t’s time to begin a new year and for all of our publications (Classic Truck Performance, Modern Rodding, and All Chevy Performance) that means beginning 2021 as monthly publications. May not sound like much but it sure will mean picking up the pace around the offices as both CTP and MR go from bimonthly titles to monthly. Of course, our hectic work pace will benefit you the readers of our publications … now your favorite truck and car magazine once a month rather than once every other month.

Picking up the Jan. ’21 Modern Rodding will be filled with an assortment of “young and old” hot rod features along with home tech and some heavy-duty tech. There’s always something interesting in every issue of MR and the Jan. ’21 issue is no different.

Old Air Products is now offering a new Hurricane A/C Heat & Defrost system for 1973-1979 Ford Trucks. The Hurricane unit mounts to the firewall in place of the original A/C or heater. Fittings pass neatly through the firewall using a custom rubber grommet. Factory-style louvers are included for heater-only trucks or adapters for trucks with original factory louvers. Electronic controls fit neatly into original dash opening. Complete systems include SuperKool Condenser Assembly with receiver/drier and custom tubes for driver or passenger side mounted compressor. A variety of compressor mounting brackets are available to fit many engine applications. Upgrades for polished or chrome compressor are available along with electric fans and trinary pressure safety switch to maximize the A/C system performance.

is no-BS; the post-Squarebody craze is no joke folks—the 1988-1998 GM C1500 Series are here to stay … in a big way.

Last month we spent some time over at Western Chassis in Corona, California, installing their Super C-Notch—the back half of the 5/7 OBS drop kit—on a well-deserving 1993 Silverado. Just as we were wrapping up, they decided it was time they up and move to a much bigger facility. So, our wrapup on the front suspension had to wait till they were all settled in their location—but boy, was the wait worth it, as they now have a dedicated installation center with plenty of elbow room to work with! And, we didn’t end up skipping a beat issue-wise, so let’s get on with the show, shall we?!

’ll readily admit, I have a passion for woodworking. While I’m probably the furthest from expert status when it comes to being a sawyer, I truly enjoy every aspect of my hobby—from sawmilling to finishing. That said, if presented the option to forego most above-mentioned aspects in relation to, say, bed floors in classic trucks, I’d be tempted to take the easy route out, no pun intended.

Well, I just happened to have that precise option presented to me recently by BedWood and Parts in the form of their pre-drilled/pre-finished, ready-to-go BedWood-X kit for 1967-1972 Chevy/GMC short- and longbed models. No cutting/trimming or pre-fitting; no sanding, staining, and/or sealing—just unbox, install, and go? I’m in.

outhern Californian John Canepa is just your average professional pedal-pusher turned top-notch custom car builder—we all know the type, right? Rhetorically speaking, wrenching professionally (as well as riding) on downhill mountain bike teams and building custom cars/trucks equally at a professional level don’t normally go hand in hand. But in John’s case, that’s exactly the scenario.

Many moons ago (no pun intended), I met John at GT Bicycles when the whole retro beach cruiser craze started and Dyno had just released the Mooneyes 26-inch balloon tire model. Neither of us really knew it at the time that our paths would once again cross—this time in my four-wheeled world.

f all the products that have been offered to improve the overall performance of hot rods and classic trucks, arguably, Mustang II–based independent front suspension kits have to be high up on the list. Simple, affordable, and effective, these suspension packages make it easy to transform a rough-riding, solid-axle truck into a smooth-riding, better-handling version of itself. In addition to the advantages IFS offers compared to a solid front axle, there are a few other perks, such as the modern disc brakes and rack-and-pinion steering, that are also part of the package. The suspension swap shown here was done on a 1955 Ford F-100, but the procedure is virtually the same for any solid-axle pickup. We chose a Heidts PX-105-E-K IFS kit that uses coil springs, power rack-and-pinion steering, and disc brakes.

The Scott’s Hotrods ’N Customs shop truck is a killer 1966 Chevrolet Suburban. Of course it has the full spectrum of Scott’s components, including a bolt-on IFS kit and four-bar rear suspension, and it’s an attention-getting marketing tool that draws people to the Scott’s booth at 20-plus car shows per year.

cott’s Hotrods ’N Customs is a full-service shop that builds killer custom vehicles and components, with an intense focus on classic trucks. The shop got its start in 1996 when Justin Scott Padfield took a leap with a 1,200-square-foot shop in Ventura, California. Specializing in fabrication, Padfield hustled to keep projects in and out of the shop during the early years, but eventually grew the shop into a larger building in Oxnard, California. As more employees were added to the force and more projects were brought into the shop, Scott’s Hotrods ’N Customs jumped full force into the parts business, fabricating custom frames and suspension systems for street rods, classic trucks, and more. Fast-forward to 2018, Scott’s moved its operation to a giant shop in Knoxville, Tennessee, allowing for more products and more projects.