nyone who has ever had a sheet metal panel media blasted and failed to immediately cover said panel with some sort of protective coating knows what the expected result can be: surface rust. It might take a week, might take a month, but Mother Nature knows no bounds and she certainly doesn’t care that you’d like to retain that bare-metal beauty in her natural element for as long as possible (or at least as long as it takes to make all the necessary sheet metal repairs!). That was the state we found ourselves after we had our ’64 C10 cab blasted and proceeded to begin the repairs that we’ve covered thus far. For the first few months, the sheet metal was bare and clean, making repairs a fairly straightforward task. But over time, moisture and humidity began to seep in and soon enough, instead of a rose-colored glasses view of our project, our cab began to take on a rosy-colored hue, and it didn’t fill us full of optimism!

Optimism did in fact prevail, however, after speaking with the guys at KBS Coatings and relaying our project’s current woes. Not wanting to have to reblast the entire cab, we called looking for a chemical solution that we could apply at home to solve our surface rust issue before we press on with the usual body and paint process. Turns out, KBS Coatings has a three-part process that cleans, converts, and seals rusty surfaces for good. Known collectively as the Stop Rust Kit, it consists of KBS Klean, KBS RustBlast, and KBS RustSeal. Available in quart form for smaller projects or gallon form for large ones, the Stop Rust Kit is the perfect method to solve surface rust and effectively kill it in its tracks.

hile traveling on the road recently for Classic Truck Performance, our path led us to TK Customs (TKC) in Mitchell, Ontario, Canada, to check out some of the latest projects being worked on for the new season. Upon arrival, we were greeted by shop owner Tyler Kawalez and were immediately drawn in by a pair of wicked classic truck builds well on their way to becoming attention magnets once they reach the streets.

For Kawalez, starting out in a two-bay garage at his home almost a decade ago evolved rather quickly once his craft became known, leading to expanding into a shared space with a local auto parts distributor. This was great initially as it was easy to source an endless stream of parts, however, he still needed more space. He settled into his current 1,800-square-foot location, allowing him ample room to take on several builds at the same time. With a background as a licensed tool and die maker as well as a millwright, he blended his experience with mechanical and fabrication skills honed since his teen years of building and drag racing both a 1990 GMC Sierra and 1991 S-10 Blazer at Grand Bend Motorplex.

or over three decades Detroit Speed & Engineering (DSE) has been a leading supplier of high-performance suspension and accessory components. Designed and produced in-house using the latest manufacturing methods, DSE has earned a reputation for quality and innovation. Now, as part of the QA1 family of brands, DSE’s legacy continues and includes a variety of recently introduced direct-fit suspension components for Chevy/GMC S-series trucks. Often overshadowed by their fullsize brethren, DSE recognized the performance potential of GM’s compact pickups and did something about it.

General Motors’ first foray into the compact truck market was the Chevrolet Light Utility Vehicle introduced in 1972. Known as the LUV, these trucks were manufactured in Japan by Isuzu. Eventually, GM brass caught onto the idea that they could build a small truck of their own, in part by raiding their existing G-body chassis parts bins, and set the wheels in motion. GM introduced their new Chevy S-10 and GMC S-15 trucks in 1981 for the 1982 model year (the GMC became the Sonoma in 1991). The second generation of the Chevy S-10 and GMC Sonoma were both introduced in 1994 and continued in production through 2004.

There’s a lot to like about these little haulers; they’re readily available, affordable, and it seems like they were made with V-8 engine swaps in mind. When it comes to updating the front suspension, that’s easy, too. DSE offers three Speed Kits to improve handling, road feel, and ride quality of the first and second generation of these Chevy and GMC trucks.

akota Digital’s latest release for the Chevy OBS market is the perfect performance upgrade for a truck platform that is quickly approaching four decades since its debut. The 1988-91 GM trucks have moved beyond basic work-truck status and are now being built as serious street trucks, cruisers, and swap candidates. With their clean styling, simple interiors, and huge aftermarket support, these early OBS trucks have earned their place in the classic truck market.

The RTX Series is a great fit because it does not try to reinvent the look of the dash. Instead, Dakota Digital designed the cluster with modern technology while paying homage to the original factory gauge layout. At first glance, the RTX cluster could easily be mistaken for an original GM unit, but behind the face is modern accuracy, programmable displays, LED lighting, and app-based setup. Dakota Digital did not disappoint in replicating the space-age look of the original 1988-91 gauges. In simple terms, it is totally ’90s—only better.

This kind of upgrade makes even more sense on a truck that has been engine- or transmission-swapped. Many OBS trucks now run LS, LT, small-, or big-block power backed by modern transmissions. These drivetrain combinations do not always communicate cleanly with the original gauge cluster. The RTX system helps solve that with dedicated sensors, a compact control box, and a single data cable feeding the dash. It also gives the installer an opportunity to clean up old wiring, correct speedometer issues, and bring reliable gauge readings back to a truck that may have decades of modifications behind it.