Five months ago, Solomon Lunger of Ford Era announced an ambitious 1969 F-100 build set for the 2024 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas, Nevada. On November 5, the truck, known as “Clyde,” made its debut as part of the Ford Performance display at the show.

One head-turning tribute to Ford Truck heritage that has the heart of a supercharged Raptor R V8 and the soul of 1969 F-100 style… — Kim Mathers, Ford Motor Company

“I started Ford Era, and everybody was gravitating toward it…” Solomon said. “In like a week and a half, I had 30,000 followers on Ford Era, just because everybody would like there was not another one on Instagram. I was the only Ford thing on Instagram. There were tons of C10 pages, so I knew the recipe. I just followed the recipe and did it with the Ford stuff.”

Solomon Lunger of Ford Era set out to build something special for this year’s SEMA Show. Clyde was born with the help of Brothers Composites, Ford Performance, and many others. This all-carbon-fiber 1969 Ford F-100 blends modern style and power with those classic truck vibes, which checks all the boxes for Blue Oval fans. (Photos courtesy of Ford Motor Company and Solomon Lunger)

Part of that recipe was the build of a 1970 Ford F-250 dubbed “Gold Dust,” which Solomon revitalized as a diesel-powered, patina’d truck. More recently, he constructed a Godzilla-powered 1979 Ford F-150 Ranger XLT 4×4 shortbed that delivered 700 modern horsepower in a classic package. This year at the SEMA Show, he revealed what is likely his most ambitious project yet — Clyde, an all-carbon-fiber 1969 Ford F-100 propelled by the powerplant from Ford’s fiercest modern pickups.

“This last SEMA, I got really inspired, and I wanted to build something for SEMA this year, and I wasn’t sure what that was. I had this chassis, so I knew it would be this chassis, and I had a feeling it would be Clyde, the patina version. So at SEMA last year, I pitched all these companies and tell them what my plan is with the patina truck that I already have,” Solomon told us. “…I just needed a motor, a transmission, and a bunch of stuff, but not a crazy list.”

Ford Performance initially agreed to supply a new Gen 4 Coyote 5.0-liter crate engine but later decided that something more robust would be fitting given Solomon’s track record, creating classic Ford trucks that resonate with fans. As a result, the engine for the project stepped up to a 760-horsepower Predator 5.2-liter engine from the most recent Shelby GT500, at least until the project evolved again after he reached out to Brothers Composites to upgrade some well-worn pieces on his truck.

“When I realized that my truck was a rusty POS, I called them, and I was like, ‘Hey, what’s the chance I could get a hood and I could get bedsides?’” Solomon recalled. “And they’re like, ‘Well, that’s going to be kind of weird in a patina build.’ And I’m like, ‘Well, I’ve got this friend of mine who is a good airbrush artist, and I’m going to patina match the hood and the bed. Where it was black, it’ll be carbon, then we’ll put fake patina, and it’ll look cool. And they’re like, ‘That’s kind of stupid. Why don’t you just do a full carbon truck?’”

Upon receiving an epic engine and a smoking deal on a full carbon upgrade, Solomon knew he had to step up. Ford had bet on him in a big way, and he had to deliver in time for the SEMA Show. The pressure increased when the Blue Oval opted to use his truck as the venue to debut a new experimental crate engine. Based on the Carnivore 5.2-liter engine powering the latest F-150 Raptor R trucks, this Ford Performance 5.2-liter engine concept is topped by a 3.8-liter Whipple supercharger designed to deliver more than 900 horsepower right out of the crate.

“I really was scared,” he confessed. “So, you know, basically, miracles happened. I’ve got an incredible amount of faith in God, and he provided and did what he wanted, apparently, and things worked out.”

Things worked out in a big way, as the Clyde made its public debut in Ford’s booth at the SEMA Show this week in Las Vegas in all its carbon fiber, Carnivore-powered glory, where it garnered attention from an international audience.

“We’ve created four previews of potential and planned future Ford Custom Garage customization packages for today’s Bronco, Bronco Sport, and F-150 customers, plus one head-turning tribute to Ford Truck heritage that has the heart of a supercharged Raptor R V8 and the soul of 1969 F-100 style,” Kim Mathers, director of Ford Vehicle Personalization and Performance Parts, said of this year’s Ford display.

With his involvement in the automotive aftermarket, Solomon also launched his own company, Solos Manufacturing, which created these gorgeous, 20-inch forged wheels inspired by the factory hoops but giving off distinctly modern vibes.

If you didn’t see Clyde in person at the SEMA Show, the truck that embodies that power and soul will make its debut to the general public at the annual Solos Beach Bonanza from January 24-25, 2025, in Key Largo, Florida.

Of course, you might wonder what Solomon has up his sleeve next. Well, you can’t have Clyde without Bonnie, so he already has big plans for next year’s SEMA build, which will start with a 1969 Ford F-250 4×4 pickup.