A Brief History

In early 1989, I purchased a 1989 Ford F-250, 4WD pickup to use in my woodworking business, and as a daily driver. I have driven this vehicle ever since, and, though I have other vehicles, it has been my primary mode of transportation up until last year, when it developed an overheating problem which caused it to leave me at the side of the road a couple of times. I have put a lot of work into this truck over the years, and am not about to give up now. So as I am currently transitioning from the woodworking business into the digital media/marketing space, I have pulled the Kruezzemobille into the shop, where it awaits a complete rebuild. I’ll be doing bodywork, engine work, refreshing the suspension, creating a new interior, a custom bed interior, custom paint, and on and on. I’ll detail this project – taking this truck from the point where it is currently, through to making it into a fully realized show car, on this page, and on my YouTube channel.

Project overview

This is not the first round of bodywork to be done on this truck. I fixed the cab corners and rear wheel arches, as well as replaced a fender and a door about 10 years ago. All but the fender need a bit more attention. I live in a state where brine is used on the roads in the winter, and, as a result, the rust has returned to various body areas more than ever. Naturally, the frame needs some attention as well. This project will be carried out in a way that might seem out of order to some folks-I am starting by cleaning everything as best as possible first, so I know what I have, and also so that I can see progress. Many parts are hard to get, I’ll be replacing that which gets replaced as parts come in, as long as I don’t end up making more work for myself in the process. New, protective coatings are going to be applied everywhere to help reduce the possibility and amount of future rust.

Since rear wheel arches are one of the first things to rust on most trucks, I have designed a custom bed interior that will feature thick aluminum in its construction, interior side toolboxes, spare storage, etc, which will be sealed into the bottoms of the side body panels. Similarly, I will be installing enclosed sections beneath the cab to house amps, subwoofer, and other electronics for the in-car entertainment, which will seal moisture out of the sill plates and cab corners.

Interior

The seat is going to be reshaped and covered in a two-tone custom vinyl covering, which will also extend to other areas of the interior. A full set of Autometer gauges will replace the stock cluster, as well as take positions on the driver A-pillar, and the stock radio space. A new 7″ receiver with all of the current day features will locate above the temperature controls in a new cowling that will complement the original dash features. A variety of additional electrical and electronic features will be installed for convenience.