There are plenty of reasons to have a good woman around, but you know you’ve got a keeper when she lets you build a rod project for her. Kyle found the starter vehicle on a local free classified ad site. From the beginning, though, it was clear that this wasn’t going to be a passive thing on Sara’s part. The first thing she wanted was to replace the truck’s Ford 429 with a BBC.
Soon enough, a 468cui, 650hp Chevy V8 was sitting between the rails. That’s just the beginning, of course, and it wasn’t long after that frame reinforcements and an airbag rear suspension were in place.
When it came time to chop five inches out of the cab, Mrs. Chevy was right in there, helping to weld it all back together again. The wide whitewall tires were specially made for this truck at Diamond Back Tires, out of Conway, SC.
With a push to get the drivetrain complete and running, they were able to take the truck to the 2009 Turkey Run in Daytona, FL, on Thanksgiving weekend. Over the winter, development continued.
The original reversed Vega steering box was changed out for a faster, vintage sprint car unit. After transplanting a new cam into the 468 beast, it was time to enjoy the ride and that’s exactly what they did.
Cruise-ins, another Florida trip and visits to the local drag strip were all on the agenda for this rat. Summer shows and coastal trips also meant that this truck was being used the way it was meant to be and not just left as a trailer queen. Others seem to appreciate all the hard work that has gone into the truck, as it has appeared in two national magazines dedicated to rat rodding.
You can follow the build thread over at KillBillet.com and check out the full story. The truck is back out this year, with no signs of backing off it’s full schedule of events and competition. Yes, you’ll also find a photo or two of Sara with “her” truck.
