Now, while Andy persevered and ultimately avoided a “three strikes and you’re out” scenario, he didn’t actually start with a pickup, per se. Back in 2005, when his quest to build what he envisioned as the “ultimate Chevy truck from the 1948-1953 era” began, his first step to the plate started with an AD Series Suburban! The shop tasked with the chopping and sectioning and all the major metal reworking Andy desired apparently went at guns a blazing but, unfortunately, without any ammo, as the pieces of massacred metal were never able to be put back together. Strike one.

With the initial game plan shelved, Andy decided on lightening the workload to a certain degree by going with a 1/2-ton pickup instead. This time around the Napa, California, resident relied on Phil Ferrari Hot Rods in nearby Rancho Cordova for round two, which not only went beyond the initial customizing phases, it encompassed the complete RideTech-equipped chassis retrofit, big-block Chevy/4L80E transplant, and everything else necessary before being sent off to paint and upholstery.

Before applying the custom-mixed PPG Burgundy paint, Vintage Color Studio’s Darryl Hollenbeck (Concord, California) meticulously gapped the truck from the front gravel pan to the rear mini roll pan and everything in-between; he also extended the front stake pockets in the bed (after he welded it together as a unit) into the splash pans below, filled in all the cab seams, and lengthened the rear leading edges of the rear fenders even with the aforementioned roll pan. From there, it went to Chris Plante at Plante Interior in Santa Rosa for what Andy describes as a McLaren slash Bentley SUV—influenced interior—which, as you can see, is as impressive as the exterior paintjob it complements. With accent-painted Foose five-spokes and flawless chrome/stainless accents, phase two was a success, and in 2017, Andy debuted the Chevy at the Grand National Roadster Show, where it was received in award-winning fashion, deservedly.

Unfortunately, the story doesn’t quite end there—upon its return home after a few months on the road hitting major events on the West Coast, a not-so-minor mishap occurred during transport and required a trip back to Vintage Color Studio for another complete paintjob! Fortunately, since 2018—knock on wood—Andy has been “without incident” with his Chevy pickup, hitting it out of the park at every show since!