remember back in the early ’90s I went to great lengths swapping the Saginaw three-speed in my ’54 Chevy Bel Air for a Muncie four-speed and a Powerglide ring-and-pinion. When all was said and done, yes, I had a much beefier transmission in which to bang gears and the freeway speeds were a bit easier on the rpm, however, for the time and money spent I can’t say that I was all that impressed.

A few years later I acquired a ’55 Chevy Stepside which, lo and behold, had that same three-speed gearbox—this time, however, behind a small-block 350. When the opportunity arose to swap out that manual trans, let’s just say the word Muncie was not on the tip of my tongue. While I did opt for a four-speed, in this case I went the automatic overdrive route and the outcome was anything but mediocre. From that point on, any transmission upgrade I’ve done has been so with the intent to add that crucial overdrive element—whether it was the TREMEC TKO behind the 235 in my ’53 3100 (as well as my Flathead-equipped ’33 Ford) or the 200-4R in my ’53 Bel Air.

t’s been said that “less is more.” OK, perhaps not in every instance, but sometimes less obtrusive is more appealing, for sure. You know the way little things can make big differences, right?

The following tech won’t be high-tech. It won’t be rocket surgery, or even brain science for that matter. We’re thinkin’, however, this might serve to illustrate how less might actually, occasionally, be more.

Here in our Montana-based shop we’re still workin’ on the same ’55 second-series Chevrolet. You know the big ol’ heavy badges those trucks wear on their fender sides and hood? We have all three in original pitted condition. In our Brothers Trucks catalog we’ve noticed some beautiful reproductions, but since pluggin’ holes is easily done we’ve opted to delete all three badges in favor of a smoother look.

he Danchuk Tri-Five Nationals has been around for some six years and each year it has shown growth—and that’s a good thing. However, what one should realize is it’s for more than just cars. The Tri-Five Nats is most assuredly a haven for ’55, ’56, and ’57 Chevy passenger cars but the event is for Tri-Five Chevys and that includes Corvettes and trucks of the same three-year vintage.

In past years one could find the isolated Corvette and maybe a little better luck with pickups. This year proved to be a watershed year and event as there was a noticeable uptick in pickup beds on the storied grounds of Beech Bend Raceway located in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Expanded from a two- to a three-day event covering Thursday through Saturday, the extra time was a welcomed gift, especially for those drag racing as it allowed for plenty of trips down the hallowed quarter-mile that’s Beech Bend. There were also plenty of exhibitors (more than 150), a tremendous number of spectators, and 2,813 registered participants—setting a new record. This is also the event that gives away a freshly built Tri-Five each year to a participant who comes to the event with their ride. Doesn’t matter whether you showed up in a Tri-Five that’s a car or a truck you are in the running for the grand prize of all grand prizes. This year Stephen Swendsen from White Pine, Tennessee, weathered—and we do mean weathered—Saturday’s significant rainfall. Anytime you take home a very cool looking and expertly built and accessorized ’57 Chevy the weather all of a sudden isn’t a factor!

ere on the East Coast, the lure of Carlisle is a strong one. The famous fairgrounds plays host to several major automotive events during the hottest part of the summer each year and this “juggernaut” of outdoor events continues to draw in enthusiasts of all things motorized year after year, striving to move ahead and set the standard at each twist and turn. After the pandemic year of 2020, fans were eager to get back out on the show field and check out what’s new and improved in the truckin’ hobby.

And Carlisle 2021 did not disappoint. Hot on the heels of the record-setting Carlisle Chrysler Nationals that saw its biggest event field ever, the Carlisle Truck Nationals started off in the same fashion. Helped out by the incoming clear, warm weather, trucks poured into the show in droves, shattering the nearly 20-year-old record for most registered show trucks at the event. This year, 2,511 trucks were registered, topping the old record by nearly 400 rides. That’s approximately a 20 percent increase over the previous top show. Not too shabby for sure.

With a full schedule of top-notch events, massive displays, a full truck marketplace and swap meet, and of course a show field to die for, Carlisle Truck Nationals will once again go down as one of the top truck events of the season. No matter your fancy, Carlisle had something for every truck-lovin’ attendee.