We're seeing more and more Ford 5.0L Coyote modular engines being planted between the fenders of classic Blue Oval iron. Your Ford doesn't have to be Coyote-powered to qualify for a Ford Performance/STREET RODDER Best Ford In A Ford award, but as our recent slate of winners is proving, it's a great way to go. We saw a few great examples at the 66th Annual Detroit Autorama Presented by O'Reilly Auto Parts, and chose this patent-leather black 1995 F-100 as our pick from Cobo Hall.

Unknown to us, truck owner Shane Sonneveldt of Bethesda, Maryland, is not just a fan of Fords in Fords, he's a fan of the award. When we met him, he told us that he faithfully follows STREET RODDER's BFIAF features, and had made the award a goal for himself.

Shane's '55 was built entirely in-house by Brian Moat and his team at All Speed Customs in Muskegon, Michigan (that's Paul Wetmore from ASC, Shane Sonneveldt, and Brian Moat, left to right, in the photo below). Their work included everything from sheetmetal fabrication and paint to all the mechanical modifications and the interior upholstery. It's a fairly recent build, but Shane's ownership of the F-100 began 36 years ago, on his 13th birthday.

See all 17 photos

The truck was purchased in 1982, as a birthday gift from his dad, he told us. It was a father/son project for Shane and his father, Robert. "We quickly disassembled the truck, stripped and painted the frame, installed a new front suspension and 9-inch rear, built a junkyard Chevy 350 motor and TH400 trans, and roughed out all the bodywork. Then the realities of working with a hard-headed teenage boy overtook the project, and the truck ended up in storage while the I focused on Trans Ams and Mustangs." The neglected F-100 moved from one storage location to another until the late Nineties, when Shane's father sold it.

When Robert was diagnosed with cancer in 2010, a good friend located the F-100 and Shane bought it. The truck had undergone some work in the years since they'd seen it, but the progress had stalled again. Shane turned the project over to Brian and All Speed Customs and the truck was finally finished. After nearly three decades, the '55 was back on the road. "My dad used the truck daily for the next five years in the Michigan summers, hauling pop-up campers and grandkids, running errands, moving furniture, and commuting to chemotherapy appointments."

See all 17 photos

Robert passed away in 2016. Shane sent the well-enjoyed F-100 back to All Speed Customs for the next phase. The bodywork was updated with numerous modifications including gapped panels, hidden tailgate latches. Brian Moat's paint job combines high-shine Raven Black with matte gray on the roof, grille, wheels, and bed wood.

Underneath, the smoothed frame is suspended with a Total Cost Involved independent front suspension and four-link rear, and RideTech double adjustable coilovers. Fifteen-inch Wheel Vintiques steel wheels are wrapped in fat 285- and 255-series BFG Silvertown whitewalls, with 12-inch disc brakes to slow them down.

See all 17 photos

Interior appointments start with a custom bench seat, upholstered in red leather and suede. The German weave carpet was selected to match, and the door jambs are accented with horizontal trim pieces. The '44 Lincoln Zephyr steering wheel is a perfect finishing touch. Pioneer and JL Audio components from K2 Audio keep the cab filled with tunes. Vintage Air A/C keeps it comfortable.

We started this story by talking about Coyote engines. That's what Shane chose to power the pickup, along with a Ford 6-speed automatic transmission, and a Ford 9-inch rear with 3.55 gears. "My dad was an old hot rodder who felt that a Ford body should be powered by a Ford V8," he explained. "This powertrain was specifically chosen to keep a Ford motor in the Ford truck, and offer modern horsepower and reliability for regular use."

See all 17 photos

Regular use is still what Shane's '55 F-100 is about. The truck shows up at events like the Detroit Autorama from time to time, but it's more likely to be seen on the street, with Shane's kids along for the ride.