American Powertrain Archives

’89 Chevy Cheyenne C1500 | Red Ryder

June 6, 2022 by Chris Hamilton

On Every Kid’s Wish List in the 1990s

How many of you wanted a Red Ryder BB gun after “A Christmas Story” appeared on TV when you were a kid? It was one of the most influential movie scenes in the ’80s, and to this day it still plays nonstop during the holiday season.

Roller block SBC 355ci V-8 Chevy — Roller block SBC 355ci V-8

Few things stick around for that long and still hold sentimental value to millions of people around the country. Show anyone in your family a picture of a stock ’88-’98 GMT400 truck, and we promise at least one of them has a great story involving one of them. Either it’s your grandpa who used one as a farm truck his whole life and watched the sunset in it with his wife for the past 30 years, or it’s your mom who met your dad in their parent’s work truck on a Friday night. Everyone has a memory that involves this all-American Bow Tie, and this particular shortbed is no different.

American Powertrain “White Lightning” Tremec 5-speed transmission

Dylan Eaton from Spring Hill, Florida, grew up with this exact truck—well, a stock daily-driven version of it at least. His dad picked it up from the dealership new in 1989 and drove it until 2008 when he gave it to Dylan. This was the first truck Dylan ever owned, and he wanted to prove he cared about it as much as his dad did. Now after a little over eight years and around $25,000 dollars or more, Dylan is proud to tell the story of this long-time family member. He knew the path he wanted to take when he started customizing. A daily driven, big power, thick tire street machine. Nothing more and nothing less. He wants to jump the truck at any time and have a strong crank. No special fuel and no pre-charging, just a ready and reliable show truck.

Because it was so well maintained since its time on the showroom floor, the exterior of the truck only needed some fresh paint and a few simple upgrades. A Street Scene front grille with billet inserts was installed, the factory bumpers were shaved and painted, the bed rail stake holes were shaved, and a steel roll pan was welded and smoothed in. Finally, the whole truck was painted Viper Red by Donnie Peake of Peake’s Autobody Inc. To get the stance correct, Dylan and his dad installed a 5-inch front and 7-inch rear suspension drop that included DJM Control Arms, Belltech coil springs, new spindles, a rear flip kit, C-notch for the rear frame rails, and Belltech Street Performer shocks. They also bolted on a 1.375-inch front sway bar with polyurethane bushings and body mounts as well as a Calvert Racing Caltrac bar.

The power plant on this sweet OBS is an ’87 GM roller block SBC 355ci V-8 built by Mark’s Performance and Machine in New Port Richey, Florida. The block was balanced, blueprinted, decked and line honed. It was also bored 0.030 over and has a Pro Meth methanol injection system. Eagle connecting rods, Comp Cams nx276hr camshaft, JE Pistons, Total Seal rings and King bearings complete the internals, and it’s all bolted together with ARP bolts and studs. Under the block is a Morosso oil pan. Topping off the engine build are Air Flow Research Eliminator 180cc heads, a polished 192-intake 16-rib supercharger from The Blower Shop, a Devane “Weekend Warrior” 930cfm carburetor, and Hooker Headers. These bolt up to Hooker Max Flow mufflers and flow out the back of the truck. An MSD ignition keeps the timing in check and an American Powertrain “White Lightning” Tremec 5-speed transmission with hydraulic throwout bearings and a SPEC Type 3 clutch wrap up the drivetrain.

All this power is sent back to the 14-bolt 5-lug 454SS rearend with 3:73 gears. Some 17-inch American Racing Torq Thrust 2 wheels are at each corner with a 17×7 up front and 17×9.5 in the rear. The Michelin Pilot Sport 4s tires give Dylan the traction he needs and the SSBC Big Bite brakes stop him when he steps on the pedal. The SSBC rear disc brake conversion and SSBC adjustable proportioning valve give him all the braking power he needs for this beast of a truck.

This truck is on every grown kid’s Christmas list, and you don’t have to worry about shooting your own eye out with a truck like this—although you may break a few necks when you drive by.

Truck Specs:

Dylan Eaton
’89 Chevy Cheyenne C1500
Spring Hill, Florida

Chassis/Suspension

5-inch front and 7-inch rear suspension drop
DJM control arms
Belltech springs and spindles
Belltech flip kit and C-notch
Belltech Street Performer shocks
1.375-inch front sway bar
Polyurethane bushings and body mounts
Calvert Racing Caltrac bars

Engine/Drivetrain/Performance

’87 GM roller block SBC 355ci V-8
Built by Mark’s Performance and Machine in New Port Richey, Florida
Balanced, Blueprinted, Decked, Line Honed
Bored 0.030 over
Pro Meth methanol injection
Eagle connecting rods
JE Pistons with Total Seal rings
King bearings
ARP bolts and studs
Moroso oil pan
Comp Cams nx276hr camshaft
502/520 lift and 276/288 duration
Air Flow Research Eliminator 180cc heads
The Blower Shop polished 192-intake 16-rib supercharger
Devane “Weekend Warrior” 930cfm carburetor
Hooker Headers
Hooker Max Flow mufflers
MSD ignition
American Powertrain “White Lightning” Tremec 5-speed transmission
T56 Magnum with hydraulic throwout bearing
SPEC Type 3 clutch

Wheels/Tires/Brakes

17-inch American Racing Torq Thrust 2 wheels
17×7 front width 17×9.5 rear width
Michelin Pilot Sport 4s tires
224/45/17 front and 275/40/17 rear
SSBC Big Bite brakes
SSBC rear disc brake conversion
SSBC adjustable proportioning valve
14-bolt 5-lug 454 SS rearend with 3:73 gears

Body/Paint

Street Scene front grille
Billet grille inserts
Shaved and painted factory bumpers
Bed rail stake holes shaved
Painted Viper Red by Donnie Peake of Peake’s Autobody Inc.

