SPLIT PERSONALITY
22 classictrucks.com
North Long Beach, as the
truck would feature their
bodywork before RMD’s
Victor Ceron painted it.
Shine’s Speedshop also
took care of the drivetrain
and, importantly for Gus,
also provided guidance in
the overall look of the truck.
The concept developed was
to have what looks like a
nicely restored shortbed C10
but actually have it include
a lot of hot rod DNA into
its mix.
Work started from
the ground up, with the
original chassis used but
updated with tubular
suspension pieces from
Classic Performance
Products (CPP). Out back a
12-bolt Chevy 3.55:1 Posi
rear went in (along with a
CPP antiroll and Panhard
bars) as well as Shockwave
airbags from RideTech.
Up front 14-inch CPP disc
brakes were added to a
tubular front suspension
system, along with another
set of RideTech ShockWave
airbags. A quick-ratio
steering box connects to an
original Chevy column.
Though Gus really
loved his truck, Mother
Nature showed no respect
over the years, and a
new floor, subrails, and
toeboards needed to be
installed, along with some
replacement pieces from
Truck Shop in Orange,
California, which included
the hood, and Shine made
a template off the old hood
to transfer the factory hood
lettering to the repop hood.
Other major work included
removing and replacing the
roofskin. For the chassis,
the center crossmember was
raised and the rear section
was both C-notched and
boxed. Plus, for safety, the
front shock mounts were
modified for double shear
strength.
The powerplant chosen,
a ’17 Chevrolet SP350/385
crate engine with a stroked
3.48-inch forged crankshaft
and 4-inch pistons, was
finished off by Shine
Speedshop to make it look
like it was just pulled out of
a ’65 Corvette—to the point
you don’t really notice the
serpentine belt system. You
do, however, take note of
the mid-’60s two-barrel
air cleaner (refitted for this
motor) that tops a Holley
650 carb.
Other performance
goodies include a U.S.
Radiator equipped with
twin aluminum fans,
a 105-amp alternator,
and a set of Chevrolet
script valve covers Gus
got off his brother’s ’65
Chevelle. Exhaust runs out