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August 2022
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Make It Yours. Make It Lokar. Modern Performance. Classic Style. Endless Options.
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InTheGarageMedia.com
Ryan DeLancey’s '77 GMC Sierra Classic
Easily Eliminate Unwanted Holes
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Ryan DeLancey’s '77 GMC Sierra Classic
Easily Eliminate Unwanted Holes
Dean Clowers’ '68 Chevy C10
Joe Palmonari’s '55 Chevy First Series
Dean Clowers’ '68 Chevy C10
Scott Thurston’s '69 Ford F-100 Ranger
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CLASSIC TRUCK PERFORMANCE VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 24 • 2022
CTP August 2022 cover
On The Cover:
John “Action” Jackson with yet another stunning cover for your monthly viewing pleasure: this time around, it’s Stephen Greene’s Miranda Built ’59 Apache taking center stage!
Hot Rod
Classic Truck Performance ISSN 2692-2347 (print) ISSN 2692-2355 (online) Issue 24 is published monthly by In the Garage Media, 370 E. Orangethorpe Avenue, Placentia, CA 92870-6502. Postage paid at Placentia, CA. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Classic Truck Performance c/o In the Garage Media, 1350 E. Chapman Ave #6550, Fullerton, CA 92834-6550 or email ITGM at subscription@inthegaragemedia.com. Copyright (c) 2022 IN THE GARAGE MEDIA. Printed in the USA. The Classic Truck Performance trademark is a registered trademark of In The Garage Media.
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BRIAN BRENNAN
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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
ROB FORTIER
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ART DIRECTOR
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Editorial Team
Rodney Bauman, Tommy Lee Byrd, Ron Ceridono, Michael Christensen, Ron Covell, Grant Cox, Dominic Damato, John Drummond, Fuelish Media, Eric Geisert, John Gilbert, Joe Greeves, John Jackson, Barry Kluczyk, Scotty Lachenauer, Don Lindfors, Ryan Manson, Josh Mishler, Todd Ryden, Jason Scudellari, Chris Shelton, Tim Sutton, Chuck Vranas, Michael Yamada – Writers and Photographers
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Editorial contributions are welcomed but editors recommend that contributors query first. Contribution inquiries should first be emailed to info@inthegaragemedia.com. Do not mail via USPS as we assume no responsibility for loss or damage thereto. IN THE GARAGE MEDIA reserves the right to use material at its discretion, and we reserve the right to edit material to meet our requirements. Upon publication, payment will be made at our current rate, and that said, payment will cover author’s and contributor’s rights of the contribution. Contributors’ act of emailing contribution shall constitute and express warranty that material is original and no infringement on the rights of others.

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Copyright (c) 2022 IN THE GARAGE MEDIA.
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a registered trademark of In The Garage Media.

Still Hammerin’

InTheGarageMedia.com
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BY ROB FORTIER
History … Being Made
S

ince 2004, the Grand National Roadster Show (GNRS) has not only been SoCal’s premier indoor car show, it’s been THE premier car show, period. For as long as I can remember, above and beyond the event’s main featured attraction—America’s Most Beautiful Roadster (AMBR)—the GNRS has pulled off some of the most notable “special attractions.” Most notably, the “Customs, Then & Now,” last year’s hugely successful Volkswagen display, and of course the ’32 Ford (Deuce) anniversaries have all featured some of the greatest collections of like vehicles in one building that I’ve ever seen!

Last year, as judging was underway for the 2022 AMBR, I was pulled aside by Kevin Doyle from Rod Shows and asked what I thought about a “classic truck”–themed building for 2023’s 73rd Annual GNRS. Well, I didn’t even have to take a millisecond to think about … where do we sign up?!

CTP  Parts Dept.

InTheGarageMedia.com
Wentz Motor Company’s ’47-54 Chevy Truck Airbag Chassis
1. Wentz Motor Company’s ’47-54 Chevy Truck Airbag Chassis
Wentz Motor Company offers the chassis with just the airbags, brackets, and shocks, or with the complete system with controller, lines, and pumps all installed. Their chassis comes plain but they offer powdercoating on their complete chassis line. They have all body and bed mounts, motor and trans mounts, 11-inch disc brakes front and rear, 9-inch Ford rear with axles, rear four-bars, and Panhard bar with options and upgrades for brakes, sway bars, and so on. Wentz also builds chassis for ’55-59 Chevy trucks, ’60-66 Chevy trucks, ’67-87 Chevy trucks, and most Ford pickups from 1928-1972.

For more info, contact Wentz Motor Company by calling (434) 337-3727 or visit wentzmotorco.com.

