Fuller Moto Shows its Gorgeous Georgia Peach 1940 Ford Truck at the 2017 SEMA Show

The meticulous work on the grille and the headlamp bezels was achieved through new and old tech

Bryan enrolled in one of the top tech schools in the country. While he’d helped his dad restore a 1964 Mustang, and built his own 327-powered Model A, he wanted to become proficient on all the tools of his new trade.

He moved to Southern California and continued his education at the So-Cal Speed Shop and with Chip Foose. During that time his name became known to enthusiasts through his appearances on “Overhaulin” and “Rides”.

In 2005, Bryan decided he was ready to open his own shop and moved to Atlanta. Building both award-winning bikes and cars, Fuller’s presence became even more wide-spread, including appearances on shows like “Two Guys Garage”, “Naked Speed”, and his current TV gig hosting “Caffeine and Octane” on NBC Sports.

The exhaust exits through the panel below the bed on the side of the truck

Take his latest creation, a 1940 Ford truck barn find that’s been completely rebuilt in Fuller Moto style. The “Georgia Gold” pickup debuted to widespread acclaim at the 2017 SEMA Show where it was on display at the WyoTech booth, his alma mater.

After the truck was hauled into the shop, the body was removed from the chassis. Not only is a 77-year-old frame not up to the rigors of normal driving, Bryan had plans to increase both power and grip. So a custom-made Art Morrison chassis with tubular independent front suspension became the starting point.

Around back, an Art Morrison four-bar kit makes certain the solid rear axle with Tiger magnesium quick-change travels up and down as it’s supposed to. The quick-change rearend is light and allows easy changing of the final drive ratio.

At the top of the Ford Windsor 302 V8 proudly sits a 14-inch round K&N air filter

The wheels are mounted on lightweight aluminum Sprint Car Wide-5 hubs, a fitting choice as after WW11 the 1937-1940 Ford was a popular choice among circle track racers right into the 1960s. The period correct looking bias-ply tires are actually modern Coker Firestone radials.

While some might have been tempted to install a Ford Flathead, truth be told they’re not the most efficient engines and take a great deal of work to produce reasonable power. Instead, Bryan went for an engine design that’s just 20 years older than the truck itself – a Ford Windsor. He selected one of the highest-performance versions of the Windsor, the 302, which itself debuted nearly 50 years ago.

The 302 Ford V8 is fitted with a K&N air filter feeding a Holley 650 CFM carb atop an Edelbrock manifold along with Edelbrock finned aluminum valve covers. Orange-colored headers catch the eye when the hood’s first opened.

The seats, door panels, and shift boot are all covered in a rich, distressed saddle leather

As for design details, you could spend an hour or two combing over the truck and still not find all of them. For example, Bryan decided to honor the 67-year-old patina of the exterior even with new panels he created. Then he added a subtle gold pinstripe that looks like it's been clinging to the paint for decades. Another detail easily missed is the aircraft-type magnesium fuel filler on the left rear fender. Again surrounded by a riveted bezel, it looks as though it was fitted to the truck decades ago.

The front of the truck is the area that most people first notice. The grille and headlight bezels are both cut by waterjet, tig-welded, and aged like the fuel filler bezel and then mounted in place by more than 100 rivets.

A little reminder on the gold leaf covered dash that you're riding in a very special pickup

This truck took our breath away at the 2017 SEMA show and we heard lots of positive reactions while standing around gawking at all its beauty. K&N is honored to be a part of this and the other builds that Bryan Fuller and Fuller Moto has included us on.