Vehicle Description
Someone forgot to remind this 1992 Chevrolet C1500 that it's a
pickup truck. Somewhere along the way, it received a heart
transplant that includes a supercharged crate motor and an athletic
suspension that makes it more muscle car than utilitarian
hauler.
Finished in burgundy paint, this truck would ordinarily keep a low
profile. However, that all changed with the addition of a
cowl-induction hood and a set of custom silver SS stripes and a set
of flames on the hood, all of which transform this former work
truck into something special. Workmanship is quite good, with a
fantastic shine to the finish and great attention to detail that
includes the stripes on the roof and hard shell tonneau cover, all
of which line up beautifully from panel to panel. The grille was
borrowed from a '95 model and the rear bumper was ditched in favor
of a custom roll pan that fits like it was born there. Shaved
emblems give it a clean look, although custom ZZ430 emblems are on
the doors, but we'll get to that in a moment. With just a bit of
rake, this slick pickup will make you forget about your chores and
instead encourages you to head out and have some fun.
The interior is very much standard Chevy pickup, but it's not like
that's a bad thing. With handsome burgundy fabric on a split bench
seat, it is comfortable and attractive for long hauls and given its
condition, it has always been well-maintained. Original carpets and
door panels reinforce that fact and it's loaded with options: A/C,
power windows and locks, a tilt steering column, and a decent
AM/FM/cassette stereo system that still sounds good. A full set of
Dakota Digital gauges replace the original dials and when you turn
the key and see the dash light up, it's pretty darned cool. Tinted
windows give it a sinister look, and it's probably safe to call the
enclosed bed a giant trunk. And yes, that's a bottle of unused
nitrous there in the back.
The original engine was yanked in favor of a small block built into
a ZZ430. Displacing 350 cubic inches and using fast-burn heads,
4-bolt mains, and a performance roller cam, you'd think most guys
would be satisfied. Instead, the fellow who built this truck added
a Vortech supercharger, which pushes pressurized air through a
custom Quick Fuel 4-barrel carburetor for instantaneous throttle
response. The engine bay, even with the big blower, looks quite
stock, which is always the hallmark of careful workmanship:
preserving the OEM look and feel without going crazy with the shiny
stuff. Dual electric fans on the giant radiator keep it cool even
under boost. The 700R4 4-speed automatic transmission is a great
complement to the boosted engine, keeping it in the sweet spot and
pegging full boost with a quick downshift and the rugged truck rear
end won't complain about the torque. The suspension has been
lowered 2.5 inches in front and three inches in back to level it
out a bit and the exhaust system is a great-sounding Flowmaster
setup fed by ceramic-coated long-tube headers. Pretty polished
Torque Thrust wheels add a performance look and carry 255/50/17
BFGoodrich radials that fill the truck's big wheel arches
perfectly.
A very neat truck with lots of power on tap and the suspension to
use it. Yeah, it'll still haul, but it would rather be chasing
Mustangs. Call today!
