welding machines have become so affordable these days that most professional shops (and many home hobbyists) are now using them. TIG welding offers superior control over every aspect of the welding process. The quality and appearance of a properly made TIG weld is hard to match with any other process.

For anyone not familiar with TIG welding, the heat is created by an electric arc streaming between the electrode in a handheld torch and the part being welded. The arc can be focused with great precision, and if enough heat is applied, a molten puddle will be formed on the base metal. Filler rod is usually manually added to this puddle, fusing the joint together and making the weld.

Steel melts at around 2,600 degrees F, so the welding arc needs to be much hotter to melt the base material. Tungsten is used as an electrode for TIG welding because it has the highest melting temperature of any metal and it retains its stability even when heated to the point where it glows red or even white.

f you drive your classic truck regularly chances are Mother Nature is going to open the skies when you least expect it and you’re going to get rained on. That’s when you can fully appreciate an effective windshield wiper system like those available from Bob and Linda Galbraith’s New Port Engineering.

When we first met the Galbraiths their fledging company was offering direct-fit electric windshield wiper kits for three vehicles: 1939, 1941, and 1948 Chevy passenger cars. From that modest beginning, New Port Engineering now offers over 180 car and light truck Clean Wipe Wiper Drive systems that are true bolt-in replacements for original equipment vacuum or electric windshield wiper motors. Each model of the Clean Wipe Wiper system is designed for the specific year and model of car or truck. All have been developed in-house and are built with components that are laser cut, CNC machined, and TIG welded in jigs and fixtures to ensure accuracy and consistent fitment.

The advantage to converting from vacuum to electric wipers is easily understood by anyone who has driven a car or truck with vacuum wipers in the rain. It often required a special driving technique we learned driving our Ford pickup. When the engine was working hard, such as climbing a grade, the vacuum would drop and the wipers would slow or stop completely. But by letting up on the gas momentarily, the wipers would work long enough to get a glimpse of the road ahead, then it was back on the throttle only to repeat the process again when visibility deteriorated. Of course going downhill there was lots of vacuum, so the wipers would often work so rapidly that the wiper arms and/or blades would occasionally fly off (for some reason it was always the one on the driver side).

eneral Motors built a tremendous following by combining style, performance, and utility into the trucks we know and love today. GM really hit its stride in 1947 and hasn’t let off the gas since then, and with each generation of Chevrolet and GMC trucks comes a new flock of followers. From Advance Design trucks to today’s technological masterpieces, there are millions of Chevrolet and GMC trucks out there, and Bryan Ashely found a way to bring a bunch of these trucks and their owners together. He calls it the Southeastern Chevy/GMC Truck Nationals presented by LMC Truck, and this year marks 15 years the event has taken place.

Like many shows, it started small with approximately 100 trucks on hand, but the Southeastern Chevy/GMC Truck Nationals has grown significantly since moving to the Wilson County Fairgrounds in Lebanon, Tennessee. The 2025 event featured 1,630 trucks, dozens of vendors, a great swap meet, and thousands of spectators through the gate during Friday and Saturday. Every generation of Chevrolet and GMC truck are represented, and you can always count on an array of build styles, from slammed shop trucks to sky-high 4x4s. The majority of the show is outdoor, but there are several buildings throughout the fairgrounds that provide a little break from the summertime heat.

There are 17 specialty awards given out on Saturday, but the atmosphere of the show is more about hanging out and having a good time. It’s a family friendly show with lots to offer and you know it’ll be on our calendar again in 2026. Go ahead and mark yours for July 17 and 18 and join the fun at the Wilson County Fairgrounds. You can find out more about the event at gmtruckshow.com.

It’s been a minute or two since we visited with our up-and-coming teenage trucker, Carson Reed—he’s still in high school, so we’re cutting him some slack! After making good progress with his 1964 Chevy’s “mid-length” chassis all situated with the Scott’s Hotrods four-link and IFS (both custom tailored for extreme-low ride height with his dad Ryan’s tutelage!) and Wilwood brakes fore and aft, Carson buttoned up the wheelbase adjustment on the frame and the bed sheetmetal/Brothers’ oak wood floor. With the Scott’s front crossmember set exactly where he and Pops wanted it, the stroker 383 and his manual gearbox—a Silver Sport Transmissions TKX—that had been patiently waiting their turn in the corner of the shop got a little attention. We’ll let Carson take it from here:

“A manual transmission was something I wanted my first truck to have. My dad and I discussed an automatic, but I felt a manual transmission was right for the 383 small-block. My dad had figured the TKX five-speed was the best option for what I was looking for, so we contacted Silver Sport Transmissions and ordered the complete package, including the McLeod clutch assembly.