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March 2023
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Make It Yours. Make It Lokar. Modern Performance. Classic Style. Endless Options.
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Hot Rod
CLASSIC TRUCK PERFORMANCE VOLUME 4 • ISSUE 31 • 2023
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On The Cover:
With its gennie ’72 “gimmy” exterior and pure performance Roadster Shop chassis, Jon Blumenthal’s ’72 looks as good along the coast as it does on the autocross course.
Photo by Tim Sutton
Classic Truck Performance ISSN 2692-2347 (print) ISSN 2692-2355 (online) Issue 31 is published monthly by In the Garage Media, Inc., 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, Inc., 1350 E. Chapman Ave #6550, Fullerton, CA 92834-6550 or email ITGM, Inc. at subscription@inthegaragemedia.com. Copyright (c) 2023 IN THE GARAGE MEDIA, INC. Printed in the USA. The Classic Truck Performance trademark is a registered trademark of In The Garage Media, Inc.
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ROB FORTIER
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previous Classic Truck Performance covers
Still Hammerin’
InTheGarageMedia.com
Rob Fortier headshot
BY ROB FORTIER
HIGH END … LOW END … NO END?!
Lowered Brown 1949 Chevy Truck
Lowered 1952 GMC Truck
Turqoise 1947 Chevy Truck
I

know we have a very diverse group of readers who support this fine magazine, so I think it’s only fair to get everyone’s opinion on the type of content we’re featuring—more specifically, the types of trucks.

Let me expand on that. As far as the parameters go, CTP is not deviating from its YOM (year of manufacture), that being the ’40s on through to the end of the OBS era (pre Y2K). However, within those parameters, there are a lot of varying build styles and even truck styles for that matter. You may have noticed we’ve featured a couple-few classic 4x4s … well, that’s not only going to continue, it will definitely increase. But that’s not the area of concern here.

CTP  Parts Dept.

InTheGarageMedia.com
Golden Star Advanced-Quality '47-53 Chevy Grille
1. GOLDEN STAR ADVANCED-QUALITY ’47-53 CHEVY GRILLE
Golden Star Classic Auto Parts just released an all-new grille for ’47-53 GM trucks. This grille is a huge upgrade to what is currently available on the market. By carefully hand polishing and finishing the metal BEFORE the grille is chrome plated, the grille’s chrome finish is absolutely flawless. It is a perfect example of “you get what you pay for.” Retail pricing: $999.95, All Chrome (PN GR07-473C) and Chrome/Ivory (PN GR07-472C).
Feature
InTheGarageMedia.com
The Need for ... Speed title
Second Time’s a Charm for Jon Blumenthal’s All-Business ’72 GMC
BY ROB FortierPhotography BY Tim Sutton
“I read an article in Popular Hot Rodding about a C10 that Roadster Shop had built with their chassis that competed with—and beat—a bunch of high-end Pro Touring cars, and said to myself, ‘I have to have one!’ How cool would it be to have an old truck perform as good as a modern sports car?!”
Not only are Jon Blumenthal’s own words a real testament to both the quality and performance of Roadster Shop’s chassis, but they’re also words echoed by many others these days as to why they’ve built/had built the trucks we’re seeing more and more of: pure, performance-minded “old trucks.” But Jon’s ’72 GMC didn’t quite start out on a positive note. As he tells us:

“I had originally purchased a different truck from a builder out of Northern California who I’d hired to complete the build. Long story short, he ended up defrauding a bunch of customers—including myself—so I rented a trailer and drove 600 miles to retrieve the project.

blue '72 GMC truck
TECH
InTheGarageMedia.com
Bolt on and drive off: C10 coilover IFS install
Modernizing the Front Suspension and Steering of our ’64 C10 with a Scott’s Hotrods IFS System
BY Taylor Kempkes Photography BY The Author
I

n some sense, owning a classic truck is one of the best options for a project vehicle. They offer timeless style, the utility of a bed for weekend trips to the hardware store, and room underhood for a stout, all-American V-8. What they don’t typically offer, though, are handling characteristics that inspire confidence when driving alongside modern traffic. Our ’64 shortbed C10 is no different. We plan to build it into a fun weekend run-about but not before bringing its suspension, steering, and stopping capabilities up to contemporary standards.

CTP Event
InTheGarageMedia.com
"The 7th Annual Jalopy Jam Up"
Traditional Trucks Cruise the Fairgrounds
BY Chuck VranasPhotography By THE AUTHOR
T

here are so many reasons for owning a classic truck, with the most satisfying being the ability to top off the tank and hit the open road. Settling back into the seat with your favorite hits filling the airwaves while cruising to a destination as the sun cracks the horizon is about as perfect as it can get. After what seemed to be an eternity, due to the pandemic, it was awesome to hear that the Canadian borders were finally opened for travelers to visit once again. Nothing says welcome back better than a cool event that fuses nostalgia and traditionally styled classic trucks, hot rods, and customs for a truly memorable weekend. Now in its seventh year, Jalopy Jam Up, held in Rockton, Ontario, Canada, was revved up to greet truck and car owners after a two-year hiatus with a full schedule of festivities.

CTP Feature
InTheGarageMedia.com
Ram-ming Speed! title
This Wild-Eyed, Twin-Turbo Dodge Ram D150 Will Run You Ragged
BY Scotty LachenauerPHOTOGRAPHY BY THE AUTHOR
B

ack in 1981, Dodge brought back the iconic “Ram” symbol it had created in the ’30s and attached it to their line of D150 trucks. They also added the tagline “Ram Tough” to the new pickups it was about to unleash on the unsuspecting masses. This was a slogan it had used around 30 years earlier, and for the Chrysler brand it was the start of something special.

