Epic Ford Journey: From SEMA to Dino’s Git Down

KC and Luke Mathieu’s Epic Road Trip

Just when I thought the adventures with KC Mathieu couldn’t get any better, he called me up a few weeks before SEMA 2023 with another exciting proposition. This time, he asked me about my plans for the week after SEMA, specifically for Dino’s Git Down in Phoenix—a show primarily dedicated to Chevy trucks. KC invited me to join Luke and him on an epic road trip from Fort Worth, Texas, to Phoenix and back. They planned to drive the 1948 Ford F-1, Larky the 1976 F-100, and the Godzilla-swapped SuperCab towing an enclosed trailer.

We weren’t in a major rush and had a blast exploring the beautiful landscapes of our country.

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If there’s one thing I’m known for, it’s my love for making memories and having a great time, so it didn’t take much convincing for me to say yes. Plus, this time I already knew the trucks were perfect, having been driven daily and  accumulating tens of thousands of miles throughout the last year.

The Adventure Begins

We met at Dino’s Git Down, and the journey started from there. I hopped into one of the trucks, and we began our trek eastward with no real plan other than to enjoy ourselves. We had no strict itinerary, allowing us to truly savor the road trip. If you want to see the adventure, you can check out my YouTube channel, Ford Era.

The trip was incredibly smooth. The trucks were monsters on the road, with KC’s ’48 being the scariest and most thrilling of them all. We weren’t in a major rush and had a blast exploring the beautiful landscapes of our country. Luke had saved up and installed a Gen 5 Whipple 3.0L supercharger on Larky, allowing him to keep up with the big boys. While I won’t disclose our cruising speed, let’s just say it was quite the adrenaline rush. This trip ultimately inspired me to build my version, Clyde, for SEMA 2024—but that’s a story for another time.

 Back Home in Burleson, Texas

Once we returned to Burleson, Texas, home for KC and his family, I thought it was the perfect time to finally get some photos of KC’s iconic green 1968 F-100, Frankenstein. I had visited Texas on three separate occasions to photograph it, but every time, KC managed to break it right before I arrived. This time, the truck was broken again, but KC assured me he could quickly fix it.

We loaded up Frankenstein and took it to the hot-rod shop to fix the issues. Unfortunately, a new problem surfaced, spoiling some of the fun. Determined to get some awesome photos for a magazine article and a fun YouTube video, I decided to document all of KC’s Fords.

Seeing all these trucks together was a new level of inspiration. It was clear to me that KC is a simple man who has figured out what many of us want in life: to work every day without it feeling like work and to chase our dreams. KC’s journey from humble beginnings to a life filled with achievements and a garage full of dream trucks is nothing short of inspirational.

A Life Well Lived

KC is living his best life, balancing being a great father to Luke and Lucy, an awesome boss, and a loyal friend. He has worked extremely hard for the life he wanted and is now enjoying the fruits of his labor. I’m excited to see what he does next. He’s been very active on his KC’s Paint Shop YouTube channel and attending various shows around the US, so hopefully you’ll catch him there.

For anyone who wants to see the full journey, search “Ford Era” on YouTube to watch the adventures unfold.

Here’s to more miles and memories on the road with KC and the Ford Era family.

KC’s Impressive Collection

KC’s collection is nothing short of inspiring. Watching him fire up each of his trucks was a sight to behold. Here’s a rundown of what he has in his stable:

1948 Ford F-1 with a Whipple-supercharged 5.2 Aluminator Coyote

1968 Ford F-100 (Frankenstein) with a Whipple-supercharged 5.2 Aluminator Coyote

1973 Ford F-250 SuperCab with a Harrop-supercharged 7.3L Godzilla

Luke’s 1976 Ford F-100 with a Whipple-supercharged 5.0 Coyote

Red 1995 Ford SVT Lightning with a VMP-supercharged 5.0 Coyote

1995 bone stock white Ford SVT Lightning, which KC drives the most

Photo Credit: Solomon Lunger