Goliath Rises: How Dubs Kustoms Turned a Vintage Mercury Pickup into a 700-HP Road Giant

Описание: Goliath Rises: How Dubs Kustoms Turned a Vintage Mercury Pickup into a 700‑HP Road Giant

Every custom build has a story; Goliath’s begins with a dusty, long‑neglected Mercury pickup that most people would have overlooked. Dubs Kustoms saw something else — a blank canvas with old‑world lines and the potential to become a modern, usable show truck. The result is Goliath: a bold, brutal and beautifully finished custom pickup that blends classic cues with contemporary performance and creature comforts.

The idea and the build
The concept for Goliath was simple in theory: respect the original Mercury silhouette while reimagining every structural and mechanical element beneath the skin. Dubs Kustoms’ brief from the client was equally clear — it had to look massive, drive like a modern performance truck, and be comfortable enough for long runs to shows. The build team spent the first month on design, sketching proportions that preserved the Mercury’s character but emphasized width, stance, and presence.

A full teardown followed. The original chassis and drivetrain were removed, core body panels were metal‑worked and corrected, and custom subframes were fabricated to accept modern running gear. Over the ten months of build time, Dubs Kustoms welded, hand‑formed, and engineered dozens of bespoke components: stretched cab mounts, widened rear quarters, a custom bed floor that hides the fuel cell and electronics, and a hand‑shaped grille that keeps the vintage Mercury face recognizable from a distance.

Key design touches include a mild 2.5‑inch roof chop to lower the visual center of gravity without crushing headroom, shaved door handles and trim for a clean profile, integrated LED lighting hidden behind period‑correct lenses, and a “bathtub” bed with a smooth tailgate and integrated roll pan. The paint, a deep three‑stage candy finish called Goliath Green, shifts from forest to petrol blue depending on the light.

Powertrain and performance
Goliath was built to surprise when you lift your foot. Dubs Kustoms installed a highly modified Ford Coyote 5.0L V8 — a deliberate choice to pair Mercury heritage with modern Ford performance. The engine is equipped with a twin‑scroll turbo system, forged internals, upgraded fuel system, and a standalone ECU tuned for E85-capable fuel flexibility. Conservatively rated for 700 hp and 640 lb‑ft of torque at the wheels, the package gives the heavy truck an unexpected turn of pace.

A Tremec six‑speed manual (Tremec T56 Magnum) couples the engine to a custom driveshaft and a reinforced Dana 60 rear end with 3.73 gears and a limited‑slip differential. Goliath launches hard but predictably — 0–60 mph arrives in the mid‑3‑second range on sticky rubber. Top speed is electronically limited for driveline safety, but the truck feels planted and composed well into triple digits.

Chassis, suspension and brakes
Underneath, Goliath blends modern independent front suspension with a four‑link coilover rear and an adjustable air‑ride system. This hybrid approach lets the truck sit slammed at shows and then be raised for road clearance on longer drives. Front suspension geometry was tuned for steering feel and tire contact during spirited driving.

Stopping this heavyweight requires heavy hardware: 15‑inch vented rotors with six‑piston calipers up front and 14‑inch rotors with four‑piston calipers at the rear, all sourced from high‑performance suppliers and custom‑mounted to the bespoke hubs. The brake system includes an adjustable proportioning setup and ABS integration.

Wheels, tires and weight
A staggered setup gives Goliath its stance — 20x10 front and 22x12 rear forged wheels wrapped in 275/35 front and 335/30 rear performance tires. The build ended up heavier than a typical modern pickup due to the full steel body and handcrafted elements, tipping the scales around 4,300–4,600 lbs. Dubs balanced mass and strength carefully to retain structural integrity while keeping performance lively.

Interior and electronics
Inside, the cabin is a study in contrast: vintage lines softened by modern ergonomics. Hand‑stitched leather seats, a reworked bench that functions as two individual seats with center console, and a fully digital instrument cluster that communicates with the aftermarket ECU and vehicle systems give the driver modern control without erasing the retro vibe. Climate control, wireless charging, a purpose‑built audio system and LED ambient lighting make the truck comfortable for long drives.

Electronics are centralized on a Holley/standalone ECU with a CAN‑bus gateway to preserve and repurpose some vintage switches. The wiring was routed into a sealed electronics bay under the bed to keep moisture and heat away from critical components.