Free Horsepower Tips
April 5, 2024
THE AUTO BUILDER
Featured
Grand National F-100 Show Packs Pigeon Forge with Over 1,100 Classic Ford Trucks
The Smoky Mountains were once again overflowing with classic Ford truck horsepower as the 2026 Grand National F-100 Show took over Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, for another massive weekend of Blue Oval domination. Held May 14-16 at the LeConte Center, the event continues to cement itself as the largest classic Ford truck show in the world — and judging by this year’s turnout, it’s still growing at full throttle.
Product Spotlight: Borgeson Street & Performance Series C-10 12.7:1 Power Steering Box
Borgeson Universal now offers an all new modern quick ratio power steering box to replace the Saginaw/Delphi 800 series in 68-86 Chevy C10 trucks. This all new power steering box has a quick 12.7:1 ratio with firm modern steering feel. The Borgeson Street & Performance power steering box will bolt directly to the stock location and fit to the original power steering pitman arms.
A Tough Act to Follow
Though clutches rank below power-adders on the desirability scale, they are every bit as important. In fact, you’d be better off not spending the time and money on a trick blower or turbo kit if you do not plan on upgrading the stock clutch assembly. Sure, it is possible on some applications to improve the performance of your motor without a clutch and pressure plate upgrade, but you can only take things so far. Eventually, the engine will let you know by racing to the moon when you least expect it. Your clutch will likely slip under full throttle, and most probably at the highest load. Better hope you have a rev limiter or things can really get ugly. But have no fear … Advanced Clutch Technology (ACT) has come up with a variety of effective combinations to cater to the needs of performance enthusiasts and racers.
Spotlighter
BUTCH
Building a True-to-Form ’57 D/Stock Chevy 150
Back in the ’60s, a youthful Barry Wallner was well known in and around Illinois for his modified ’57 sedan delivery. It was a tough competitor at the local dragstrips, but time took its toll, and most of the dragstrips have disappeared, giving way to housing and shopping-center developments and industrial complexes. But this hasn’t stopped Wallner, who was an adept restorer. So, from the late-’60s through the mid-’90s, he has gone on with other ’57 Chevys to win top show awards.
Author
Doug Marion
Photography & Words
The Story of Barry and Nancy Wallner’s 1957 Chevy 150
We originally met up with Wallner back in the late-’80s, when his 270hp three-speed Sierra Gold Nomad was a top show car example, having won Best Original Restored at the National Nomad convention—twice.
A Car with History
Nicknamed “Butch,” Wallner’s white ’57 150 grew up in central California near Bakersfield. It was a heater-delete car that moved in with Wallner and his wife, Nancy, when it was just a lad of 20. Evidently, Butch was a seasoned drag car that they purchased without engine and transmission. On the upside, it had the very rare California one-piece front and rear bumpers and a seamless (lighter) frame. It was restored at home with assistance from friend Butch McDow. The chassis features all-new suspension, brake components, fuel and brake lines and body mounts.
Power and Performance
A legitimate ’57 283 Power-Pack V-8 engine was machined and bored out 0.060 inch for 292 ci at Gillespie Machine in Roodhouse, Illinois. Carlinville, Illinois’ Casey Boyett did the assembly. The compression ratio is about 9.5:1. A Duntov 270hp solid-lifter camshaft, otherwise known as an “098,” lets the engine make power to 6,000 rpm. The induction consists of a factory 270hp dual-quad setup. A pair of 350cfm Carter WCFB four-barrel carbs sits on the Chevy aluminum intake manifold. A Mallory electronic ignition system fires the cylinders, while highly sought-after Stahl fenderwell headers scavenge the exhaust to a pair of Purple Hornie glass-pack mufflers, with full tailpipes exiting at the rear.
Transmission and Drivetrain
Chevy’s first four-speed, the Borg-Warner T10, became available in May 1957. Butch has a four-speed, but it is a heavy-duty Muncie unit produced in the ’60s. It is actuated by a Hurst Competition Plus shifter. The clutch pedal actuates a heavy-duty GM truck clutch—just like the good ol’ days! Covering the clutch assembly is a vintage Ansen scattershield.
Restoration and Aesthetic Details
In the looks department, Wallner performed most of the body prep and then McDow applied many coats of the car’s original color, Imperial Ivory. The 150’s interior was renewed at Bill’s Custom in Bethalto, Illinois. All of the same silver and black fabric was purchased at C.A.R.S. in Detroit. Butch also has an exact-reproduction rubber floor covering, since 150 models usually had no carpet. If one did, it was an extra-cost option.
Rear End and Suspension
The original differential now packs a 4.11:1 positraction thirdmember. The leaf springs are held in check by a pair of traction bars. While the car is generally not raced, the Wallners uncovered a very rare set of J.C. Penney-brand 800/850×14 cheater slicks.
On the Road and at Shows
Butch is driven all over rural western Illinois, but for car shows a few hours or longer from home, Butch rides inside an enclosed trailer so that Barry and Nancy can survive humid summers in their air-conditioned Chevy pickup tow vehicle. Sitting in front of Butch in the Wallner garage is a rust-free ’57 Bel Air two-door hardtop with a numbers-matching 283 Power-Pack, Powerglide transmission, tinted glass, dual rear antennas and skirts, and in the final stages of a full restoration.
A Crowd Favorite
At the 2003 Fred Gibb Memorial Car Show in La Harpe, Illinois, last August, ol’ Butch was like a magnet. Droves of onlookers crowded around staring at its antiquity. All then gave Wallner a smile and a thumbs-up! Multiple questions then usually followed. If there were a Most Popular Chevy award, Butch certainly would have been a top candidate.
A Legacy of Classic Chevys
In all, the Wallners have owned 10 ’57 Chevys and a pair of Cameo pickup trucks. While their Sierra Gold ’57 Nomad was a flawless two-time national show winner, we believe “Butch” will be how folks best remember Barry and Nancy Wallner.
The 270hp 283 engine features 9.5:1 compression, a Duntov 098 solid-lifter camshaft, 1.72 and 1.50 valve heads and a pair of Carter WCFB 380cfm carbs. For better overall electricals, a 65-amp alternator replaces the original generator. Note the heater delete.
Note the heater delete.
Being NHRA drag racing fans, the Wallners have gotten some famous racers to autograph Butch’s dash: ’03 Indy F/C winner Tim Wilkerson; feared hot shoe Larry Dixon, Jr.; and “Swamp Rat” veteran dragster driver/builder Don Garlits.
