The '55 Chevy pickup has been...
The '55 Chevy pickup has been sliced and diced to create its intimidating miniature stature. To maintain the stock 114-inch wheelbase, the cab was moved back 5 inches; the front fenders and hood were stretched 5 inches. The steel cab was chopped 5 inches in the rear and 6 inches in the front, and the bottom of the cab was cheese-grated 13 inches. Notice how small the front wheelwell opening is. The fiberglass doors were altered to fit.
Rolling stock on the front consists of Weld Racing 3-1/2x15-inch wheels wrapped with Phoenix FX 4x15-inch rubber. The traction-grabbin' rear end hooks up with a pair of Weld Racing 15x15-inch spools and 17/33-15 Phoenix drag slicks.
Believe it or not, this 440ci aluminum small-block with port/polished Air Flow heads and Littlefield huffer (which produces 25 pounds of boost) makes a whopping 1,600 hp and 1,000 lb-ft of torque running on alcohol. The Competition Cam (duration: 320 degrees; lift: 0.738 intake, 0.699 exhaust) provides the engine's inhale and exhale cycle, while an MSD coil produces the spark that's distributed from the MSD distributor, through the 8-1/2-inch MSD ignition wires. Exhaust exits rapidly through the set of SCT-fabbed 2-1/8-inch zoomie headers that were Jet Hot ceramic-coated. Moving the power rearward is a reworked two-speed Power Glide transmission and a chrome-moly driveshaft that hooks to the Ford 9-inch rearend.
The truck's short stature was accomplished by chopping the steel cab 5 inches in the rear and 6 inches in the front. And if that wasn't enough, because the steel '55 Chevy cab had a bad case of rust in the rockers and kick panels, Southwest Custom cheese-grated 13 inches off the bottom. To accommodate the cab modifications, the truck's fiberglass doors were altered at their bottom edges to fit.
The reduction continued by sectioning the cab 11 inches right down the center and moving it back 5 inches on the chassis. The fiberglass front fenders and hood were lengthened 5 inches to maintain the 114-inch stock wheelbase, which is mandatory to run any Pro Mod classes. The custom aluminum bed was whacked 12 inches in front of the rear fenders.
As the finishing exterior touch, Sherwin Williams Victory Red was sprayed by Gary and his son Scott. To create tremendous downforce, enhancing traction and eliminating lift, Southwest Custom Trucks also fabricated the massive Pro Mod wing and support struts, not to mention to huge wheelie bars out back. All in all, the truck only tips the scales at 1,732 pounds!
Behind this very cool, very fast drag truck is the dedicated and hard-working crew of John Lovan, D.J. Martin, the Glandon siblings, Michael, Scott, and Amy. When co-owner Gary Glandon is not underneath or bent over adjusting valves and rockers, he and his wife Rita are responsible for paying the bills.
This is one fast '55 Chevy, running 7.69 seconds and 178 mph in the quarter. When driver J.D. St. Cyr is not working at his desk as a design engineer for MSD Ignitions, he is belting himself into this wild and wicked miniaturized red '55 Chevy Stepside pickup. J.D. has been involved with drag racing since he was eye level to a headlight. He is known for his intimidating 660 smoky burnouts, lightning-quick reaction times, and straight full-throttle passes. He's a second-generation drag racer. His dad, "Nutts" St. Cyr, was a serious quarter-miler during the '60s and '70s and is presently helping out Gary's crew on race weekends. Nutts just finished building a Pro Street Bow Tie shoebox that is the stable mate of his other Pro Street '66 Chevy Nova.
It's only a matter of time before this miniature red '55 blasts into the 6's and breaks the 200-mph barrier. The temptation of integrating some insane nitro passes could also become a reality.
A mandatory driver's double-hoop...
A mandatory driver's double-hoop roll bar section of the rollcage keeps the driver safe while restrained in a set of Stroud five-point safety harnesses. Also, the Stroud window net makes sure he stays inside the cab. A detachable Grant steering wheel makes for an easier entrance and exit for the driver. An Auto Meter tachometer with shift light is right in J.D.'s face; the remainder of the Auto Meter engine gauges are mounted on the dash. An air-assist shifter makes for quick, consistent shift points.
How about a 440ci aluminum...
How about a 440ci aluminum small-block with port and polished Air Flow aluminum cylinder heads? The air fuel is force-fed by a massive Littlefield blower and bug catcher. Southwest Custom Truck designed and fabricated the cool zoomie Jet Hot ceramic-coated headers. The combo makes a healthy 1,600 hp and 1,000 lb-ft of torque.
The unique front suspension...
The unique front suspension with inboard AFCo coilover shocks mounted parallel to the ground are linked to the front lower control arms by a cantilever system, upper and lower control arms, and spindles. The entire setup was designed and developed by John Lovan, who is part of the Southwest Custom Truck crew. A 5-gallon aluminum fuel cell was custom-fabricated by Southwest Custom Trucks.