Dodge’s D-series pickups had been launched two decades earlier back in 1960 and went through a crisp restyling in 1972. For the ’81 model year, the trucks once again got a makeover, along with their fresh new moniker. In two-wheel drive, these D-series trucks used the Ram name, and 4x4s were denoted by Power Ram on their flanks. These Rams became popular for their steady good looks, ample power, and performance out on the street and at the workplace.

CTP logo Tech

InTheGarageMedia.com

Good All Under title
Preserving an Ex-Beater’s B-Side
BY “Rotten” Rodney BaumanPhotography BY THE AUTHOR
D

o classic trucks have B-sides? Once they’re sitting down low enough, folks might not ever notice. Even so, those B-sides deserve some attention during a build—even if it’s only to ensure longevity.

This won’t be the first time this ol’ cab has gone underbelly-up. It’s been tilted cowl-to-concrete before back when we toiled to remove unwanted undercoating. This time we’ll be doing just the opposite as we’re aiming to replace the previously brushed-on goo with something more substantial—and far better looking to boot.

Feature
InTheGarageMedia.com

BY Rob FortierPhotography BY John Jackson

One Mighty-Fine Forty-Niner title

The Ron Brown/Carnock Creations ’50 Studebaker

B

elieve it or not, Studebaker was a major force in the production of commercial vehicles before and after both world wars. When it comes to their most familiar offerings in the classic truck scene, the ’48-54 and E-series ’55-60 pickups are what the majority of us identify with. And, in my opinion, the Robert Bourke–designed ’49ers (2R-Series) are one of the best-looking mid-century trucks ever built.

Along with Loewy and Associates’ Virgil Exner, Robert Bourke began pencil-and-claying the all-new Studebaker ’49ers before the end of World War II (“afterhours,” as there was a general moratorium on civilian car production across the board). This brand-new design was a far departure from the previous M-series in nearly every aspect, and it clearly shows.

brown '50 Studebaker
CTP TECH
InTheGarageMedia.com
"The Pre-View"
"The Pre-View"
An “Under the Cab” Look at Tony Leal’s International Harvester Chassis With Old Anvil Speed Shop
BY Eric GeisertPhotography By THE AUTHOR
I

n most cases hardly anyone ever gets to see the foundation of a great build—and we mean the chassis, how it was assembled, what components are used, how some engineering feat was accomplished, and generally how a builder (at home or in a shop) was able to pull it all together. Once the body and bed get dropped on top of it, no one will get to see all the workmanship and creativity that went into it.

That’s why we’re happy to showcase this particular chassis because, besides checking all those boxes, it’s a spectacular piece of rolling art in its own right. Well-known slammed truck owner Tony Leal is having Old Anvil Speed Shop (Orange, California) go through his ’68 International Harvester Travelette. The body and bed is about to be bolted down, so we thought it would be a good time to get some photos of what lies beneath.

CTP logoFeature star Feature

InTheGarageMedia.com

Golden Hour typography

A Squarebody’s Reintroduction to Everyday Living

Golden Hour typography
A Squarebody’s Reintroduction to Everyday Living

BY Fuelish Media

W

hile there’s a lot to be said about off-the-wall, full-blown show trucks, there is an equally important conversation to be had regarding classic pickups that are rescued from imminent demise and given a second life on the road. When Chris Prokopow of Cottonwood, California, found his ’84 GMC Sierra a few years back, it had fallen into major despair and its previous owner was just looking to have it simply removed off his property. Being a lifelong custom vehicle enthusiast and tinkerer, Chris knew exactly what he could make of the truck even in its current, poor condition.

“I first saw the GMC on Facebook Marketplace listed for just $900,” Chris admits. “The truck was not running and had been left for dead years ago on an old Almond farm. The DMV fees were also backed up on it, so the owner ended up offering the truck to me at a better deal that I just couldn’t refuse.”

CTP logoFeature star Tech

InTheGarageMedia.com

Behind the Scenes With the Tony & Joy Capps/L & S Customs ’58 Apache

BY THE CTP STAFF

T

his month we revisit our friends at L & S Customs in Prospect Hill, North Carolina. If you’ll recall, we recently featured (Dec. ’22) the ’68 Chevy longbed they finished up last summer—this time around, we’re taking an insider’s look at Tony and Joy Capps’ ’59 Chevy Apache that’s getting the L & S touches thanks to our inside man, L & S’ own Troy Comer.

“Tony Capps and his parents are lifetime members of the Antique Auto Club of America,” Comer tells us, “with his parents having owned over 20 classic cars and trucks from the ’40s to the late ’60s, preferring Chevys. They both had cars from their birth years, so Tony’s wife, Joy, decided she wanted something from her birth year (1958) as well.

CTP logo Event

InTheGarageMedia.com

BY Rob FortierPhotography BY THE AUTHOR
We Came ... We Saw ... We're Still in Awe! typography
Dino’s Git Down No. 12
BY Rob FortierPhotography BY THE AUTHOR
We Came ... We Saw ... We're Still in Awe! typography
Dino’s Git Down No. 12
W

ords alone cannot describe the feeling that’s still percolating from our recent Arizona adventure … aka, the 12th edition of Dino’s Git Down. The show may have ended, but the buzz is still, well, buzzing!

The adventure began Thursday morning with the not-so-anticipated drive from SoCal to Glendale, Arizona (playing Frogger with umpteen million semitrucks over the course of four hours is not my favorite thing to do behind the wheel!). But good time was made in a comfy new Camry from the local rental outlet—sucking down a gallon of alcohol-infused fuel every 40 miles!

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Thanks for reading our March 2023 preview issue!