If this truck’s bold color scheme doesn’t immediately pull you in, its story definitely will.

The vehicle was originally purchased as a four-door sedan by Ray Nish, the service manager for an Oakland, California, Lincoln-Mercury dealership, and over the course of 13 years, it was transformed into what you see today: a full custom pickup like no other vehicle on the road. The truck went through eight different engines, four transmissions, and five rear axles before Nish settled on the current 368-cubic inch Lincoln V-8, which was mated to a Ford-O-Matic transmission from a 1957 Thunderbird. The engine remained stock, yet it received many chrome accessories, and the car was also fitted with power steering and power brakes, which improved drivability. At the rear, Nish fitted a 1957 Lincoln Power-Lock rear end with 3.31 gears and a shortened driveshaft.

According to the profile on the car in the September 1963 issue of Hot Rod magazine, Nish needed to haul some dirt around while he was doing landscaping, which prompted him to turn his sedan into a pickup for work duty before it hit the show circuit as a fully customized hot rod!

Its next biggest structural change came when Nish decided to discard the aging 1937 chassis and suspension for those of a 1956 Mercury, which meant narrowing and shortening the frame to fit the existing body. A 1940 Ford hood was installed and blended into the body, and at the back, 1961 Mercury taillights were fitted into a custom “diamond plate” trim piece. The truck also received custom removable running boards to complete the look.

The truck’s unique two-tone Pearl and Byzantine Gold theme, which was chosen by Ray’s wife, Sally, carries through to the interior in a very dramatic fashion, as white and gold leather stripes can be found on the seats and door panel. Nish installed 1961 Thunderbird gauges into the dash of a 1940 Ford, sourced a steering wheel from a 1961 Mercury Comet, and utilized Lincoln window switches for the power windows. The bucket seats are from a 1953 Mercedes-Benz 220 Cabriolet, and they are quite comfortable.

After it stopped making the rounds on the show circuit, this car received careful preservation by Nish and previous owners, one of which was noted collector Bob Pond. Ray Nish’s custom pickup presents just as well today as it did at the Oakland Grand National Roadster Show, where it won awards in 1961 and 1962. Its odometer reads 6,524 miles, all of which are believed to be original. In 2006, the car was purchased by the Andrews’, and it remains a highly compelling and period-correct custom that is in stunning condition.