Famous Trucks: Sly Stallone’s 1955 Ford F-100 from The Expendables

Some movie vehicles are props. Others are builds—trucks and cars that earn a second look even when the cameras aren't rolling. RealTruck's Famous Trucks series is dedicated to the latter—the iconic vehicles that show up on screen and refuse to be forgotten, whether it's the Chevy K10 Stepside from Red Dawn, the Ford F-150 from CHiPs, or the truck we're covering this month—the murdered-out 1955 Ford F-100 restomod that Sylvester Stallone drove as Barney Ross in the original The Expendables.​

The truck may be understated, but it’s certainly not subtle. With satin black paint, a chopped top, mercury grille teeth, custom hood vents, and a built small-block V8, this F-100 looks exactly like the kind of vehicle a mercenary with decades of operational experience would choose for a chase scene. The sequence with Dolph Lundgren in the Bronco cemented it as one of the more memorable vehicle moments in the franchise, and the build behind it turned out to be as radical and interesting as the truck's screen time.

Released in August 2010, The Expendables was Sylvester Stallone's love letter to the action films that defined the 1980s and 1990s—conceived, written, and directed by Stallone himself with a stated goal of assembling as many recognizable action stars as possible in a single film. The result was a cast that read more like an action-hero hall of fame, including Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, Terry Crews, Steve Austin, and cameo appearances by Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis.

The plot follows a team of elite mercenaries—the Expendables—hired to infiltrate a South American island nation and overthrow a ruthless dictator. Stallone plays Barney Ross, the team's leader and the kind of operator who drives a restomod F-100 as a daily driver, because, of course, he does. The film doesn't take itself too seriously, which is exactly the point. It's an over-the-top homage to practical stunt work, large personalities, and action sequences built around real vehicles rather than CGI.​

The film received mixed critical reception. While unabashedly nostalgic, its thin plot wasn’t the most fleshed out—but then again, does it really matter? Audiences responded enthusiastically, and the film grossed over $274 million worldwide. The film spawned two sequels that attempted to push the envelope even further, trading well-crafted plots for high-intensity action.

The F-100 is the character that doesn't speak—but doesn't need to. West Coast Customs, based in Burbank, California, was tasked with building not just one but three trucks—one hero (owned by Stallone himself) and two stunt trucks used for crash sequences and green screen work.​

Funny enough, West Coast Customs couldn't source three actual 1955 F-100s in time for production—they were too rare to locate three usable examples on the tight filming schedule. Instead, the team started with a combination of 1955 and 1967 base and donor models, modifying any ‘56s to look like ‘55s. The key difference between the two years is 1956's one-year-only wraparound windshield and revised cab geometry—features that WCC reworked to match 1955's more upright, squared-off appearance. The finished trucks read convincingly as 1955s on screen.​

After sourcing replacement body panels to eliminate any notable damage, WCC chopped the top by three inches and added custom hood vents. The grille incorporates 1950 Mercury teeth for a custom look, and the whole exterior is finished in satin black, giving the truck an understated, sinister appearance.​

Under the hood sits a 347-cubic-inch Ford small block (302-based) from ATK Engines, producing plenty of power and glorious sounds from the tailpipe. The Edelbrock intake, carburetor, and valve train components give the engine the period-correct appearance that suits the truck's aesthetic while delivering modern performance.​

The interior features several upgrades, including aftermarket seats, gauges, and—in keeping with Barney Ross's particular skill set—hidden pistol and rifle compartments built directly into the cab. Big disc brakes handle the stopping, and the truck rides on a lowered suspension that gives it its characteristic aggressive stance.

A tribute build is one of the best ways to insert yourself into your favorite films—blending clear inspiration with the freedom to make it your own. Whether or not you’re a fan of The Expendables, a murdered-out restomod F-100 is a radical build. The 1955 styling is widely considered one of the high points of classic American truck design, and a properly built example draws attention at every stop.​

Want to build your own? Follow along through our step-by-step guide to piece together a respectable tribute to Barney’s souped-up F-100.

Technically, a 1955 Ford F-100 is the ideal starting point. However, 1953–’55 are virtually identical. Unless you have serious fab skills, we’d recommend against the 1956 model year, as the ‘56 features several one-year-only changes that differentiate it from the rest of the generation. Any of the three years (1953–’55) makes an equally valid foundation—what you're after is a clean cab and a straight body to work with, and 1953 and 1954 examples are sometimes easier to find than 1955s.

The screen-used trucks took a straightforward approach to exterior modifications—chop the top three inches, add custom oval hood vents, add Mercury grille fins, and paint everything satin black. The chop top, specifically, is sheet-metal work best left to an experienced body shop, unless you have the tools and know-how to execute it cleanly. The satin finish is worth getting right—a properly applied, well-protected satin black looks dramatically better than a cheap rattle-can job.

The screen-used truck ran Lexani wheels—a contemporary brand that works alright in the film, but may not be everyone's first choice for a build that leans period-correct. A more classic-leaning alternative is the American Racing Torq-Thrust M in black—one of the most iconic wheels in American hot rod history. These wheels are available in black and in larger diameters for a restomod look. Pair them with a performance-oriented low-profile tire like the Toyo Proxes S/T III for a combination that looks period-appropriate from a distance and handles like a modern truck on the road.

The 347 stroker is a proven recipe, but it's not the only path. Any built Ford small-block in the 302–351 family will suit the F-100's engine bay and deliver the character the build calls for. The Edelbrock intake and carburetor combination delivers simple, era-correct power without the need for complex swap kits and EFI systems. Complement it with a quality exhaust, and you'll have a truck that sounds as good as it looks.

A few details that distinguish the Expendables build from a generic F-100 restomod. The lowered stance (a dropped spindle and C-notched rear gets you there), the disc brake upgrade (both function and style under the spokes of the Torq-Thrust), and the all-black exterior accents—door handles, badges, trim—that give the truck a menacing, murdered-out look. The stunt trucks are also littered with bullet holes and cosmetic damage, which is one detail you can probably skip (magnetic bullet hole decals are acceptable).

Q: Where Is the Expendables Truck Now?

A: The hero truck—the one built for Stallone to keep—was eventually sold at auction for approximately $132,000. Its current whereabouts are in private hands. The two production trucks built for stunt and green-screen work were more stripped-down builds and likely did not survive filming.​

Q: Were the Trucks Actually 1955 F-100s?

A: No—and this is a detail the production itself acknowledged. West Coast Customs could not source three usable 1955 F-100s within the tight filming timeline, so they started with a combination of 1955 and ‘56 models and modified the bodies to make them all look like 1955s. The differences are subtle—primarily the windshield and cab geometry—but the finished trucks read convincingly as 1955s on screen.​

Q: How Long Did West Coast Customs Have to Build the Trucks?

A: The build timeline was extremely compressed. WCC completed all three trucks in approximately three weeks, working around the clock with additional help from WyoTech students to meet the production schedule. An episode of the West Coast Customs television series was dedicated to documenting the build process.​

Q: What Engine Is in the Expendables F-100?

A: A 347-cubic-inch Ford small block from ATK Engines, fitted with an Edelbrock Total Power Package and reportedly producing 429 horsepower and 411 lb-ft of torque. The 347 is a stroked and bored version of the classic 302 Ford small block.​

Q: Is the F-100 in The Expendables Street Legal?

A: The hero truck—the one Stallone kept—was built to be fully drivable and street legal, not a prop shell. It features a complete interior, functioning gauges, and real performance hardware throughout.