Chassis
Cars and trucks are all about utilitarianism. Although vehicles have become status symbols, at the core, it’s all about getting people or things from one place to another. Through the years, Ford Motor Company has solidified its place in the annals of automotive history with its incredible lineup of consumer and commercial trucks. As the nameplate has been expanded and new options made available, Ford’s famed F-Series truly offers something for everyone.
The Helms Bakery Company started delivering bakery goods door to door in 1932 and had a small fleet of trucks servicing the Los Angeles area. The company was very successful, and by the ’50s it had a large fleet of Chevy panel trucks delivering to Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley. The fleet consisted of early ’50s Chevy panel trucks that were modified inside with wood and glass cabinets to store bread and other bakery products. When the trucks were purchased they were ordered with heavy-duty springs that worked well with the heavy wood cabinets installed inside. The company upgraded the fleet as needed, so there were plenty of ’50s Chevy panel trucks that were retired in favor of new trucks in the ’60s. The company eventually succumbed to changing lifestyles in California and closed its doors in 1969.
Smart boat owners know that diesel-powered towing vehicles are wise investments. A diesel powerplant’s premium price is eventually recovered through better fuel economy and engine longevity, and nothing quite compares to the off-the-line towing pull provided by a late-model oil-burner.
When this ʼ54 Chevy truckʼs owner started building it, he wanted it to be fast and to have a nasty appearance. He always liked the Pro Street style, so that is the direction he decided to follow. He started by ordering a custom back half that was narrowed and set up with a narrowed rear differential with coilover shocks, a Panhard bar and ladder bars. In order to complete the back half, the car was delivered to Dream Cars, where the suspension was installed.
When building a street rod there are a great many facets of the construction process that go into making the car an award-winning creation. First, there’s planning. The planning of the car can and should include attention to each and every area of the car, from concept to reality. Even the most basic of projects should have the proper planning involved, no matter what the final product might be. Once work has begun on the project, countless hours are generally involved in attending to every detail. From making the many modifications to the chassis to attain the desired drive train, to the matching and mating of the different components together, this becomes an involved process requiring a great deal of skill in fabrication and engineering.