1955
CHEVROLET PICKUP
Dave & Sue CiappaCHASSIS
Frame: Chevrolet, modified
Rearend / Ratio: Ford 9-inch / 3.55:1
Rear Suspension: Triangulated four-link, RideTech ’bags
Rear Brakes: Wilwood drilled and vented 12-inch discs,
four-piston calipers
Front Suspension: Heidts IFS, 2-inch drop spindles,
RideTech ’bags
Front Brakes: Wilwood drilled and vented 11-inch discs,
four-piston calipers
Steering Box: Flaming River rack-and-pinion
Front Wheels: Schott Velocity 17x8
Rear Wheels: Schott Velocity 18x9
Front Tires: Michelin Pilot P225/50/R17
Rear Tires: Michelin Pilot P255/55/R18
Gas Tank: Stainless 15-gallon
DRIVETRAIN
Engine: Chevrolet 350ci, V-8
Heads: Chevrolet Performance, aluminum
Valve Covers: SO-CAL Speed Shop
Manifold / Induction: Edelbrock RPM / Holley Street
Avenger 650 cfm
Ignition: MSD Pro-Billet
Headers: Sanderson
Exhaust / Mufflers: 21 ⁄ 2 -inch Stainless / Flowmaster
40-Series
Transmission: Chevrolet 700-R4
Shifter: Lokar
BODY
Style: Pickup
Modifications: 2-inch chop, pie-cut, and sectioned
hood, shaved driprails, custom door handles, taillights,
roll pan, smooth tailgate, and louvers all by Trick Truck
’N Rod, Camden, OH
Fenders Front / Rear: Stock, modified / Stock, modified
Hood: Stock, modified
Grille: Stock
Bodywork and Paint by: Trick Truck ’N Rod, Rusco
Collision / Cody Carpenter
Paint Type / Color: Axalta / Platinum pearl, pearl white
Headlights / Taillights: Brothers / ’59 Cadillac
Outside Mirrors: Peep-style
Bumpers: Brother / Front
INTERIOR
Dashboard: Stock, modified
Gauges: Classic Instruments
Air Conditioning: Vintage Air
Stereo: Pioneer
Steering Wheel: Brothers
Steering Column: Flaming River
Seats: ’86 Chevy truck, modified
Upholstery by: Carl Zelner
Material / Color: Leather / Camel
Carpet: Square-weavePRETTY IN PLATINUM
70 classictrucks.com
Sanderson headers to a 2½-inch
stainless exhaust with Flowmaster
Series 40 mufflers setting the tone.
Plenty of cool underhood details
include custom inner fenders and
firewall, SO-CAL Speed Shop air
cleaner and valve covers, Billet
Specialties front runner system,
and Griffin radiator. The goods
move through a massaged Chevy
700-R4 by North East Competition
Transmissions of Hamburg to an
aluminum driveshaft by Denny’s. It’s
all good for a solid 400 hp at 6,000
rpm.
When Tom made the decision to
modify the sheetmetal of his classic
Chevy he laid out a plan to ensure
there would be a perfect balance
to the updates. He started with
lowering the lid by 2 inches and
shaving the driprails accented by
pie-cutting, sectioning, and louvering
the hood. From there the front
turn signals were complemented
by custom recessed door handles
along with a louvered lower fender
and door bottoms. To complete the
look, out back features a smoothed
tailgate, filled bed pockets, twin-
tunneled ’59 Cadillac taillights, and
a hand-formed roll pan with sunken
license plate mount and louvers.
The cab and bed were then metal
finished along with the panels being
gapped. Dave and Sue wanted the
truck to have plenty of allure in
its final form when they selected a
custom blend of Axalta platinum
pearl accented by white pearl. The
team at Rusco Collision in Buffalo
massaged the panels to perfection,
making everything razor-sharp for
Cody Carpenter to lay down the
vibe and bring it all to life. Some
added details include one-piece door
glass from Brothers as well as a
custom windshield by Frontier Glass
of Buffalo, and an oak bed with
polished stainless strips to complete
the look.
To add an equal amount of class
to the business office the factory
dash was revamped with a unique
insert featuring Classic Instruments
Nickel-Series dials to monitor
the vitals while a ’55 Chevy-style
steering wheel mounted to a Flaming
River tilt column carves a course.
Shifts move through a Lokar unit
while tunes flow thanks to Pioneer;
cool breezes are from Vintage Air.
Russo Collision then installed a Ron
Francis wiring kit to make it all come
together. For plenty of comfort, an
’86 Chevy truck bench seat wascovered in soft camel-tone leather
by Carl Zelner of N. Tonawanda
accented by tan square-weave carpet
and door panels from Brothers. This
is one amazing classic Chevy rolling
through the streets of New York, and
we’re sure Dave and Sue will rack up
the miles in no time!