1974 Chevy Stepside

Aged to Perfection

By Rick Amado

photographer: Kevin Lee, Rick Amado

Here’s the angle you’re most likely to see of Mike’s red hauler if you happen to rap your pipes next to him at a stoplight. Ride is provided by owner-installed Belltech 3-inch-dropped spindles and 2 1/2-inch cut coils, while the rear is brought down through the use of a Belltech flip kit with 1-inch shackles and a Belltech C-notch. Toxic shocks on all four corners smooth out the bumps. The rubber rake is provided by 17x8 and 17x9 1/2 Budnik Famosa wheels wrapped in 245/50 and 275/60R17 BFGoodrich HR4 tires on the front and rear, respectively. Aside from shaved handles, Mike’s truck boasts filled side markers, shaved driprails, key locks, and taillight bracket holes. All these modifications were applied to freshly acquired sheetmetal—everything but the cab and bed sides was replaced with fresh factory metal.

The cockpit rocks with an Alpine sound system boasting three 8-inch JL Audio subwoofers and 500 watts of Alpine amps. The interior was stitched in light gray cloth by Tri-Valley Auto Interiors of Pleasanton, California. The ’78 GM gauges include a factory tach. A LeCarra four-spoke wheel wrapped in gray leather tops the column.

Under the hood beats the heart of a beast. A 350ci GM high-output crate engine boasts aluminum ’Vette heads and puts 345 hp out through a TH400 trans, which turns a custom driveshaft bolted to a 12-bolt posi rear twisting 3.08:1 gears.

This truck just doesn’t stop being cool. The bed was made proper with the use of oak planks set off by chrome rub strips, filled stake pockets, and capped rail ends.

The factory chains/latches were scrapped in favor of these beautifully polished custom units, which were mounted on the inside of the bed.

Mike’s use of ’85 Porsche electric mirrors is in perfect keeping with the performance-inspired sophistication of his truck. He incorporated the mirror controls into the driver-side door panel for an almost factory appearance. You can see all the way to Albuquerque in the Mike Witherspoon–applied PPG Deltron Medium Cabernet paint—we’re talkin’ deep.

The ’78 Silverado door panels almost look stock with solenoid switches for the shaved handles and the electric mirror controls mounted in the factory handle location.

We all know how some things get better with age. It’s true with wine and, in this case, with a wine-colored truck. Mike Ciarfaglio, an airline mechanic from Livermore, California, spent five years building his ’74 Chevy Stepside.

Inspired by a truck once owned by his cousin Ed, Mike’s dream became a reality with the help of his good friend Mike Witherspoon, who helped him with the major modifications. This isn’t a simple clean-it-up-and-drive-it project either. Mike took his time and built this one right, leaving no stone unturned and no bolt unpolished. Mike made certain that his truck wasn’t all show, though. With a thoroughly built small-block V-8 spinning the rear wheels, Mike’s truck proves that go and show can and do go hand in hand.

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