Street Trucks January 2017

2016 WAS AN AMAZING YEAR FOR CUSTOM TRUCKS, AND THERE WERE MORE THAN EVER BEFORE. The recession put a damper on spending quite a few years ago, and one of the first things to go was spending on things like custom trucks. Now that the country is doing a bit better, and there’s a little more to go around, people have been dusting off their projects and getting back to work. It’s pretty crazy to see where the scene has taken trucks. We’re doing more with them as technology develops making it easier for people to work on their trucks themselves. It used to be a chore to add modern suspension components to classic trucks, not just to alter their height, but to make them drive and ride better as…

RAM RECENTLY INTRODUCED THE RAM REBEL TRX CONCEPT, AND IT’S ALREADY BEING CALLED A RAPTOR KILLER. Rebel TRX is a 100-mph off-road machine with 575 hp; it’s the most powerful ½-ton truck the company has ever built. The RAM Rebel TRX concept hits triple digits in an off-road environment with the help of a supercharged 6.2L Hemi V-8. Mated to the TorqueFlite 8HP70 eight-speed automatic transmission, new calibrations were used for the engine, transmission and drivetrain to optimize the expected high-speed off-road driving cycle. The RAM Rebel TRX concept uses Ram’s 4x4 Performance Control System with a BorgWarner 44-45 transfer case. The system employs different modes of operation: Normal, Wet/Snow, Off-road and Baja. It uses custom CV half-shafts to handle the wider track dimension, and the spindles are moved forward…

“FEATURING A CUSTOM ACME CHASSIS AND A TON OF METAL WORK BY JOSH HART OF HART FAB, THIS THING IS GOING TO BE NOTHING SHORT OF AMAZING.” BUILD, BUILD, BUILD! That’s all Jeff Volker seems to be doing these days, and that’s certainly fine by us. As co-creator and owner of our October 2015 cover truck (“Lethal CX,” pg. 44), we were excited to find out about his latest, a ’72 Chevy Blazer. Featuring a custom Acme chassis and a ton of metal work by Josh Hart of Hart Fab, this thing is going to be nothing short of amazing. Powering this reincarnated beast of a Blazer is a GM Performance LT-1 crate engine, which will turn an eight-speed auto built by Sam Phillabaum Performance. Stay tuned for…

This is a trend we can actually get behind. Texas Lips can be found on the rear of lots of trucks in the largest state in the continental U.S., but they have also been appearing nationwide of late. Large diameter wheels (usually 20 inches or bigger) with ultra-wide barrels and insane amounts of dish are sure signs that your truck is sporting a set of Texas Lips. Achieving such extremes usually requires 12- to 15-inch-wide wheels with minimal offset, which means that a narrowed rear axle is pretty much a necessity.…

REINVENT THE WHEEL FLAMING RIVER’S all-new floor-shift tilt steering column is made of 304 stainless steel and includes turn signals, hazards and a GM 4.25-inch wiring connector. Designed for 1953-56 Ford F-100 models, this custom-designed shroud accepts a factory or OE reproduction steering wheel for a seamless fit and comes with a horn contact for full function. This American-made column is available in paintable mill, black or custom powder coat, and polished finishes to match the style of any ride. Flaming River 800.648.8022 Flamingriver.com SPITTIN’ IMAGE O ER HAS CREATED a reproduction inner rearview mirror for various 1958-66 GM models, including parts fitting 1960-67 GM trucks. With each mirror designed to replicate the original in every detail, and each featuring a crisp stamping with highly polished…

“HE DROVE IT ALL THROUGH HIGH SCHOOL AND KEPT IT UNTIL HE WAS 29 YEARS OLD. MARRIAGE AND FAMILY REDIRECTED HIS PRIORITIES, BUT NOW AT 44, HE SMILES WHEN HE SAYS HE KNOWS WHO HAS IT ...” TOBY SPARKS, FROM LOGANVILLE, GEORGIA, RUNS THE FAMILY CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS AND GREW UP WITH A LOVE OF VEHICLES, THANKS TO HIS DAD, JOHN SPARKS. He not only owns an impressive collection of vehicles but also his own automotive museum called Sparky’s Machines in Loganville. Toby’s very first vehicle at age 15 was a ’56 Ford pickup, purchased at the F-100 Super Nationals in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. He drove it all through high school and kept it until he was 29 years old. Marriage and family redirected his priorities, but now at…