Classic Truck Performance Volume 4, Issue 36 - August 2023

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR BRIAN BRENNAN bbrennan@inthegaragemedia.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ROB FORTIER rfortier@inthegaragemedia.com SENIOR EDITOR NICK LICATA nlicata@inthegaragemedia.com PUBLISHER TIM FOSS tfoss@inthegaragemedia.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER & OPERATIONS MANAGER YASMIN FAJATIN yfajatin@inthegaragemedia.com MANAGING EDITOR & AD COORDINATOR SARAH GONZALES sgonzales@inthegaragemedia.com ART DIRECTOR ROB MUNOZ rmunoz@inthegaragemedia.com ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT PATRICIA LUDI pludi@inthegaragemedia.com EDITORIAL TEAM Rodney Bauman, Tommy Lee Byrd, Ron Ceridono, Michael Christensen, Ron Covell, Grant Cox, Dominic Damato, John Drummond, Fuelish Media, Eric Geisert, John Gilbert, Joe Greeves, John Jackson, Barry Kluczyk, Scotty Lachenauer, Don Lindfors, Ryan Manson, Josh Mishler, Todd Ryden, Jason Scudellari, Chris Shelton, Tim Sutton, Chuck Vranas, Michael Yamada – Writers and Photographers ADVERTISING Travis Weeks Advertising Sales Manager Mark Dewey National Sales Manager Patrick Walsh Sales Representative ads@inthegaragemedia.com…

RFORTIER@INTHEGARAGEMEDIA.COM CONTENT WITH THE CONTENT? Having done this magazine-making thing for decades now, there comes a point where you ask yourself, “How many [enter subject] articles can you run in a magazine?” Whether it’s brakes, suspension, or metalworking (of any kind), to some it may seem rather redundant that we continually publish such content. Or is it? I will be the first to admit, I was tired of doing the same-old Mustang II install 10-15 years ago … but since then, especially in the heavier truck market, that old MII has been heavily beefed up (from spindles to ball joints and so forth), and we’ve seen a great influx in “appropriate” suspension upgrades for light-duty classic pickups. But beyond that, we’ve seen an even greater advancement in complete aftermarket chassis,…

1. HOTSHOE HOT RODS’ ’67-87 CHEVY C10 SHORTBED FRAME Hotshoe Hot Rods (HHR) introduces a new line to their older truck series frames. For Chevrolet they now offer ’67-87 shortbed frames. These are built with 11-gallon P&O steel and are laser cut for accuracy to produce the proper shape of an original framerail. Then, the ’rails are boxed to give them superior strength. The centersection is made from 1-1/2x0.120-inch wall P&O steel round tube shaped in-house with their digital tubing bender and built in a fissure for consistency. The frame comes with all external mounting brackets. HHR can add front and rear suspensions from a variety of sources. The frame and all components are fit together and TIG welded for strength and cleanness. All frames come with a hand-ground 50-grit…

While the ’56 F-100 is without a doubt Ford’s most iconic and recognizable “classic truck” in—and outside of—the Blue Oval world, the third generation of F-Series trucks, the ’57-60 era of refrigerator models, is where Ford Motor Company really started experimenting with more modern design elements. Gone were the individual front fenders and angular hood in favor of a more stylized, integrated front sheetmetal group—a more “square body” design, if you will (no offense to the devout GM readers!). Following in the footsteps of their competitors, that frontal makeover was impacted even more so with the introduction of the new-for-1957 Styleside bed, ultimately giving third-gen Effies their “fridge” nickname. Sure, the ’57-60 Flareside F-100s may not have anywhere near the following their predecessors have, as the Stylesides are typically the…

Most people have heard that the front brakes of a vehicle do a majority of the work and, as such, are most important. Thanks to key factors, such as gravity and weight transfer, it makes sense that the front brakes tend to take the most abuse. But it’s a little known fact that a close Second Place goes to the rear brakes (with the tree you’re heading for coming in a distant Third). All jokes aside, if you’re on a tight budget you should still invest the money in a front disc brake conversion first. We did, which you can read all about it in the Apr. ’23 issue of Classic Truck Performance. Now it’s time to turn our attention to the rear of our ’64 Chevy C10 with a…

The automotive fascination that takes place for many at an early age is usually easier to explain when you’ve been born into it. Parents are the first shapers and in Mike Slayton’s case his immersion into the automotive world came about as a direct influence from his father, Dale. As the owner of a performance-oriented shop, he was instrumental in setting his son on a path that would not only encompass his spare time, but also help shape a career path. Mike recalls, “I started hanging out at the shop when I was 10.” Dale was hard-core when it came to the mechanical side of the business and was very savvy at squeezing horsepower from an engine. He was also an avid racer by flogging cars down the quarter-mile on…