The Search for the Perfect Chevy Pickup

Grandma was fond of Bible quotes. Platitudes and homilies were her way of making her virtually unassailable position completely clear. Of course, she never felt that accuracy was a requisite when using quotations as a way of declaring her homespun philosophy. Many of her quotes were edited, but her points were always appropriate and valid, or at least offered a simple instruction that brought resolve to a particular dilemma. Among her favorites were patience is a virtue and all things come to he who waits. While probably not precisely accurate to their biblical roots, these quotes serve to make an excellent point. If you are willing to be patient, success is most likely on the way.

Somewhere in his young life in Edmonton, Canada, Kelly Bihun learned the value of patience. Bihun, it seems, had developed a magnificent obsession with 1967-72 Chevy pickup trucks. He wanted to build one of these trucks, and nothing else would do. One fine day he spotted a blue and flat black 67 rolling deep through his neighborhood in Edmonton. Like a Mountie out to get his man, Bihun gave chase and eventually ran the guy to ground. Bihun proposed purchasing the truck, but the owner, a roofer, used it for hauling roofing and did not want to sell outright. Instead, he proposed a trade for a different truck, but he and Bihun could not come to terms.

Sealing the Deal

Discouraged, Bihun resumed his search. About a year later he found a tattered scrap of paper bearing the roofer’s phone number and, on a not-too-hopeful whim, Kelly gave the guy a shout. Much to his surprise, the truck was now for sale. The roofer thought he was driving a hard bargain when he told Bihun that he had to get $500 (Canadian!) for the truck. Bihun was there before the guy’s phone had cooled, and the deal was done.

Discovering a Rust-Free Gem

While filling out the bill of sale, Bihun learned that the truck was originally from Alabama and was still registered there, definitely a long way from Canada and a long way from the ice, snow and salt that rusts these things beyond repair. When Bihun tore down the vehicle to the bare frame, he found it to be virtually rust free.

Customizing the Chassis and Suspension

Apparently, the long wait for the truck did not impair Bihun’s ability to be patient, but rather it gave him time to think his project through. With the entire vehicle disassembled, he began to modify the chassis to achieve the stance and stability he intended to impart. The frame was cut in half behind the cab, and a custom rear section was fabricated to rise up and over the rear end and provide the clearance needed to get the truck on the ground where, in his estimation, it belonged. Accommodations were made to mount a 72 Blazer fuel tank at the back of the bed. The filler is accessed by a flip-up plank in the bed floor. Three versions of the filler spot were tried before finally settling on the unique flip-up version.

Rearend and Suspension Details

The 72 Chevy 1/2-ton 4.11 Positraction rearend was narrowed 6 inches and is positioned with a set of custom ladder bars and cushioned with AVQ coilover assemblies. Strange Engineering street axles are used within. The factory front suspension has been modified with 3-inch drop Belltech spindles. The stock front coil springs were cut 2 inches to complete the 5-inch total drop up front. The gennie GM sway bar system was retained. The rear lowering totals a healthy 8 inches. Finding the OE front discs and rear drums to be perfectly acceptable stopping devices, Bihun retained them in their original form as opposed to going the four-wheel disc brake route. Weld Pro Star wheels, 15×7 in front and 15×14 in the rear, give the truck a competition look. The front tires are P215/75R15 Touring radials, while the contact patch in the back is maintained with a formidable pair of 31×16.5×15 Mickey Thompson fatties. The chassis modifications were performed locally at Fabri-Tech in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

The Power of the LS6 454 Engine

The motivation for this truck comes from a basically stock LS6 454 crate motor. The 10.2:1 forged pistons compress the mixture admitted through the steel open-chamber heads. In-and-out timing is provided by a GM mechanical lifter cam. The crank is forged, as are the 4340 steel rods, which are secured with 7/16-inch bolts.

Blueprinting and Engine Performance

The engine has been blueprinted, and a Holley 750 with vacuum secondary’s accepts air through a K&N filter system on a stock intake manifold. The ignition is a GM HEI. Hooker Super Comp headers duct exhaust gasses into 2-1/2-inch Flowmasters, so who needs to turn on the radio? This motor was originally purchased in 1991 as a new GM crate motor, and aside from blueprinting and balancing, it is basically stock. The engine work was performed by Campbell Automotive in Edmonton. The engine dynos out at 450 horsepower and winds to a max shift point of 5,750 rpm. Although the term stock accurately describes the motor, it propels the light truck at frightening speeds. With the short gears, the acceleration is brutal. Two very fat rows of evidence now decorate the street where the photo shoot took place! All of these ponies are sent to the Mickeys through a 1970 GM Turbo 400 trans with a 2,800-rpm stall converter. Chillin chores for the T400 are handled through the in-radiator trans cooler.

Custom Bodywork and Restoration

Bihun is an auto body tech by trade, so he handled all of those chores on his own truck. Who wants to do all that stuff for the unappreciative masses, anyhow? While the overall appearance of the truck is subtle, Bihun has made a number of modifications. Even though the entire vehicle was virtually rust free, the body is described as being completely restored. The grille and emblems have been shaved, as has the bed. The front bumper is custom and the front panel of the bed is handmade. The wheel tubs, of course, are hand built, and the original fuel door is gone. The bed slats are handmade. That custom front bumper has a pair of Bow Ties cut in for the flush parking lights. The finishing touch of coolness in the cab is the smoked and tempered rear and side window glass. The final finish on the ultra-straight hauler was applied by Bihun’s buddy, Bill Allen. The color is code 81 GM red.

The Truck’s Interior Modifications

The same straightforward approach was taken inside the truck. Kelly hand fashioned a custom instrument panel that mounts a 5-inch Auto Meter tach and matching speedo. The black cloth and leather interior was stitched by Wyatt’s Upholstery of Edmonton. The seat is a GM factory triple bucket unit. The helm was commandeered from a 93 Chevy 1/2-ton truck. The factory tilt column is a 72 with updated levers from the 93. It’s tough to cruise without tunes, so Bihun set himself up with an all-Alpine system, CD deck, 3-inch tweeters and 6×9-inch speakers. Bihun wired the truck himself, which is no small feat.

Finishing the Project and Future Plans

Bihun tackled the ambitious project mostly on his own, but he had help from a buddy. It took about six years to complete the red rider. Bihun has owned the truck for nearly nine years now and he’s thinking about testing his patience again! If I sell it, I can get started on this 70 Impala big-block convertible that I’ve been sitting on for a while, he admits. Let’s hope he hasn’t exhausted his patience yet.