


With a little “remix” by Rob “Guapo” Munoz, John Jackson captured Gary Brown’s hot-rodded ’57 Chevy that graces this month’s cover.
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K, I’ve been holding out on this one for a bit, but after attending a few larger events this summer I can no longer pinch my fingers, so to speak. As the accompanying image suggests, I’m referring to the “convenience” of electric scooters for spectators at car shows … or is it the “inconvenience” of electric scooters for participants/vehicle owners and exhibitors at car shows?
For many, the availability of scooters at larger events has made it possible for them to see the entire show without being physically challenged, and I personally think that’s a great thing. The last couple years of my father’s life he would not have been able to attend even a local cruise night without the assistance of a scooter. Obviously, that’s not where my issues lie.
Over the years, the popularity of electric scooters has grown enormously—so much so, in fact, oftentimes it’s difficult for non-scootered spectators to maneuver through the aisles/rows, let alone see the vehicles/vendors they’re there to see in the first place. Beyond that, I’ve seen the numbers of “non-needy” individuals (healthy, young people) using said scooters increase even more so … at a staggering rate. It is of my opinion that if you don’t need the assistance of an electric scooter, keep your butt out of them and walk the show like everyone else! (I say this as we just returned from a HUGE event where we had access to golf carts to aid in our coverage of the nearly 10,000-vehicle show … so I do feel a bit hypocritical, even though we only used them outside and on rare occasion!)
Parts Dept.





f you look back 15-20 years ago, there were no “recipes,” per se, when it came to building performance classic trucks—update the original chassis, swap the drivetrain … basically, the standard fare street rod treatment. Well, as the hobby has grown and progressed over the last two decades, so too has that treatment—in all facets of the automotive aftermarket.







his is the ’71 GMC 1/2-ton Stepside owned by my Uncle Jack Fillers from Greeneville, Tennessee. It was originally a 292 inline-six with a TH350 transmission and a 12-bolt 3:73 rear. It has had one obvious repaint in its life where the bumpers were painted the Factory 504 Medium Olive Metallic. The original wood bed floor was pretty much gone and it had some minor cab corner/rocker rust that needed to be replaced. The project was the result of a previous conversation I had with Rob Fortier of Classic Truck Performance and then a conversation in my booth at the NSRA Street Rod Nationals in Louisville, Kentucky, between Jim Ries and myself about whether we’d be willing to work with CTP and Jim’s company, Classic Performance Products (CPP), to do some articles showcasing product. Since we’d already been using CPP in the shop it seemed like an easy answer and numbers were exchanged to move forward.
It was March 2022 on a Sunday afternoon when Uncle Jack calls me wanting to forward a link to a marketplace ad for a ’71 GMC in Danville, Virginia. After having a look myself, I advised Uncle Jack he’d better get the guy on the phone because the truck wouldn’t last long. A man’s good word to hold the truck until early Wednesday morning, a few hours pulling an empty trailer, and we were in Virginia laying eyes on the truck. Uncle Jack, who was standing above as I looked underneath, was waiting for my assessment. After I gave him the nod, I was tilting the trailer to load up while Uncle Jack paid the seller who then informed us that a guy who’d driven from Arkansas was in a local hotel waiting to buy the truck if we declined. The seller had kept his word to hold the truck, without a deposit, until we came to look at it, which is a true testament to the folks we meet in the truck community. Unfortunately for the man from Arkansas who went home empty-handed, but fortunately for us we went home loaded and began making calls to get a plan in place.





ith the abundance of truck shows these days, it’s good to see those long-standing traditions like attending the Brothers Trucks Show (formerly known as Brothers Show & Shine) is still top of the list for SoCal “must attends”!
Now in its 24th year (the second under the new Holley Performance group banner and fourth year at the spacious Oak Canyon Park in the beautiful Santiago/Irvine Lake region of SoCal), we were definitely looking forward to kicking off our 2023 summer Brothers style. And that’s exactly what we did!




or some folks, finding your dream vehicle is a lifelong endeavor. Maybe it’s the rarity or even the cost but there are a lot of people who never get what they’ve always wanted. At the other end of the spectrum there is Brad Bolves who has always owned what he’s always wanted.





onsidering how your truck drives usually leads to thoughts of coilover upgrades or sway bars, but have you ever thought about the steering action and feel? Unless you’re still rocking a slow, stock, manual box, a steering upgrade may not have ever been on your radar—but you may want to rethink that!
After being in business for over 100 years, Borgeson Universal Company knows a bit about steering! They recently introduced a new steering box for GM OBS trucks that has a turning ratio of 12.7:1 versus the stock ratio of 14:1 or the factory 16/13:1 variable ratio unit. This means that for every 12.7 degrees of steering wheel movement, the output shaft rotates 1 degree. In the case of our OBS, the new box now turns lock-to-lock within three turns of the wheel compared to the four and more from the worn-out original.
For two-wheel-drive OBS fans, Borgeson has you covered as their new box is a bolt-in for ’88-96 models. The box is a touch shorter in length than the factory but installs with the same three mounting points and connects directly to the factory steering shaft. The OEM fluid lines bolt right into the 16mm and 18mm x 1.5 O-ring ports of the steering box, making this upgrade a true direct bolt-in affair.




t’s a common thread in the classic car world where a vehicle is purchased to fulfill a sense of nostalgia—and the truck market is no different. Growing up exploring the Northern California countryside with his family as a youth, it was this nostalgia that prompted Pete Richmond to search for a classic truck similar to what was used on the property that the family so enjoyed. Pete and his wife, Leslie, contacted Zane Cullen at Cotati Speed Shop and together the team came up with a fast and loose plan reflecting what Pete wanted in his classic truck build. A ’67-72 Chevy would be the foundation upon which they would build a well-functioning, upgraded pickup with the performance, ride, and comfort eclipsing a modern vehicle and the aesthetic of a workingman’s truck. While searching for the perfect candidate, Cullen caught wind of a project truck that had already received a number of upgrades that ticked off a handful of Pete’s requests. This would turn out to be the perfect jumping-off point, saving the team countless hours of labor and allowing for said upgrades to be purchased in one fell swoop.





