TOC
This month’s cover super duo comes from a super duo of lensmen: John Jackson captured Keith Lane’s “Fast Layne Fifty” on location in North Carolina, while Tim Sutton ventured north up the California coast to snap Brett Haskin’s gorgeous GMC.
ROB MUNOZ
Rodney Bauman, Tommy Lee Byrd, Ron Ceridono, Michael Christensen, Ron Covell, Grant Cox, Dominic Damato, John Drummond, Fuelish Media, Eric Geisert, Joe Greeves, John Jackson, Barry Kluczyk, Scotty Lachenauer, Ryan Manson, Josh Mishler, Todd Ryden, Jason Scudellari, Chris Shelton, Tim Sutton, Chuck Vranas, Michael Yamada – Writers and Photographers
ClassicTruckPerformance.com
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AllChevyPerformance.com
InTheGarageMedia.com
Mark Dewey National Sales Manager
Patrick Walsh Sales Representative
Travis Weeks Sales Representative
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Still Hammerin’
BY ROB FORTIERo, we’re well over a year In The Garage, so to speak, and I just wanted to take this opportunity to not only let you know how things are going from this side of the magazine-making process, but also to get some feedback from all of you on the other side of the page/screen on how we’re doing … good, bad, and/or indifferent.
As I write this, August is coming to a close and we’ve pretty much covered our summer’s itinerary of events (there are still a handful of shows yet to attend before the year closes out though). The reason I bring up the events doesn’t so much refl ect on how we’re doing, rather, how well we’ve been able to interact with people beyond our immediate 6 feet of day-to-day social-distanced interacting. Aside from fi elding some questions/comments regarding whether or not In The Garage Media has any affi liation with a prior publishing company (to set the record straight, the answer’s no—we’re a 100 percent independent upstart company with the only relationship being the fact that we’re all prior publishing company alumni with the same passion for magazines!), I have to say that the majority of everyone we’ve spoken to on the road are just as stoked, if not more so, as we are to not only be publishing magazines but publishing some outstanding magazines! (Yes, there was a bit of egotism in that last part … could you tell?!) And along with that great response came a lot of new subscribers—I’m sorry, prescribers!
Parts Dept
Feature
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN JACKSON
Tech
Overdrive?
Photography BY The Authorrecall, many years ago, when Bluetooth first came out. At the time, it really had no relevance in my life. But just as computers themselves were maybe 10 years prior, little did I know that before long they both would practically rule my life!
Had you told me back then that one day that newfangled Bluetooth technology would have the ability to tune/control my transmission, I’d have laughed as hard as I did the day my graphic arts instructor told me that if I wasn’t computer-literate by Y2K I’d be hard-pressed to find a job!
Ironically, it was around that time (early ’90s) that GM introduced the 4L60E transmission. Essentially, the 4L60E is a grown-up 700-R4, with the adult aspects being the absence of a governor, standard valvebody, and those temperamental TV cables—all dictating the use of a computer in which to control the transmission itself. However, for the better part of the ’90s on through the ’00s, the 700-R4 ruled the classic truck market when it came to overdrive swaps. I’ve had my fair share of 700s, in the earlier years of my career (when companies were still trying to figure out the TV/carb linkage deal) to more recently (when practically everyone had the TV cable figured out), and can say that in the right vehicles they’re hard to beat. But, save for my late-model daily drivers, I’d yet to experience the computer-controlled joys of an electronic overdrive … till now.
Feature
PHOTOGRAPHY BY THE AUTHORhen you live out in the country and drive a pickup truck, well, it’s tough to stand out in a crowd and get noticed on the streets, especially when every other vehicle you pass on your local country road is of the bedded variety—that is unless you are Byron Loucks of Glenville, Pennsylvania.
Byron ain’t like the other truckers out there in the farmlands of Central Pennsylvania. When he designed his future hot rod pickup, he knew from the start he wanted something a little bit different than the typical rides he saw at his local cruise night. What he desired was something built with old-school style blended with some modern underpinnings and basted with a flakey golden hue. Well, he got that and even more with this stunning shortbed 1963 C10.
Tech
Photography & Videography by THE AUTHORhen it’s used to describe body parts of a truck as shapely as the Task Force Chevrolet, the word “straight” makes little sense. Somehow words that pertain to the autobody trade tend to end up twisted. Take the word “skimcoat” for example. No matter how loosely it’s translated, skimcoat should never mean a thick slab of polyester filler.
Now, as long as we’re discussing weird words and polyester fillers, let’s get this out of the way, right away: Not all polyester fillers are “Bondo!” That’s only a brand name. You can use it if you want to, but for the skimcoat job at hand we’ve already coughed-up the dough for Evercoat Rage Gold, which is among the higher-end fillers available today.
