1196 Wigwam Parkway
Henderson, NV 89074
702.369.7037
Reach us at
Mon - Fri: 9:00am - 3:00pm
Our shop is open
Henderson, NV 89074
Reach us at
Our shop is open
One off Ford F100 builds from our shop near Las Vegas, like Mean Mug: a 1956 F100 on a chassis we built, shown at SEMA 2023.
Nostalgia Hot Rods builds custom Ford F100s at 1196 Wigwam Parkway, Henderson, NV 89074, just outside Las Vegas, and at our second shop in Cedar City, Utah. Call (702) 369-7037. Our best known F100 is Mean Mug, a 1956 Ford F100 that sits on a chassis we built ourselves. This page walks through how that truck was built and how a custom F100 build works with us.
Mean Mug is a 1956 Ford F100 built by our team. It debuted in the FiTech booth at the 2023 SEMA Show, according to Forgeline, whose wheels it runs. That was the same SEMA where we showed 10 vehicles, as Motorious reported in November 2023.
Here’s what’s on it, going by Forgeline’s write up of the truck.
| Part | On Mean Mug |
|---|---|
| Engine | 427 cubic inch Ford Performance small block V8 |
| Fuel system | FiTech fuel injection |
| Chassis | Custom chassis built by Nostalgia Hot Rods |
| Suspension | Air ride |
| Brakes | Wilwood disc brakes |
| Wheels | Forgeline forged three piece HL3X, 20 by 8.5 and 22 by 11 inch |
| Wheel finish | Satin Bronze centers with polished outers |
| Tires | Michelin, 245/30ZR20 and 285/30ZR22 |
A 1956 F100 left the factory as a work truck. Its frame and suspension were built to haul a load at the speeds of the day. They weren’t built for modern V8 power, big wheels and a truck that sits on the ground.
Look at the numbers on Mean Mug. It runs 22 inch wheels with 30 series tires at the back and has air ride to set the height. That kind of stance changes where everything under the truck has to go. The frame rails, the suspension mounts, the steering and the exhaust all have to be planned together.
That’s why Mean Mug sits on a chassis we built for it. Building the frame in our own shop lets us place every part where this truck needs it, instead of fitting the truck around a frame made for another job.
It’s also why the chassis is the first thing we talk about. Get it right and the rest of the build has room to work.
Some owners want the engine to match the badge. Mean Mug does. It runs a 427 cubic inch Ford Performance small block with FiTech fuel injection.
Fuel injection makes a classic truck easier to live with. It starts cold, idles clean and doesn’t need the tuning a carburetor does. You still get the look of a classic V8 under the hood.
If you’d rather run something else, that’s a conversation too. We plan the engine with the chassis, the transmission and the brakes, so the whole truck agrees with itself.
Wheels set the look of a custom truck more than almost anything else. Mean Mug runs Forgeline forged three piece HL3X wheels. They’re 20 by 8.5 inch and 22 by 11 inch, with Satin Bronze centers and polished outers.
The tires are Michelins, 245/30ZR20 and 285/30ZR22. Low, wide tires like these only work when the chassis and the body are planned around them. Air ride then lets the truck drop low for a show and rise to clear a driveway.
Wilwood disc brakes do the stopping. Big wheels leave room for big brakes, and a truck with this much power needs them.
Tell us about the truck you have, or the one you want, and how you plan to drive it.
Street Trucks reported in October 2023 that we do fabrication, interior and paint in our own shop. On a truck this old, the body work is where a lot of the hours go.
Rust is normal on a truck this old. Perseverance, our 1967 C10, came to us with rust in the floor, the rockers and the drip rails. We cut out what’s gone and replace it with new sheet metal, rather than covering it with filler.
Then the panels get fitted so the gaps are even. The hood, the doors and the front fenders all have to line up with each other and with the new stance. A lowered truck shows every uneven gap.
Paint comes last. The body is smoothed and primed, then the color and clear coat go on. Whether you want a single color, a two tone or custom paint with pinstriping, it’s planned with the rest of the build so the wheels, the trim and the interior all match it.
Ask us about Mean Mug’s paint. We’re glad to walk you through the choices on that truck and what they’d look like on yours.
Inside, you choose how far to go. Some owners want a cab that looks stock with modern comfort, like climate control and a better seat. Others want custom bucket seats, a new dash, modern gauges and leather everywhere.
An F100 cab is small, so every inch is planned. When a specialist adds something, like the HRH Designs seats in some of our other trucks, we say so.
It starts with a call or the quote form. We talk about the truck, your plans and how you’ll use it: cruising, shows or long drives.
Then we plan the whole build at once. Engine, chassis, suspension, brakes, body, paint and interior are decided together, before any metal gets cut. If the truck needs work before it can take the power you want, we’ll tell you that up front.
Our projects typically take 9 to 12 months, as All Chevy Performance reported in June 2024. More custom fabrication takes longer, and we’ll say so at the start.
You don’t need to live near Las Vegas or Cedar City. Our builds ship to collectors, racers and enthusiasts across the world.
Our shop is known for Chevys, but Mean Mug is a Ford with Ford power. Forgeline also featured our 1976 Porsche 914 at SEMA 2024.
See our custom C10 and classic truck builds for three more trucks, each with its source. Atomic ’57 is a 1957 Chevy pickup on a TCI frame with air ride, and Perseverance is a 1967 C10 on a custom frame.
For the bigger picture, read about our custom hot rod and street rod builds.
We don’t publish prices. Every build has too many variables, from the starting truck to the parts you choose. Reach out for a proper quote at (702) 369-7037 or use the quote form.
Our projects typically take 9 to 12 months, as All Chevy Performance reported in June 2024. Builds with more custom fabrication can take longer.
Yes. Our builds ship to collectors, racers and enthusiasts across the world. You don’t have to be near Las Vegas or Cedar City.
No. Mean Mug is a 1956 Ford F100 with a Ford Performance engine, and Forgeline featured our 1976 Porsche 914 at SEMA 2024.
Tell us about your truck and how you want to drive it. We’ll walk you through the build.
Nostalgia Hot Rods · 1196 Wigwam Parkway, Henderson, NV 89074 · (702) 369-7037