KC Mathieu and his son Luke are teaming up to build a 1976 Ford F-100 pickup for the 2022 SEMA Show. This summer, we made the trip down to KC’s Paint Shop in Burleson, Texas, to see how the project was coming along.
Under stormy skies, we pulled up to the shop. Custom trucks lined the lot, ranging from a patina’d 1953 Chevy and a F-150 Lightning to slammed late-model Fords. Walking through the door, we were immediately greeted by KC and his team.
KC needs little introduction. A veteran painter and all-around family man, he made his way into living rooms, garages and man caves around the world on the hit Discovery Channel TV show “Fast N’ Loud.”
When his time with Gas Monkey Garage came to a close, he went on to open his own shop just south of Fort Worth. These days, KC’s specializes in everything from chassis fabrication and restoration work to ground-up builds. Luke’s F-100 falls into the latter category.
Building Memories
Luke’s only 16 years old, and this is his first full build. A lifelong car enthusiast, his interests shifted towards vintage vehicles at the Grand National F-100 Show in Pigeon Forge earlier this year. “I got that truck bug and I wanted to build something,” Luke says, looking back. “I didn’t care what it was; I just wanted something old.”
As luck would have it, his dad had a 1976 Ford F-100 sitting by the wayside. Initially, they planned to keep things simple. Then, the duo changed direction and opted for more horsepower and better handling. The truck now has a Ford Coyote motor, six-speed manual and our new Ridetech Street Grip system.
Their goal? Finish it in time to road trip to SEMA alongside KC’s F-1 pickup. “I didn’t really get the chance until much later in life to do SEMA,” KC says. “So, to be able to do this with my son and give him this experience at 16 years old I think is just mind blowing.”
Stay tuned to see the finished truck on display at SEMA next month. For a closer look, click here.
