If there’s one thing in our hobby that poses the ultimate challenge it’s the basket case. You never know what you’re going to find when you answer the ad offering a partial truck or car for sale till you arrive at the site and see it firsthand. Sometimes you win and the vehicle was carefully taken apart with all of its parts bagged “n” tagged, while at other times it’s a downright disaster resembling a jigsaw puzzle that’s been flipped over and stepped on with a few hundred pieces missing. Taking on a project like this isn’t for the faint at heart, but perseverance and determination will often yield positive results.
Rick Vrankin of Glenville, Pennsylvania, is no stranger to hot rods and custom cars, having grown up in a family that had plenty of them being worked on in the family driveway. His older brother, Dave, and friends gave him plenty of incentive to tag along as they cruised countless strips in the Baltimore area where he grew up. Frequenting all the notorious street racer hangouts, as well as spending plenty of weekends at Cecil County Dragway watching all of his hot rod heroes battle it out on the quarter-mile for the big wins. His first car, a 1974 Chevy Nova with a hopped-up small-block, gave him plenty of memorable nights on the scene and helped get him involved in the hobby.
As the years passed he found himself as more of a spectator while still hanging out with the guys, especially at the region’s hottest event, Cruisin’ Ocean City, Maryland, where thousands of the coolest rides would attend the weekend horsepower fest. It was a place that he would use to study the various build styles and trends while finally making a decision to start the search for a 1948 Chevy pickup. Having always been a fan of Pro Street trucks, he envisioned a radical slammed hauler that would easily make itself known on the street. He started canvassing the local papers and for sale ads till he finally found a listing for a 1948 Chevy truck project. Upon inspection the owner had purchased the truck with high hopes to build it but the old hauler wound up on the boulevard of broken dreams wishing for someone to come along and rescue it. Ready for the challenge Rick made the deal and hauled the pile home to evaluate and set a game plan.
After sorting everything out it was clear that he would have to get started by building a rock-solid spine to act as a base for the truck. He blasted the original frame clean and prepared it for updates. Out back he added an S&W Race Cars Chevy S-10 rear frame kit that was fabbed from rectangular steel, jig-welded and ready to accommodate the massive rear Pro Street tires for the project. A Ford 9-inch rear was then hung in place packed with Strange Engineering 31-spline axles turning 4.86:1 gears supported by S&W 32-inch ladder bars, combined with Watts linkage and matching coilover shocks. To get the truck low and add sharp handling he grafted in a 1977 Camaro IFS, complemented by Belltech 2-inch dropped spindles, stock shocks and springs, and antiroll bar. To add plenty of stopping power an SSBC dual master moves juice through steel lines to Wilwood Engineering 11-inch drilled and vented discs with four-piston calipers in front and matching 10-inch units out back. To give the truck a wicked look, a set of Billet Specialties Street Lite 15-inch wheels wear Mickey Thompson Sportsman front tires and massive Hoosier Quick Time rubber out back.
If you’re going to build a Pro-Street truck you’d better incorporate attitude when it comes time to filling the engine bay. To handle the task Rick went to Racing Parts & Machine in Baltimore to assemble a wicked mouse, starting with a Chevy block massaged to 383 ci. The team packed it full of go-fast goods, starting with a Scat forged steel crank linked to matching H-beam rods capped with Keith Black hypereutectic pistons while an Isky stick sets the beat. Up top a pair of Brodix aluminum heads make plenty of serious power while a Holley Strip Dominator intake breathes through a matching 850-cfm Holley Classic HP carb urged by a NOS Sniper nitrous system all topped by a Billet Specialties air cleaner. An MSD ignition lights the fire while spent gases dump through Hooker headers to a custom 3-inch stainless exhaust with MagnaFlow mufflers. Added details include a March Performance serpentine system, Aeroquip plumbing, and Moroso valve covers. To move the goods rearward an ATI Performance Products TH400 links to a custom steel driveshaft.
