This 1978 Chevy truck was bought nearly
stock in 1996. Over the next eight years
it would undergo a complete overhaul to
transform it into what you see here. The
body was treated to all new sheet metal
with the exception of the frame and cab.
ME's Body Shop of Estherville, IA applied
the beautiful PPG Gloss Black paint after
shaving all the mouldings, emblems, taillights,
and handles. They also installed the ZR1
style roll pan and smoothed over the tailgate.
The truck then received suspension modifications
to lower the front end 6" and the back
end 8". The rear end was narrowed and
the bed was tubbed to accommodate the massive
rear wheels and tires.
After one too many burnouts the 396 c.i.
big block that was in the truck cashed in
its chips. Jay and Eric removed the engine,
transmission, and all the wiring and electronics
from a 1994 Pontiac Trans Am to rebuild
the truck. After a couple weeks of custom
fabrication and countless hours of wiring
the truck was running again stronger than
ever. The truck was dyno tested at just
over 300hp and 300 ft/lbs of torque with
a top speed of 154 mph!
The project sat on hold for a couple years
after that while we got Great Lakes Sound-N-Speed
up and running. The truck was driveable
and fast as ever, but it still lacked an
interior. In the summer of 2002, the Sound-N-Speed
team decided it was time to finish the truck.
The original steel dash was cut out of the
truck to make room for the new custom dash.
The dash housed the Trans Am gauges and
a 7" widescreen monitor behind smoked
plexiglass along with a trio of JL Audio
XR 5 1/4" components. The center console
was completely fabricated and was home for
the Clarion ProAudio head unit and Clarion
DVD player. The leather seats were acquired
from a mid-90's Olds Cutlass Supreme. The
seats conceal the JL Audio 10W3 subwoofers
mounted in fiberglass enclosures below each
seat. The amp rack behind the seats houses
the Xtant amplifiers as well as the power
distribution. The remainder of the interior
was either fabricated or used modified original
parts such as the door panels.
Even though the truck was eventually sold,
it is still a project we are very proud
of. Thanks for taking the time to check
it out.
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