Street Rods
Explore the intricate process of installing a high-performance ZR1/4L80E powertrain into a 1956 Chevrolet half-ton truck chassis. Cimtex Rods in Jarrell, Texas, shares the meticulous steps involved, including fabricating engine mounts, an adjustable transmission crossmember, and a custom aluminum driveshaft. Witness the thoughtful decisions, like setting the engine back for optimal weight transfer and accommodating essential components like intercoolers and superchargers.
0Comments
There are a few things you need to know about Sonny Wells. First, Sonny, who is a cabinetmaker in Clearwater, Florida, owns an Elkhart Blue 1967 Corvette with a black stinger hood. Actually, his wife, Jill, lets him share the Corvette with her. Second, Sonny has always had a hankering for an old truck. Third, Jill was tired of sharing the Corvette with Sonny and having to listen to him constantly complain that he wanted an old truck. With that in mind, Sonny began his quest for an old pickup.
0Comments
Dave Kaminski wanted a custom-built truck, but he also wanted a vehicle he could take to a dealer for repairs, plug it into a computer for a diagnosis and determine the problem. In this hobby, that is hard to do with an old truck, given that computers rule the functions of today’s engines. Kaminski met with Frank Strianese, owner of The Car Shop in Springville, New York, and explained that not only did he want an old new truck, he wanted it to blend in with the Ford service trucks used by his Besroi roofing and contracting business in Buffalo. Ideas were passed back and forth, and soon a project began to unfold. Once you read how it was accomplished you will know that nothing is impossible to do.
0Comments
Tilt steering, cruise control, heated seats and A/C are all amenities that we have grown accustomed to without ever knowing it. We’ve come to expect our seat to power forward and our steering column to drop at the flick of a lever; after all, it’s a matter of driver comfort. As these driver comforts have become a part of our daily drivers, it’s not unthinkable that we would want the same for our classic trucks. Our resident ’68 Chevy makes the rounds to and from lunch, along with the occasional cruise-in, so why not build in many of the same conveniences? After looking online, we decided that our outdated straight column just had to go, and then we’d work on the rest of those comfort items.
0Comments
For years, truck builders have searched, looking for that much-sought-after early five-window Chevy pickup project. They are still around and are occasionally found, but it’s getting tougher, and their condition is ever worsening. It’s simple math really: Only so many remain, and many of the really solid ones have been spoken for. To The Delight Of Custom Truck Builders Everywhere, The All-Steel Dynacorn ’47-’53 Chevrolet Five-Window Cab Is Now A Reality!
0Comments
The pictured F-100 is a 1954 model, and it was purchased by Carl and Marianne Lewis from Milwaukie, Oregon, in 1992. The truck had seen better days, as it had been sitting out in the elements under an awning next to a storage shed. In primer, and with a transplanted 289 small block, the truck was partially disassembled as it sat on four flat tires. It had not been moved for some 10 years. Mel Nichols was hired for the much needed makeover, which took 3-1/2 years to complete.
0Comments
In the ’50s, home-delivery baker Helms Bakery went door to door, delivering bread and bakery goods on the streets of Southern California. All you had to do was call and order what you needed, and the next day it was delivered to your door. You could also stop the drivers on their route to buy their goodies, and that’s how we remember the early ’50s Chevy Helms delivery trucks. We figured they must have a rather large fleet of them to cover the L.A. Basin. We aren’t sure exactly when it happened, but no doubt rapidly changing family lifestyles took their toll, and Helms stopped the delivery portion of the business. As a result, there were a lot of early Chevy panel trucks that went somewhere.
0Comments
While attending the Goodguys Nashville Nationals, we happened upon this stunning Studebaker. Its owner, Jeff Wingo, informed us that during his high school years this same Studebaker served as his daily driver, providing him a ride to and from school and around town. Now a fast-paced computer consultant, Wingo travels around the world, which has allowed him a better lifestyle compared to his teen years. He also has two young sons, Grant and Jack, who love their dad’s cool truck. Let’s rewind to the summer of 2000, when Wingo made the decision to resurrect the tired and worn pickup.
0Comments
Air conditioning is a luxury that most early truckers agree they can’t be without, especially when they reside in a hot part of the country. But those big, clunky compressors, huge receivers hanging below the dash, bulky hoses running all over the place and extra wires showing are some of the reasons why air conditioning has deterred hardcore rodders for years. Of course, Vintage Air has eliminated those concerns with an excellent add-on system that not only works well, but also coexists with your engine compartment and interior aesthetics.
Vintage Air has kits that are designed for specific applications as well as universal kits. Its kits provide all of the required mounting hardware, brackets, vents, hoses, fittings, ducting, electrical wiring and switches needed to get you through your project. If you have any problems, Vintage Air has a tech support line that is second to none. You have a choice of either the internet or telephone (weekdays only).
0Comments
Now, it may seem crazy that anyone would take sandpaper to a new paint job, but if you want to have a glass-like finish that is exactly what happens. Of course, it is special sandpaper, and the person doing the work needs to know exactly what he is doing or that paint job can be toast. One of the things that makes color sanding possible is that the paper used is meant to be wet while the job is taking place. The water not only works as a lubricant, but it also removes the fine paint sludge from the area. The problem is getting that water in the proper place and having enough of it to do the job. After all, who really likes sticking his arm into a cold bucket of water time after time?
0Comments
