RILEY’S ’72 Chevy

Jim built this truck to be a driver, so rather than stick tons of polished and chromed goodies under the hood, he decided that clean detail would be more appropriate. The original valve covers were slicked down, taped up and painted in the same yellow that graces the exterior, along with some awesome-looking silver and white pinstriping. Instead of spending all his time polishing, he can just wipe things off and get to the show and enjoy the truck. Backing up the 355 is the original Turbo 350 with a mild rebuild.

Well, Jim figured that while the engine was out he would just do a little suspension freshening, and that led to the front suspension being stripped down and totally disassembled. The suspension was cleaned up and new bushings were installed. The original spindles were tossed in favor of a set of late-model 2-1/2-inch dropped spindles that help get the Chevy lower to the ground. Next up was the addition of new rotors, calipers and hoses. A fresh set of drop coils allows a 5-1/2-inch total frontend drop. The ’72 was a somewhat mildly equipped truck and already had power steering, so a simple rebuild was all that was needed to get things steering again. 

Out back, the original rear was disassembled, rebuilt and reinstalled using Early Classic Enterprises drop coils. After it was all assembled, the frame received a fresh coat of black paint and the engine was remarried to the chassis. No chassis is complete without a set of rolling stock to get things moving, so 16×7 American Racing Torq-Thrust IIs with Goodyear 225/60-series tires are mounted up front, and massive 18×10-inch wheels with 285/60-series tires are mounted out back.

The body of the ’72 also received a fair amount of attention during the whole rebuild process. The body was completely torn down and straightened. A new core support and right front fender were joined with the front clip. As far as the cab goes, the passenger door was shot and the cab corners needed replacing. Jim and Dusty did all the bodywork. The only parts that the truck’s missing are the mirrors, which are now but a memory. When it came time to shoot the short-wide hauler, PPG Flame Yellow and white were the choices. Dusty sprayed the beautifully bright pickup in original style and then wet sanded and slicked it to a bright shine. After the basecoat dried, pinstriping was laid around the beltline of the cab. Where the factory trim once was, a custom design was hand brushed along the bottom. Next up was the addition of new chrome handles, windshield wipers and marker lights. A set of new chrome bumpers was purchased and bolted to the truck. New glass and rubber were installed to continue the clean look.

Inside the truck is absolutely clean. There is not a single thing in the interior of this truck that isn’t needed. The stock ’72 Chevy bench seat was in fairly good shape, so Randy Wice & Wayne’s Auto Trim, located in Morristown, Tennessee, recovered the seat in saddle-colored Mustang material. The original instrument bezel was removed, cleaned, repainted and installed back into the truck. The door panels are reproduction originals that have been customized with Mustang fabric for inserts, and new door handles were also added. A Grant steering wheel adds a bit of modernism to the inside, and a Pioneer CD player blasts out the tunes. Original-style carpet covers the floorboards, while new pedals have taken the place of the old units.

Jim and Dusty have been taking turns sharing the truck, attending different shows in the area, and they made it to Nashville for the Goodguys show. The ’72 has been a labor of love, and one that turned out looking great. It’s clean and simple, and that’s the name of the game these two are playing. If you ask us, we would say they’ve hit the nail right on the head with this project. What’s even better is that the two are moving on from here, as there is a ’68 stepside presently in the garage that’s receiving the same special attention.