1957 Jeep FC-150: From Marketplace To Masterpiece

Ernie Vole, owner of Ernie’s Custom Shop in Vernon Hills, Illinois, saw a Jeep FC Forward Control for the first time at the 2016 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. He was hooked instantly. Its uniqueness grabbed him, and he launched a hunt for one worth rebuilding. Six years went by with no luck. Then his search took a surprising turn and ended with the acquisition of a 1957 Jeep FC-150.

Found While Standing In Line At Disney World

Ernie and his family were on vacation in Florida, standing in line at Disney World, when his dad started scrolling through Facebook Marketplace to pass the time. He spotted an FC for sale and showed it to Ernie, who knew right away it could be the one. Another surprise came next. The truck was practically in Ernie’s backyard. It was only 20 minutes from his house, so he called one of his shop techs and asked him head over and buy it.

The brown and orange FC’s body was solid, and the engine ran, even if it was a little rough. Ernie saw it as the perfect launchpad for a custom build. He says, “I was so excited to get my unicorn after looking for so many years.” Ernie, whose favorite wheeling spot is the Black Hills of South Dakota, completed the FC’s build in only six weeks. He pulled ideas from his 25 years of wheeling experience along with other builds and incorporated them into the truck’s design.

Rebuilt GM 3.8-Liter V6, T-90 Transmission, Dana 18 T-Case

At some point in the FC’s life, its original F-head four-cylinder was swapped for a carbureted GM 3.8-liter V6. Ernie decided to keep the V6 and sent it to Jasper Engines & Transmissions for a full rebuild. It is paired with the original BorgWarner T-90 iron-case three-speed manual transmission. Behind that sits the FC’s original Dana 18 iron-case two-speed transfer case with a PTO port.

Factory Axles, With Upgrades

The FC’s axles are the factory units, a Dana 25 up front and a Dana 44 in the back. Both now run Revolution Gear & Axle chromoly axleshafts and 3.73:1 gears. The rear axle also packs an Eaton Detroit Locker.

Custom Suspension, 32s

Up front, the FC runs a two-inch lift with modified Rough Country Jeep CJ leaf springs paired with late-1980s Ford Ranger-application Rough Country N3 nitrogen-charged shocks. Out back, two-inch-lift Rough Country Jeep CJ-application leaf springs team with Jeep Wrangler JK-application shocks.

The lift creates room  for a set of LT265/70R17 (32-inch diameter) Mickey Thompson Baja Legend EXP tires mounted on 9-inch-wide Fittipaldi Off Road FT101 wheels.

Custom Wrecker Boom And More

Ernie also owns a wrecker service, which was the inspiration to turn the FC into an off-road recovery rig. The custom fixed boom, typical of the era, was designed by Ernie and built by RealWheels Corporation. It runs a pair of Rough Country Vertex 2.5 remote-reservoir coilovers to stiffen and dampen the boom. A Mile Marker Mission Series 12,000-pound-capacity winch feeds the boom rope in and out. The boom assembly also features Federal Signal SLR beacon lights, Rigid Industries 360 Series LEDs, and a Rigid lightbar.

Tucked into the FC’s factory bed is a recessed spare tire, a trio of five-gallon jerrycans, and a three-gallon compressed air tank.

Custom Bumpers, More Lighting

On the outside, Ernie turned the factory spare tire spot on the passenger side into a mount for a lockable storage unit. The factory 16-gallon fuel tank remains on the driver side. The truck’s tail carries a modified Jeep Wrangler JL-application Rough Country bumper with dual recovery points, and a pair of Rigid LED backup lights are recessed into the tailgate.

Up front, a modified 2021 Ford F-150-application Rough Country bumper adds another set of dual recovery points. The cab wears a custom Fyrehill Fabrications roof-mount light cage that holds a quartet of Rigid lights. Wheel-Inn Body & Motorworks handled the bodywork and paint, and X-Treme Graphics designed and produced the graphics.

Original Interior Elements, With A Few Modifications

Inside, most of the FC’s original elements remain, but Ernie added a few key upgrades. He installed an Auxbeam twelve-gang switch panel to run the lighting, dyed the seats to get the color he wanted, and mounted a Cobra CB radio.

Good Things Come To Those Who Wait

In the end, Ernie says, “This was truly a crazy story on how this vehicle came about after searching for years. Like they saying goes, good things come to those who wait.” 

Photos by Ken Brubaker and Ernie’s Custom Shop