Our local parts store stocks Rage Gold, but it’s currently costing $93.92 per gallon-size can. At the time of this comparison the best deal we’ve found is $63.99 from Summit. As we go here, the majority of tools and materials used are indeed Summit staples.
Feature
PHOTOGRAPHY BY THE AUTHOReople love talking about their classic trucks at car shows, gas stations, the grocery story … you name it. Oftentimes, if you enquire about them, you can end up in a conversation longer than you’d expect. Then there are individuals who have a truck that is really special but they’d rather just answer a compliment from an admirer with a simple “thanks.” Dan Youngblood is one such individual. Even though Dan has the equivalent of a wolf in sheep’s clothing, he’d rather keep things … low key.
Event
Photography By THE AUTHORhe popularity of classic Chevrolet and GMC trucks shows no signs of stopping. If you needed any further proof, the turnout at the Southeastern Truck Nationals should seal the deal. With more than 1,000 classic Chevy and GMC trucks on hand at the Wilson County Fairgrounds in Lebanon, Tennessee, the crowd was thick and the show field was packed with a wide variety of builds. Folks traveled from more than a dozen states to take part in this event, which is experiencing continued growth in every aspect, despite a poor weather forecast this year.
Truck enthusiasts came out in droves to see all the latest creations, dig around for parts in the swap meet, and check out the newest components in the vendor area. Whether it was sweltering hot or pouring rain, the devoted crowd didn’t want to miss their chance to take part in this event, which always takes place in July.
Let’s take a look at some of the highlights of this show, which features all generations of Chevrolet and GMC trucks. We’re focusing mainly on the 1947-1987 year range, and you’ll notice a great mixture of build styles from high-end show trucks to down-and-dirty patina builds. We also loved the mixture of short wheelbase, long wheelbase, Stepside, and Fleetside trucks, and, of course, an awesome selection of Blazers and Suburbans. Whether you like your classic trucks mostly original, slightly modified, or wildly customized, there was something for everyone at the 11th Annual Southeastern Truck Nationals.
Tech
Photography by THE AUTHORrecently picked up a 1976 Ford F-100 Flareside project. It’s a somewhat unusual truck, built and sold in California. It has a 302 (where it seems most of these trucks have 360/390 FE motors or the big 460), a T-18 manual trans (affectionately called the Granny Low 4 Speed), power steering and power disc brakes but no A/C, and idiot lights in place of gauges. It was kind of a spur-of-the-moment deal, and I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with it, but I knew I “needed” it. I also knew, no matter which way I went with the project, it needed A/C and some real gauges. The dash bezel and pad were also in need of some help.
Feature
PHOTOGRAPHY BY Tim Sutton’d say that most of us car guys were born with the fueled gene—I think it’s somewhat of a rarity to acquire the taste for these old gas-guzzling fossils we love so, though it does happen. However, it all depends on family circumstances, among other things, as to when exactly that gene permeates our DNA to the point of becoming a full-fledged hobbyist.
For me, with just the NASCAR and NHRA drag racing influence I received from my dad taking me to the races (he was a car guy, just not into collecting anything specific), my fascination with hot rods and the like began at an early age when I started building plastic models in elementary school. It wasn’t till my freshman year in high school, the year before I was legally licensed to drive, that my dad bought me my first car, a 1969 Volkswagen Fastback—and that’s when the gene fully took over.
In the Shop
Photography BY THE AUTHORf you are a fan of 1967-1972 C10 trucks but have been desiring a higher level of performance than a stock chassis has to offer, we are here to tell you the wait is over. As an Art Morrsion dealer who has worked closely with the AME team over the years, we were thrilled to hear they had the first C10 chassis assembled. We hopped in the old shop truck and tore up to the AME manufacturing facility in Fife, Washington, to see it firsthand.
AME chassis are aesthetically beautiful, largely due to their ability to perform mandrel bends in multiple directions. The result is a gorgeous, flowing aesthetic to their chassis that also delivers excellent strength. AME’s new 1967-1972 C10 chassis continues this theme but with a number of new upgrades. The beefy 2×6-inch frame features FEA-optimized chassis braces to stiffen the platform. The front suspension is a new design with large CNC fixtured and TIG-welded tubular steel control arms with CNC-machined upper mounts. Wilwood provides the heavy-duty forged aluminum spindles with an integrated modular bearing assembly and ball joints that are serviceable. In summary, the new front suspension is heavy duty and provides excellent performance both on the street and the track.
