The Villages - March 2020 - Cover3

Stauffer did a complete frame-off restoration of the truck - fixing anything
that needed fixing, while also adding a few upgrades to personalize the F-100 and
make it his own.
Stauffer, a former mechanic, removed the existing engine and replaced it with
a much-more-powerful 460 big block engine from a Ford LTD, along with a better
transmission. He also redid the interior, added wood from his Indiana farm to the
bed and gave the truck its bright red paint job - giving the classic truck plenty of
character while also staying true to its roots.
"The exterior of it looks original," he said. "But under the hood, it's different.
It drives a lot different."
The 1960-66 model years were the fourth generation of Ford F-Series trucks,
and the unibody trucks had a single, connected frame, compared to other trucks
that had a separate bed and cab. Stauffer says that, at the time, trucks were meant
to be put to work, hauling heavy loads over rougher terrain.
Unibody trucks had occasional issues when fully loaded, Stauffer said, that
would sometimes cause the frame to flex and warp, and the doors would not open
correctly. Ford discontinued unibody trucks in 1963, but today that just makes
Stauffer's truck all the more unique.
An avid car collector, Stauffer's love of motorized vehicles began at a young
age, and he estimates he has restored around 25 cars and trucks.
"I've always enjoyed working on stuff," he said. "My first job was a mechanic,
and I enjoyed fixing things. Vehicles and engines always fascinated me. My first
truck was a '35 Chevy pickup, and I thought, 'Well that's not fast enough.' I put a
1958 Hemi V8 in it and drove it back and forth to work for 10 years."
He and his wife Shirley are part-time residents, and when they are here in
Florida, they enjoy attending the Villages Cruise Ins and other local car shows.
In Indiana, they participate in car shows and cross-country drives and races with
other classic car owners, traveling all around the United States in a vintage ride.
Stauffer says there is nothing quite like cruising the
American back roads in a classic vehicle,
and he always is on the lookout for
the next car or truck to fix up.
"I enjoy getting them and
bringing them back to life and
putting them on the road - it's
an enjoyment for me," he said.
"After I get one done then I'm
ready to do another one."

Shirley &
Ron Stauffer

MAGAZINE

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The Villages - March 2020

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