y first car in high school was a 1993 S-10 with a weak 4.3L V-6 and throttle-body injection (TBI). It taught me humility in my adolescence. That lingering feeling of being the slowest in the parking lot may have created a prejudice for TBI … and maybe V-6s, too. Later, I invested in a 1967 Impala with one of the first Holley self-learning EFIs, the “Avenger.” It didn’t help the case for TBI, as it occasionally fumbled the idle and took lots of rpm to crank. I went back to the carburetor.

But modern, aftermarket TBIs are far from where they once were. Originally, OEM TBIs featured low pressure injectors that hang right above the throttle blades, point downward, and spray right into the top of the intake.

n the Sept. ’26 issue, we covered the major body repairs along with the chassis and drivetrain modifications on the 1967 Chevrolet C10 built by BBT Fabrications. This time, we’ll turn our attention to the subtle but significant work involved in smoothing and refining the components visible when the hood is open.

The stock firewall on these trucks is far from elegant. Its convoluted shapes and protrusions, especially the heater core cover on the passenger side, create a cluttered appearance. Transforming this surface into something clean and cohesive requires considerable effort, but the BBT team was more than ready to take it on.

or the last, I don’t know, maybe 10 years, I’ve been running an aftermarket “dropped A-arm” front suspension on my 2011 GMC Sierra single-cab. Now, while it utilized stock-height Bilstein struts, thus theoretically maintaining full suspension travel, it was limited on camber adjustment and, subsequently, I went through more front tires than I preferred to—and those being 35-series 22s—so, it got a bit pricey over the years.

Earlier this year, after a conversation or two with my pals Marcel and Jason from AutoRevolution, I was persuaded to consider swapping the suspension for Belltech’s 2007-16.5 GMC coilover kit. At first I was a bit leery about going from struts (good ones, at that) to a coilover, but after talking with the folks at Belltech at the most recent Reunion Truck Show, I was sold. Only minor problem was, I discarded my OE control arms way back when the current suspension was installed! No problem …

t’s not uncommon to find sheet metal repairs necessary on a classic truck cab. Years of use combined with Mother Nature can result in some pretty nasty situations. Trapped dirt, debris, and moisture can wreak havoc when it comes to the state of the surrounding sheet metal, resulting in rust and cancer. Unfortunately, repairing said damage can be labor-intensive and in some cases require a specialized skillset.

When we sent out our 1964 Chevy C10 cab to get blasted, we knew there was going to be some problem areas revealed. But when it came back in all its bare metal glory, we were shocked by the amount of damage that was actually hiding underneath the years of paint- and bodywork. We set our sights on the worst first, tackling the A-pillar and rocker repairs, before turning our attention to the cab corners. Both corners were pretty bad and would need replacing, a common find on these trucks. Thankfully, we wouldn’t have to fabricate these panels from scratch as Auto Metal Direct (AMD) offers stamped replacements made from factory-matching 19-gauge steel. We’ve seen cheaper crash part panels and have fought their installation in the past. The quality and fit of the AMD parts are far superior, bar none.