CTP Feature
InTheGarageMedia.com
Never Second Best title
Never Second Best title
Stephen Greene’s Miranda (Re)Built ’59 Chevy Apache
BY Rob FortierPHOTOGRAPHY BY John Jackson
E

ven when you get something right the first time around, there’s always room for improvement and/or change. For me, I rarely get past completing the first version of most projects—but that wasn’t the case with Floridian Stephen Greene’s family hauler.

Back in mid 2008, Stephen picked up a ’59 Chevy Apache and immediately took it to Jeremy Miranda, who was just entering his second year as a car builder with his shop Miranda Built in Boynton Beach, Florida. The initial plan was to give the pickup a complete undercarriage update (drivetrain, air suspension), new interior, and a fresh bedwood kit—and that’s exactly what Miranda did, delivering the Apache back to Stephen six months later. For the next 10 years, the ’59 became part of the Greene clan, taking them to local car shows as well as family trips throughout Florida.

Tech
InTheGarageMedia.com
BY Kenneth “Stress Ball” DeKiserre Photography By Camren Beattie
Behind the Scenes
Part 2: Scott’s Hotrods ’N Customs’ ’51 Chevy
B

ack in the June ’22 issue of Classic Truck Performance, we gave you a not-so-little sneak peek at Brian Schutte’s ’51 Chevy currently under construction at Scott’s Hotrods ’N Customs, in Knoxville, Tennessee. As promised, here’s the follow-up, with a healthy dose of info from the metal magician responsible for all the beautiful work, Kenneth DeKiserre.

Feature
InTheGarageMedia.com
BY Scotty LachenauerPhotography BY THE AUTHOR
Mama's Boy title
Son Builds Mom a Ride She Can Impress the Local Motorheads With
BY Scotty LachenauerPhotography BY THE AUTHOR
S

ome guys don’t wait till Mother’s Day to bestow their moms with gifts that will warm her heart and give her joy for years to come. Some guys do it instantaneously, knowing that mom is worth the extra effort every day, and not just on the Hallmark holidays. To them, their mom has always had their backs; supporting them on their journeys through life and all it entails.

Joe Palmonari, of Dorothy, New Jersey, is one of those grateful sons who early on recognized the sacrifices his mom Sue Zanghi made for their family and has paid her back with copious quantities of love and support in return. However, he knew one day he would do something extra special for Mom. He figured out a way he could use some of his life skills to give his mom a unique gift, all while having some fun along the way.

'55 Chevy
CTP logo Tech
InTheGarageMedia.com
Backup Discs Title
Easily Eliminate Unwanted Holes Subtitle
Backup Discs Title
Easily Eliminate Unwanted Holes Subtitle
BY “Rotten” Rodney Bauman  Photography by THE AUTHOR
W

hen repairing body sheetmetal, little things can be big conveniences. Years ago, I purchased my first assortment of 18-gauge steel weld-in discs from metal master Ron Covell. It’s taken a while—maybe two whiles or more—but lately I’m running low on certain sizes, so I thought I’d best reorder.

“Is this Professor Hammer?” That’s pretty much the way the telephone call began. When I got around to saying, “This here’s Rotten Rodney,” I was tickled that he actually knew me. As it turns out, Ron Covell reads my stuff, same as I read his, and I’ll keep that as a feather in my cap from here on. Anyway, we had a nice conversation. For reordering, however, Ron Covell suggested that I call Bob Drake, who is now the source for the discs of desire—Drake’s Discs, as they’re known today.

So, now that we’re down to the short strokes, in the metalworking phases of our ’55 Chevy second-series build, we’re focused more on little things. For example, you know those three big, heavy, pot-metal badges that ordinarily adorn the hood and fenders of such trucks? Well, ours are pretty pitted. We know Brothers carries new ones, but our project truck’s owner is usually open for suggestions. Knowing so, we sort of suggested deletion of the big old badges in favor of a cleaner, sleeker look for his cute little truck.

CTP Feature
InTheGarageMedia.com
Havasu Heat
Premier Street Rod’s Latest Ground-Up C10 Build
Front side view of the ’68 C10
 BY Fuelish Media
D

ean Clowers and his wife, Lori, are residents of Anchorage, Alaska, but have a vacation home in sunny Lake Havasu City, Arizona, to get away from the cold. Dean was getting close to retirement, and when the time finally came to put his woes of 9-to-5 (and then some) life on the shelf, he began planning for what would be his ideal method of occupying a solid chunk of his upcoming free time.