n the two previous issues of Classic Truck Performance, we documented installing C4 Corvette front suspension under an early Chevy pickup. Our intent was to build a ’52 Chevy 3100 series pickup that had the ride and handling qualities of a contemporary performance car, but like many projects there were complications to deal with—and in this case they were all of our own doing.
Our piecemeal pickup actually started life in 1952 as a 3800-series 1-ton truck. But as the cab and front sheetmetal is the same as a 3100 1/2-ton pickup, and this particular example was completely rust-free and in near-perfect condition, we decided to use it. Now all we needed to begin was a frame. As luck would have it our friend Gary Dagel, of Dagel’s Street Rods, had a ’55 frame that he would donate to the cause.
From the outset the plan was to install Corvette C4 suspension under both ends of the truck using kits from Don McNeil at Flat Out Engineering. McNeil specializes in kits to install ’84-96 Corvette C4 front and rear suspension components under an array of Chevy and Ford cars and trucks. These suspension components provide excellent ride quality with cornering and handling traits that turns a utilitarian pickup into a corner-carving performance vehicle. All Flat Out Engineering kits maintain the correct factory geometry, are known to fit like they should, and are designed to be easy to install.



n the realm of classic trucks, the Chevy C10s and Ford F-100s often steal the spotlight while the Dodge D100 remains overlooked despite its appealing appearance. Although lacking the flamboyance of the C10 or the widespread popularity of the Ford, the D100 possesses immense potential—hence why some have opted to build one of these distinctive trucks.





n the mid ’60s a new class for racing cars was launched. These were based on production sedans, which were extensively reworked to make them competitive for circuit racing. The cars were fitted with full rollcages, state-of-the-art suspension and brakes, and powerful but reliable engines. That was the beginning of the Trans-Am series, which continues to this day.
Casey Holm, of Holm Built Hot Rods in Northern California, has always been fascinated by the purpose-built design used in this class of racing. Shawn Arnold, a longtime friend and customer of Holm, wanted to build a new, truck-based project that was aligned with the Trans-Am theme. Arnold found a Boss 302 engine at TOE Racing Engines and had them build a street-friendly engine in the Trans-Am style using a number of rare, period-correct components. The plan for the build was to keep the same attention to detail and focus on the performance that was used in the Trans-Am series.
It took an extensive search to find a good truck to start with. Most 50-year-old commercial vehicles get pretty battered, and rust often takes a toll on metal that old. The search finally paid off and they found a solid candidate with minimal rust and only minor body damage. After disassembly, all the body panels were stripped by media blasting.




elebrating 40 Years of classic Ford truck love, the F-100 Western Nationals, hosted by Limited Pickups of Orange County, hit a milestone this year, marking four decades of timeless passion for classic Ford trucks. The picturesque Canyon RV Park in Anaheim, California, served as the perfect venue, with its charming trees casting a welcoming shade over hundreds of showcased trucks.
From classic beauties to Coyote swaps, this year’s event showcased a jaw-dropping array of classic trucks, with many enthusiasts embracing the likeminded people and great trucks. The bumpsides made a remarkable presence, offering fierce competition to the beloved fat fenders that have long dominated the scene. The camaraderie among attendees and participants created an unforgettable atmosphere of shared enthusiasm and love for these automotive treasures.
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- AFFORDABLE STREET RODS73
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- ALL AMERICAN BILLET17
- AMERICAN AUTOWIRE19
- ART MORRISON ENTERPRISES33
- AUTO METAL DIRECT29
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- BEDWOOD AND PARTS69
- BOESE ENGINEERING97
- BORGESON UNIVERSAL CO.21
- CHEVS OF THE 40’S69
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- CLASSIC INSTRUMENTS81
- CLASSIC PERFORMANCE PRODUCTS4-5, 91
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- DINO’S GIT DOWN67
- E-STOPP CORPORATION95
- EATON DETROIT SPRING, INC.95
- EDDIE MOTORSPORTS53
- FAT MAN FABRICATION93
- FILLING STATION, THE71
- FITECH EFI71
- FLAMING RIVER INDUSTRIES35
- FLAT OUT ENGINEERING95
- GEARSTAR PERFORMANCE TRANSMISSIONS97
- HEIDTS SUSPENSION SYSTEMS79
- HEINZMAN STREET ROD SHOP97
- JOHNSON’S RADIATOR WORKS9
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- LEGENS HOT ROD91
- LMC TRUCK100
- LOKAR2, 47
- NATIONAL STREET ROD ASSOCIATION61
- NEW PORT ENGINEERING95
- NEXEN TIRE25
- OLD AIR PRODUCTS87
- PAINT OVER RUST PRODUCTS73
- PERTRONIX37
- PHOENIX TRANSMISSION PRODUCTS93
- POWERMASTER PERFORMANCE87
- PREMIER STREET ROD6
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- ROD SHOWS55
- SCOTT’S HOTRODS85
- SPECIALTY EQUIPMENT MARKET ASSOCIATION63
- SPEEDWAY MOTORS45
- SUMMIT RACING EQUIPMENT11
- THAT’S GREAT NEWS97
- THERMO-TEC AUTOMOTIVE93
- TMI PRODUCTS91
- VINTAGE AIR7
- WILWOOD ENGINEERING39
