all Fords and all red, of course. As you would suspect, I get more looks, and conversations driving the ’55 more than any of our newer Ford vehicles. Keep up the great work at Ford Performance -- you all must be proud of the work you are doing, and it is probably a heck of a lot of fun!”

How YOU can Get In The Spotlight: For the past decade, one of the most popular features on FordPerformance.com and in our weekly Fast News e-newsletter continues to be "Ford Fan Spotlight," where readers can send in their own reasons why they're fans of Ford Motor Company and its vehicles. You know who they are: Ford "superfans;" grassroots Ford racers; unique Ford vehicle owners; loyal Ford enthusiasts; notable Ford club people; special Ford families; and/or any avid supporter of Ford, Ford vehicles, Ford motorsports or Ford Performance who deserves a little bit of special recognition.

All you need to do to get you, your car or candidate considered is to send in a brief description (200-500 words or less) and a few photos (in .jpeg format, preferably around 1 mb in size) with the owner’s full name and hometown, please. Just tell us about the vehicle(s) and why you think Ford Performance should feature it (them) in the "Ford Fan Spotlight" for an upcoming installment of Fast News as well as for posting on FordPerformance.com. Then email it to: ClubHub@Ford.com with your contact info. Should you wish to send a video, you simply need to post it on www.YouTube.com (preferably 1-2 minutes long) and send in the link, along with a brief description, to that same ClubHub@Ford.com email address. Your submission allows us the rights to use your words and images (along with any edits) for editorial purposes; we’ll choose one submission in random order each week to post online. We hope to see YOU and your Ford in our Spotlight soon!