When you start with a pile of sheetmetal minted in 1948 you had better be prepared to spend the time needed to make it perfect. Rick mapped out the path, starting with repairing all of the areas suffering from years of abuse, including the lower portions of the cab, fenders, and bed while also replacing the floors. He then methodically followed to address the custom updates, including shaved bumpers and door handles, nosed hood, frenched headlights, smooth running boards with exhaust cut-outs, smooth tailgate, custom roll pan with taillights, and one-piece windshield. Bodywork sometimes seems like it takes a lifetime to get through all the blocking and sanding but time spent will yield an amazing final product. Once everything was gapped and finished, while working alongside his brother Dave, it was time to decide on a color. Wanting a dramatic hue he selected an Axalta black cherry vibe. Dave then loaded his spray gun and laid down a 10-mile-deep coating, bringing the project to life. To complete the look the bed floor was finished in a warm red oak.
Inside the original dash was reworked to incorporate a bevy of dials from Auto Meter to monitor the vitals as well as anchor all necessary switches. Steering moves through a Billet Specialties steering wheel linked to an ididit tilt column while shifts click through a unit from B&M. To add plenty of style a call was made to Bux Customs of Pottstown, Pennsylvania, to masterfully stitch up a winning combination of cinnamon leather and brown and white loop carpeting. Bux covered a pair of Chevy Spectrum buckets with a classic pattern, as well as treating the side panels, headliner, console, and four-point rollbar to an equal amount of detail. An American Autowire harness installed by Rick completed the interior. This is one former jigsaw puzzle that now rules the streets of Pennsylvania leaving its calling card with whoever sees it.
Facts & Figures
1948 Chevy | Rick Vrankin
CHASSIS
Frame: Custom 2×4 rectangular steel with S&W Race Cars rear half
Rearend / Ratio: Ford 9-inch / 4.86:1
Rear suspension: Custom ladder bars, S&W Race Cars springs and shocks, Watts linkage
Rear brakes: Wilwood Engineering 10-inch drilled and vented disc with four-piston calipers
Front suspension: 1977 Camaro IFS, Summit Racing 2-inch drop spindles, tube shock
Front brakes: Wilwood Engineering 11-inch drilled and vented disc with four-piston caliper
Steering box: Vega
Front wheels: Billet Specialties Street Lite 15×4
Rear wheels: Billet Specialties Street Lite 15×15
Front tires: Mickey Thompson 28×7.50-15
Rear tires: Hoosier 33×22.50-15
Gas tank: 15-gallon aluminum fuel cell
DRIVETRAIN
Engine: Chevrolet 383 ci
Heads: Brodix aluminum
Valve covers: Moroso / customized
Manifold / Induction: Holley Strip Dominator / Holley Classic HP 850 cfm, NOS Sniper
Ignition: MSD
Headers: Hooker
Exhaust / Mufflers: Stainless 3-inch / MagnaFlow
Transmission: ATI Performance Products TH400
Shifter: B&M
BODY
Style: Pickup
Modifications: Shaved bumpers and door handles, nosed, frenched headlights, smooth running
boards with exhaust cutouts, smooth tailgate, custom roll pan with taillights, one-piece windshield
Fenders front / rear: Stock / Stock
Hood: Stock / nosed
Grille: Stock
Bodywork and paint by: Rick and Dave Vrankin / Dave Vrankin
Paint type / Color: Axalta / Black Cherry
Headlights / Taillights: LED / LED
Outside mirrors: Billet Specialties
Bumpers: None
INTERIOR
Dashboard: Stock / Modified
Gauges: Auto Meter Pro-Comp Ultralite
Air conditioning: None
Stereo: None
Steering wheel: Billet Specialties Vintec
Steering column: ididit tilt
Seats: Chevy Spectrum buckets
Upholstery by: Bux Customs, Pottstown, PA
Material / Color: Leather / cinnamon
Carpet: Brown / white loop
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