Start: October 2012

[circa73]

Here's the labor of love. I search 2 years to find me a 1971 Fleet Shortbed. She came from NC, full or rot and neglect. She was mechanically deadly, and I barely survived the 3 hour ride home. After making her drivable, she served as my daily driver for 2-1/2 years.

In October 2012, she left the driveway for an extreme truck makeover at my dads garage. He's a retired auto legend living in a little New England town. From the 70's to mid 80's, we'd spend the summers laying waste to the 1/4 mile at New England Dragway in Epping, NH. The winters were spent gearing up to show that same 55 chevy at the World of Wheels car show in Boston, MA. The last car that beat the old man's was a 55 chevy 24K gold plated from the fame down to the rotors. Sure it looked good, but you couldn't drive it, let alone beat the brakes off a 70 454 chevelle in the 1/4.

So ole blue has been in Dad's shop getting the full monty. I've been lucky enough to have spend a weeks here and there lending a hand and admiring the work of an old school legend.

The specs:

Original drivetrain: Stock 250ci / 1bbl with a 3spd saginaw. Rear diff 3:73:1

Current: 250ci / 2bbl holley 350cfm / Offy intake / Turbocharged / 2spd PG (turbo 350 going in) / Power steering added