1948 Chevrolet Stylemaster �€" Frame-Off Restoration with LS V8
Swap and Code 504 Chassis Why This Car Is Special The 1948
Chevrolet Stylemaster occupies an interesting place in postwar
American automotive history. When the war ended in 1945, American
manufacturers scrambled to resume civilian production. Chevrolet
returned with a lineup that was largely unchanged from the prewar
1942 models �€" the tooling had been mothballed, not scrapped, and
GM put it right back to work. The result was a line of cars that
carried distinctly prewar styling into a country hungry for
anything on four wheels. The Stylemaster was the entry-level series
in the 1946�€"1948 Chevrolet lineup, positioned below the
Fleetmaster, and it sold in large numbers precisely because demand
far outpaced supply in those early postwar years. The body style on
this particular car is the two-door business coupe or sport coupe
configuration �€" low, rounded, and defined by the sweeping
fastback-influenced roofline and pontoon fenders that Chevrolet
used throughout the mid-to-late 1940s. It is a silhouette that has
aged well and continues to attract serious builders. This 1948
Chevrolet Stylemaster has been taken well beyond its original form.
The frame-off restoration completed in 2023 replaced the original
underpinnings entirely, substituting a 1998 Chevrolet S-10 chassis
using a Code 504 conversion �€" a well-established method in the
pro-touring and restomod community that gives a prewar or early
postwar body modern geometry, power steering, and front disc brakes
without resorting to a fully custom fabricated frame. What sits on
that chassis is a comprehensively sorted machine: a GM 5.3L LM7 LS
V8 with a Brian Tooley Racing camshaft, a rebuilt and upgraded
4L60E automatic transmission, a two-tone tan and cream leather
interior, and a matte black exterior finish that lets the restored
chrome do the talking. This is a driver-grade restomod built to be
used, not trailered. Features List Engine and Drivetrain: - GM 5.3L
LS (LM7) V8 - Brian Tooley Racing NSR camshaft - New lifters,
timing chain, oil pump, water pump, sensors, and gaskets -
TrailBlazer SS intake manifold - 90mm throttle body - 36 lb/hr fuel
injectors - High-flow conical air filter - Braided stainless fuel
lines - High-output GM alternator - FiTech Ultimate LS engine and
transmission controller Transmission: - Rebuilt GM 4L60E 4-speed
automatic - Upgraded internals for higher torque capacity - 2,600
RPM stall converter - Custom driveshaft Chassis and Suspension: -
1998 Chevrolet S-10 chassis, Code 504 conversion - Power steering -
Front disc brakes - Rear drum brakes - Lowering springs and shocks
- PowerTrax No-Slip locking differential - CalTracs traction bars -
Upgraded differential cover Cooling and Exhaust: - Aluminum
radiator - Electric cooling fan with Flex-a-Lite adjustable
controller - Auxiliary transmission cooler - Custom stainless dual
exhaust with catalytic converters Interior: - Custom two-tone tan
and cream leather upholstery - Front and rear bench seats - Front
and rear seat belts - Custom headliner - Dash clock - Restored
original Chevrolet steering wheel - Black carpet Exterior: - Matte
black finish - Restored chrome grille and bumpers - Original
Stylemaster chrome badges - Chrome rocker panel trim - Dual chrome
exterior mirrors - Black steel wheels with chrome baby moon hubcaps
- Cooper Cobra Radial G/T tires Mechanical The engine in this 1948
Chevrolet Stylemaster is a GM 5.3L LM7 V8 �€" the iron-block LS
variant that came in full-size GM trucks and SUVs from 1999 through
the mid-2000s. The LM7 is one of the most popular LS swap
candidates in the country because of its widespread availability,
iron block durability, and strong factory output. This one has been
built beyond stock. The Brian Tooley Racing NSR camshaft is a
well-regarded hydraulic roller grind designed specifically for LS
applications in street-driven vehicles, providing a noticeable
improvement in torque and throttle r
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