Mean machine! This 1956 Ford F-100 has a dark secret – and we're not just talking about the wicked paint job…

There are loads of customized 1956 Ford F-100 pickup trucks out there but this one has to be one of the best. All it takes is a solitary glance to figure this satin black and lowered beauty is far from stock. It has been heavily customised and features a Ford Racing 5.2-litre flat-plane crank V8 – the same motor used in the Shelby GT350.

Here's one in original condition - the differences between the pair is as obvious as night and day...

Ford's Voodoo V8 can rev up to 8,000rpm and sounds like thunder; in the Shelby GT350 (and the GT350 R) it makes 526 horses at 7,500rpm and is mated to a 6-speed manual transmission. This truck breathes even more freely thanks to a custom Kooks exhaust system.

The original's ride height and the wheels couldn't be any more different!

It rides on Cobra independent front and rear suspension, is fitted with custom wheels and tyres and gets a Moshimoto polished radiator to keep it nice and cool. The The 63-old pickup’s body has been customized too with revamped panels, shaved turn signals engulfed into the bed of the truck, which is also custom, LED headlights and taillights and new running boards. It has been finished in Keystone KEY9801 Satin Black.

1956 was the last year of the second generation of F-series trucks, which also introduced the three-digit nomenclature and turned the half-ton F-1 into the F-100. The second generation also became the first of the iconic F-Series trucks with its wraparound windshield and new front grille and headlight design.

The interior packs a pair of bucket seats engulfed in leather, a Vintage Air system along with a custom console and a custom audio system. There’s also a backup camera, and all the gauges have been replaced with Dakota Digital units. You can check out more of the car at Barrett-Jackson's January auction in Scottsdale, where the F100 will go on sale with no reserve.

The origina's interior was a rather spartan affair and came with a bench seat, manual windows and that was about all. But it was still one of the most popular trucks in the US and is a sought-after for collectors model today.