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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: Intellitronix Digital Dash for GM G-Bodies
Designed specifically for 1978–1988 Chevrolet Monte Carlo and El Camino, this is a true direct-fit digital gauge panel—not some universal compromise. It drops into the factory location, cleans up the entire dash, and instantly shifts the vibe from dated cruiser to pro-touring G-body with purpose. Key terms here? LED digital dash, G-body gauge upgrade, and modern interior—and this thing checks every box.
The Shoe Fits
In the late ’40s, car manufacturers looked for different ways to modernize their vehicles, and this strategy was evident when the Big Three introduced their ’49 line of passenger cars. For the most part, the pickups stayed the same, but many things changed for the better when the slabside approach went into a more modernized production process. Those looking for a new car said goodbye to fat fenders, slabsided doors and dated suspension that were the norm with previous models. Of those manufacturers, Ford was certainly the leader in this revolutionary new-car building technique, as it produced a stylish ’49 model range to bring in this new production process.
TAKING IT TO HEART
Sometimes building a street rod can be downright exasperating. The amount of money involved and the stress of chasing down parts and coordinating the efforts of multiple shops can lead to a fair bit of tension in any owner. How many times have you heard someone say something along the lines of: “That damn car’s going to give me a heart attack!”? Odds are you’ve heard it or even said it at least once or twice if you’ve been involved in rodding for any length of time.
Spotlighter
Cherry Bomb
What One Might Call A Real Daily Driver
There are all kinds of daily drivers: those called drivers because they have a few road miles on them, so they are not considered show cars; and those that are true daily drivers because they represent your only mode of transportation. Most rodders have been there at one time or another, when all we had were our hot rods to drive. The stories are endless about how these cars were transformed from grocery-getter to show car, but it happens. You use the car for family needs throughout the winter months and then clean it up come spring, maybe even paint the fenders, and enter it in a local rod show.
Author
Dale M. Moreau
Story & Photography
A One-Car Household with a Hot Rod
In the late 1980s, Bub and Joyce Johnson found themselves in that exact position. They had only one car, and that car just happened to be a ’29 Ford roadster pickup. It was driven everywhere they had to go. It was used for everything from hauling yard debris to taking Joyce to work. Since it didn’t have the luxury of side curtains, Joyce had to bundle up in warm rain gear to stave off the blustery winds of winter in the cold Northwest.
The Power Behind the Cherry Bomb
Now, here’s the kicker: This little rod is powered by a ’48 Mercury Flathead motor and is shifted with a Ford C4 trans connected to a Flat-O-Matic adapter kit. This cool package runs out the back through a ’49 Mercury Spicer Dana 30 rear with 3.54:1 gears. Built by the late Doug Lauzon, the block was ported and relieved, polished and balanced. It also has Jahn’s pistons, chromed rings, Edelbrock “block lettered” heads and a rare Edelbrock “slingshot” manifold topped with two chromed Stromberg 97 carbs. Fire comes from a Mallory ignition, and the headers were built by Doug while he was screwing together the motor.
Cooling and Chassis Setup
Many folks have had cooling problems with these motors, but the Johnsons didn’t because of the 4-1/2-inch radiator core by Able Radiator in Milwaukie, Oregon. All of this hot stuff rides on the original boxed Model A frame, with custom crossmembers by Mad Max Creations of Washougal, Washington. Joyce says the car has a slightly bouncy ride; but then, it is a hot rod. The ride comes from the dropped and narrowed front axle with a monoleaf spring and SoCal shocks. Flaming River sent Joyce and Bub a cross-steer box hooked to the dropped steering arm. The chassis rolls on red steelies and wide whites, topped off with some really innovative Edsel hubcaps with bullets attached to the centers.
Custom Bodywork and Paint
After Bub and Joyce bought the car a lifetime ago, they chose to replace the original grille with a filled and peaked ’32 Ford grille and shell. They bobbed the rear fenders and installed Harley Davidson Panhead Tombstone taillights. This was accomplished after shortening the truck bed and adding a custom-made metal tonneau cover. The front is enhanced by a ’50s-style nerf bar. The roadster was then shot with ’59 Chevy red acrylic by “Fast Eddie” Cole and Wally Stanley a few years back, making it a real “Cherry Bomb.” Bub then painted the Cherry Bomb logo on the cowl and had master pinstriper Mitch Kim add a few licks to the rest of the body.
A Perfectly Period Interior
A few years later, Bub wanted a new top that would carry on the look of the car. He designed and built the frame, and then had Jim Enger of Guy’s Interiors in Portland cover it with cloth and upholster the custom seat in white Naugahyde. Bub also built the dash with vintage Moon instruments and tach. He added a ’51 Ford radio plate that hides a modern CD disc changer and stereo. So many times we see period-perfect rods that are ruined by a poor choice of steering wheels, but not in this case. The beautiful red ’61 Chevrolet Impala steering wheel is cleverly disguised with a Ford emblem attached to the center, making this interior a perfect timepiece.
A Legacy of Hot Rodding
Joyce says that, over the years, the car has been driven many miles to a lot of great events and scenic byways, producing what is called patina. No excuses are made; this rod speaks for itself. It still garners the gold in places such as Paso Robles, California. Joyce drove there by herself, an 1,100-mile trip, where the car received the 2004 Best Early Hot Rod award.
Joyce and Bub have been hot rodders for most of their lives and, like many, have numerous stories to tell of the great experiences. After Joyce lost Bub to cancer in 2002, she continued to follow the car culture. She also owns a “late-model” ’57 Ford Ranchero. Joyce still likes to light ’em up on the street or at the strip, proving that this old daily driver is still a Cherry Bomb.