CTP logo Tech

InTheGarageMedia.com

A Blue Oval, Abridged Title
Part 2: Shortbox Sheetmetal Savings by Starting Anew
BY Ryan MansonPhotography BY THE AUTHOR
W

ith our longbed-to-shortbed conversion on our ’69 Ford F-100 a wrap as far as the chassis goes, it’s time to turn our attention to the part that will really bring to life the transformation, the shortbed sheetmetal assembly. In the past there was no easy way to convert the longbed sheetmetal down to shortbed specs. Slicing a full 16-inch section out of the front bedsides and floor, as well as an additional 4-inch section out back, makes for a ton of cutting and welding, not to mention the grinding and sanding involved to get the sheetmetal smooth enough for body and paint. A challenge on the double-walled smooth bedsides to be sure, but grinding the two seams nice and smooth on the corrugated steel floor would be something akin to Chinese water torture. For most homebuilders this put the conversion out of reach as far as skill set or budget resources allowed. But thanks to the recent introduction of reproduction steel bedsides from Golden Star Classic Auto Parts, converting that longbed Ford down to a shortbox Fleetside is a simple matter of swapping a few sheetmetal components.

CTP Feature
InTheGarageMedia.com
High School Hauler
Ryan DeLancey’s ’77 GMC Sierra Classic, a Simple Plan
BY Chuck Vranas  PHOTOGRAPHY BY THE AUTHOR
I

n your teens, it’s easy to fall into the stream of endless influencers online hawking everything from the latest lifestyle trends and electronic glitz to the constantly changing world of music and fashion styles. Couple this with a fascination of hopped-up imports and even EVs and it seems that there’s very little focus being paid to the world of classic trucks and hot rodding. Peel back the surface, however, and you’ll see that our hobby is in great shape moving forward. Take a walk through any local or large-scale automotive event and you’ll experience a large number of young people not only attending but also showcasing their own builds, laying rock-solid groundwork for the future.

1977 GMC Sierra Classic
CTP logo Tech

InTheGarageMedia.com

BY Rob FortierPhotography BY THE AUTHOR

The Form & Function of 12V typography
American Autowire’s Highway 22 Plus: The Ultimate Harness for All Your Electrical Needs
I

f there’s one thing that the majority of DIY hobbyists will admittedly shy away from it’s wiring. As simple as the average 12V system technically is, it might as well be calculus. But it also goes beyond the application aspect in that physically wiring a full vehicle properly is just as important as understanding what all the wires do in the first place.

For me, I enjoy the form of automotive electrical wiring, but when it comes to non-basic functions of modern components, well, let’s just say I heavily rely on instructions and online tutorials! There’s a lot more to it than simply red = hot, black = ground! Fortunately for me, as well as the shops that do this kind of work on a regular basis, American Autowire has simplified the art of rewiring with their Highway series harnesses.

CTP logoFeature star Feature

InTheGarageMedia.com

Paradise (almost) Lost

Scott Thurston’s ’69 Ranger

BY Chris Shelton Photography By THE AUTHOR
W

e all have a story about the one that got away. For Scott Thurston, that was a ’68 Ford Ranger. “My dad had one—black with red guts—that he let me drive in high school,” he remembers. “I grew up with that truck camping, hauling hay and wood, and doing whatever else we needed to do. I always dreamed of what it would be like to have it lowered and in a short-wide configuration.”

CTP  Event

InTheGarageMedia.com
three photos of trucks at the show
Inaugural Reunion Classic Truck Show
rusty pickup trucks
Historic Downtown Chandler, Arizona
By Rob Fortier Photography By THE AUTHOR
F

riday, April 8, 2022, I jumped in my “non-denominational”–era (’11) GMC and headed due east from Riverside, California, to Chandler, Arizona, for the inaugural Reunion Classic Truck Show, organized by C10 Talk’s Ronnie Wetch and his wife, Autumn, Sam Castronova, and a group of close friends from Arizona.

With nothing more than a bunch of social media previews in my head in regards to what I was in store for, I braved the I-10 and its gruesome onslaught of 18-wheeler warriors (along with quite a few packs of bikers heading out to Arizona Bike Week) for four straight hours (I was driving a bit fast, when not stuck behind said semi!) before rolling into the beautiful Historic Downtown area of Chandler to check into the host Crowne Pointe hotel that afternoon, which is literally directly across the street from the show’s location, smack-dab in the middle of Historic Downtown Chandler. What first caught my attention was the plethora of restaurants, all within yards of the hotel/show site … like tons of non-chain restaurants, cafes, and boutique eateries (fancy food joints in layman’s terms!).

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Thanks for reading our August 2022 preview issue!