Marc “Big Biscuit” Walker always had a thing for trucks. Even as a kid he would dream about having a tubbed machine to impress his friends. Now Marc is grown, and we mean grown. He seemed to pass right by average and went straight to Big Biscuit size. Being a mountain of a man, he couldn’t see himself squeezing in and out of some car. He wanted — and quite possibly needed — something bigger.
So the Big B set out to build his dream ride. He wanted it to be fast, but it also had to shine like no tomorrow. Once the wheels in his head started turning and ideas were flying, Marc saw it: an ’89 Chevy C1500 just screaming “Take me home and work me.” So he did and the dream started. The motor happened first, because he figured that if he started with the powerplant, he could match the rest and not spend money foolishly. To give the big Bow Tie more oomph, Marc got out the GM performance catalog, ordered up a 350-crate motor, and had it delivered to Chambers Automotive in Pleasant View, Tennessee. They ripped open the new mouse motor, bored it 0.30-inch, and installed a new set of TRW slugs. They swapped out the bumpstick and capped it off with an Edelbrock dual-plane high-rise intake and a 750 carb. A Mallory ignition provides the fire, while the Moroso 8-quart oil pan and oil pump keep everything lubed up. A complete 3-inch Hooker exhaust system, including headers, helps this combo put 375 hp at 4,500 rpm and 410 lb-ft of torque at 5,500 rpm to the ground.
To shift the truck and let the motor stay in its usable torque range, the stock 700-R4 was replaced with a TH-400 transmission with a B&M Shift Improver Kit and a 3,500 stall. To finish off the drivetrain, Marc had the guys at Chambers take 18 inches out of the rearend and fit it with Strange axles and a 4.56 posi.
With the muscle ready, it was time to get the rig a-rollin'. A new set of wheel tubs was installed to clear the 15x15 Billet Specialties Talledega/31x18-15 Mickey Thompson rim and tire combo, while a Belltech flip kit provided the drop. Belltech was also enlisted in the front with its 1-inch springs and 2-inch spindles bringin’ the fenders down to meet the Billet Specialties 15x8 and 205-70-15 Uniroyal Tiger Paws.
After a couple of shake-down runs, Mr. Biscuit took the dream to Kreative Kustoms in Ashland City, Tennessee, for the body and paint. They hammered out a few years of nicks and bumps and flipped the tailgate handle. Then the body, engine compartment, and a bunch of accessories (such as the Street Scene mirrors) were sprayed Garnet Pearl Metallic.
When the rig was going back together, the new smoothie front bumper and grille received the billet treatment. It’s all about billet for the Big Biscuit, because inside the interior lie 20 Billet Specialties accessories, including the Alien steering wheel. Amidst all of that polished aluminum is the maroon-and-silver two-tone leather seat by King’s Upholstery and a complete Auto Meter gauge set.
Sitting in the parking lot of King’s, Marc thought to himself, ”What’s missing?” And in the silence it hit him: the stereo. So back to Chambers Auto-motive he went, where they installed the JVC CD head unit, Rockford Fosgate amp, and the two 12-inch JBL subs. With the tunes in, it was time to do a final detail, get the fingerprints off the billet and the dust off the paint, and go. Now Marc enjoys cruising around and showing off, pleased to know that he has one less dream to accomplish.