Event
Photography By THE AUTHORhe 38th Annual F-100 Western Nationals was such a great time! The show is hosted by the Pickups Limited Truck Club of Orange County, which was started back in 1976 by a bunch of early Ford F-1/F-100 lovers and has now turned into the largest classic Ford truck show on the West Coast!
The F-100 Western Nationals was originally the Truckin’ Nationals River Run in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. It has since moved and grown over the decades. This year’s 38th annual show was held at the scenic Canyon RV Park in Anaheim, California, the perfect venue to hold a show—plenty of trees to offer welcomed shade from the hot summer sun, very family friendly area with space for everyone to park with friends.
There were easily over 250 Ford trucks that spanned all generations, from an original 1948 F-1 to a 2003 Lighting SVT, there was something there for everyone. We found that the older generation of Ford truck lovers embraced the younger generations to come out and bring a Ford truck. That’s what made this particular event so enjoyable: everyone was invited … the only caveat was that it must be a Ford truck to enter!
Tech
BY RON CERIDONO
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF THE MANUFACTURERS
BY RON CERIDONO
PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF THE MANUFACTURERS
uilding a classic truck can be a challenge for one simple reason: they were never designed to do what we now expect of them. In most cases, the goal is to have a lower ride height, a smoother ride, and improved handling characteristics. The problem is none of those factors were considered when these haulers were designed and built. When these trucks were new they were meant to be tough and haul a load; they were destined to be utilitarian vehicles and little else mattered. So, the challenge when building a classic truck becomes making them more refined and cruising friendly.
Look under the rear of just about any classic truck and you’ll see one of two suspension systems—parallel leaf springs (transverse on 1941-and-earlier Fords) or coil springs on long control arms. Both are simple and effective but they can be improved for our purposes. With rear parallel leaf springs there are two simple options. The first is to install softer, re-arched springs. The second is to relocate the rear axle from below the springs to above. This is usually accompanied by removing the overload leaves, or installing new, softer springs.
Ad Index
- A PLUS ROD & KUSTOM73
- ALDAN AMERICAN79
- AMERICAN AUTOWIRE27
- AMERICAN LEGEND WHEELS69
- ART MORRISON ENTERPRISES51
- AUTO METAL DIRECT23
- BEDWOOD AND PARTS91
- BORGESON UNIVERSAL CO.79
- BOWLER PERFORMANCE TRANSMISSIONS95
- BROTHERS TRUCK PARTS100
- CHEVS OF THE 40’S73
- CLASSIC INDUSTRIES39
- CLASSIC INSTRUMENTS11
- CLASSIC PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS4-5; 91
- CUSTOM AUTOSOUND75
- DAKOTA DIGITAL99
- DURALAST65
- DYNAMAT53
- EATON DETROIT SPRING INC.97
- EDDIE MOTORSPORTS35
- FAT MAN FABRICATION91
- FILLING STATION, THE67
- FITECH EFI69
- FLAMING RIVER INDUSTRIES43
- FLAT OUT ENGINEERING89
- GANDRUD CHEVROLET85
- HEIDTS SUSPENSION SYSTEMS67
- HEINZMAN STREET ROD SHOP97
- JOHN’S INDUSTRIES95
- KUGEL KOMPONENTS95
- LMC TRUCK25
- LOKAR2; 57
- NATIONAL STREET ROD ASSOCIATION63
- NEW PORT ENGINEERING95
- NOTCHEAD FASTENERS91
- OLD AIR PRODUCTS77
- PERFORMANCE DISTRIBUTORS85
- PERFORMANCE ONLINE59
- PHOENIX TRANSMISSION PRODUCTS89
- POWERMASTER PERFORMANCE75
- PREMIER STREET RODS6
- ROADSTER SHOP41
- SCHWARTZ PERFORMANCE85
- SCOTT’S HOTRODS77
- SEMA83
- SHERWIN WILLIAMS COMPANY, THE17
- SPEEDWAY MOTORS19
- SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT7
- THAT’S GREAT NEWS97
- THERMO-TEC AUTOMOTIVE85
- VINTAGE AIR9
- WESTERN CHASSIS33
- WILWOOD ENGINEERING45
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Orange, CA
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Autobooks-Aerobooks
Burbank, CA
818-845-0707
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National Speed Center, Inc.
Manchester, CT
860-647-1353
nationalspeed.com
Hot Rod Paper Company
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Pasteiner’s
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248-646-2886
pasteiners.com
Reader’s World
616-396-4600
readersworldbookstore.com
Horton Hot Rod Parts
Ontario, Canada
905-876-2124
hortonhotrod.ca
Graffiti Publications
Victoria 3450
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graffitipub.com.au
One56
Björklinge, Sweden
one56.se
