ince its introduction in 1955, the small-block Chevy engine has become the favorite amongst hot rodders, muscle car builders, and classic truck enthusiasts. Its compact size and efficient weight-to-power ratio has made it the perfect powerplant to replace a gangly six-cylinder, heaving big-block, or wheezing Flathead. Consistently upgraded over its 40-plus year lifespan, it’s easy to imagine that when its successor was introduced in 1997, it wasn’t without its share of naysayers. Yet while still retaining a very similar design to the original small-block Chevy (4.40-inch bore centers, in-block camshaft, overhead valves, and so on), the LS1 was a complete, clean sheet redesign that was as revolutionary then as the original 265ci engine was in 1955. An aluminum, long-skirt engine block with six main cap fasteners, high-flow cylinder heads that favored higher revs, and a lightweight, composite intake manifold were all truly state-of-the-art features that helped the LS engine family usher in the 21st century.

here are so many great suspension upgrade options available for most of our classic trucks these days. From trick tubular control arms to cool coilover conversions, or entire bolt-in front clip assemblies and complete chassis if you prefer to go to the extreme, there really is something for most every make, model, and budget out there, but we decided to keep things basic and try our hand at rebuilding a stock set of control arms on a ’71 Suburban. (This will work for your ’67-72 Suburban or C10.)

This Suburban is never going to be a cone-carving machine, nor a slammed-on-the-ground cruiser with modern-day big-inch rims and tires. It’s basically a second family cruise that takes the kids to practices, handles some weekend chores, and ends up at some local cruises. We’re talking 15-inch rally wheels with stock disc/drum brakes, melted paint, and three seats. As basic a cruiser as you can get.

ne of the biggest concerns for truck owners, especially when you love the lowered look, is clearance. I remember back in the day grabbing the reciprocating saw and removing anything necessary to get as low as possible. As I have refined my taste and my concern for the longevity of my projects, I look for an elevated approach to modification. I’ve been looking for a way to do just that and bring you guys along in the process. Enter Bryan Harrison of Harrison’s Rod & Custom.

Harrison is known for hot rods with a true foundation in street rodding. His unique style continues throughout the Squarebody platform and is seen in each build they produce. With the builds Harrison’s Rod & Custom produces, driveability is of upmost importance. The Harrison style is true to hot rodding; you can always tell one of his builds apart from the rest. Staggered wheels and meaty sidewalls are a staple and you got to have clearance for that to work. With the popularity of the ’73-87 GM trucks, nowadays there are always a couple of Squarebodies in his shop. Harrison and I got to talking about this topic and he had the perfect scenario.

eatures of trucks in their final state are great and all but we know many of you are just like us—you love to see what’s underneath all that fresh paint and chrome! We’ve been fortunate to establish some pretty good relationships with shops around the country in the last couple years, and what with this pandemic having a huge impact on our ability to be out and about as much as we’d like, we’ve still been able to obtain some pretty good behind-the-scenes intel from many of those shops … Scott’s Hotrods ’N Customs just happens to be one of them!

After being blown away by the multitude of in-progress shots we’ve seen recently on social media of Brian Schutte’s ’51 Chevy, with some of the most insane metalworking tricks we’ve ever laid eyes on, we hit up Camren Beattie at Scott’s to see if we could get a bit more than a social thumbnail’s view—and boy, he did not disappoint!

For starters, the custom Advance Design will feature a Wegner Automotive LS3 topped with a Whipple Supercharger (1,054 hp on pump gas) backed by a Dederichs Motorsports TREMEC T56 Magnum. Appropriately so, it sits on Scott’s SuperSlam chassis featuring their proprietary SuperSlam IFS and four-bar rear suspension using Slam Specialties ’bags (controlled by Ridetech’s RidePro E5 leveling control system) and Ridetech HQ single-adjustable shocks and one-off Hot Rods By Boyd wheels.