Interior

454 SS bucket seats
Black with red stitching by Catalina Custom Upholstery in Spring Hill, Florida
Dakota Digital VHX carbon fiber and red gauge cluster
Forever Sharp steering wheel
Sony single din head unit
Factory dash and door panels dyed black

Project Artemis Debut! Our 1997 GMC Sierra Goals and Plans

December 10, 2020 by Chris Hamilton

In the first-ever OBS Builders Guide, we put our direct focus on swapping the factory engine for a Blueprint Engines 383c.i. stroker motor, an American Powertrain transmission, along with a full RideTech Coilover suspension system and 22-inch American Racing wheels. It was an impressive truck that was built right from day 1. Now we turn focus to our Q1 project truck and 2021 OBS Wheel Buyers Guide. This issue we focus on adjustable suspension and bolt-on options for bagged OBS trucks. We have Ridetech AirRide suspension, Toyo Proxes STIII tires, EBC Brakes, Bed Wood and More Retroliner, and much more being installed at Saltworks Fab in Florida.

We are running a staggard setup for the wheels and tires. Sizes 20×8 in the front and 20×9.5 in the rear.

In the same issue, we will also run a 5-page Wheel Manufacturer Highlight article and the OBS Wheel and Tire Buyers Guide. This will be a ton of ink of multiple books and digital/social properties about buying options on these radical trucks.

Project Info:

Truck – 1997 GMC Sierra Ext Cab (see attached with rendering)

Ridetech AirRide Suspension – https://www.ridetech.com/product/air-suspension-system-88-98-c1500/

Ridetech Air Management – https://www.ridetech.com/product/5-gallon-airpod-with-ridepro-x-control-system-en/

U.S. Mags Wheels – https://us-mags.com/bullet-u130-w-14336.htm

Tires – https://www.toyotires.com/product/proxes-st3

Brakes – https://www.shopebcbrakes.com/

Install Shop – SaltWorks Fab https://www.saltworksmfg.com/

Official OBS Builders guide Vol 2 Preorder Link!

https://engagedmediamags.com/automotive/obs-builders-guide/obs-builders-guide-2021

Previous OBS Builders Guide Coverage

Link to previous digital articles

https://www.streettrucksmag.com/?s=stella

Youtube install video link with over 500,000 views

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JhlNFufsx48

Video of the new truck project

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caEdmw3GYq4

Link to issue 1 of OBS

https://engagedmediamags.com/automotive/obs-builders-guide

Link to ST editorial coverage of OBS 1

https://engagedmediamags.com/automotive/street-trucks/street-trucks-november-2019

STELLA! The Complete Build…

September 2, 2020 by Chris Hamilton

A Street Truck Aimed to Inspire

The classic movie, “A Streetcar Named Desire,” was recently selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry for being “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.” Lately, it seems that ’88-’98 Chevy trucks are quickly being known to have the same qualities in the truck enthusiast world. GMT400 trucks were on every street corner and car show in the ’90s. With massive production numbers and excellent engineering, these Chevy trucks are still pretty easy to come by and available in many different forms, including shortbed, longbed, quad cab and even two different SUV platforms. Oftentimes, the guy who’s buying and restoring these trucks wanted one in his teen years, and now he’s older, generally successful and more financially stable than when he was 16 years old. These factors also drive custom parts manufacturers to focus on making products for the industry icons and get ahead of the popularity curve.

It’s easy to talk the talk and say you’re a fan of this body style, but it’s far more impactful to walk the walk and own one yourself. So, we took the challenge and jumped into the deep end of desire by picking up a running, driving ’95 Chevy C/K truck from the original owner for a smooth $2,000. Cold A/C and a solid cranking 4.3-liter V-6 gave this truck the appeal, but the full gas tank and a fresh oil change showed us that the previous owner still had love for this 20-plus-year-old family member.

To quickly explain the project’s name: “Stella” is a Latin term meaning “star.” The name popped in our heads after we ordered our 22-inch American Racing Nova wheels. The word “Nova” is a female name of Latin origin that has a definition of both “newness” and “of great energy.” It’s also an astronomical term for a star that suddenly increases in brightness, just like this truck’s future. (Plus, Stella was a pretty stellar character in “A Streetcar Named Desire.”) So, with all that in mind, the name Stella just fits, don’t you think?

Over the next few pages, we’re going to take you through the process of giving this truck new life on the same old roads it’s been cruising down since its inception, first starting with a new suspension, upgraded disc brakes and a new set of wheels and tires. That’s only the beginning, but you have to follow along to see the rest. If this truck doesn’t motivate you to go out and start wrenching on your own OBS project, I’m not sure you picked up the right publication. Now let’s get to the good stuff!

This is the ’95 Chevy C/K that we originally picked up for a mere $2,000. We purchased it from the original owner. It has 150,000 miles on the factory-installed engine, cold air conditioning, and a handwritten chart that records all of the basic maintenance that has ever been done. She’s the perfect project truck, and we named her Stella for “female star” because we intend to make her famous!

Chevy Frame — Before we got down to the nitty gritty, Dallas Maynard from **Full Pen Fabrication** removed the bed and pressure cleaned the frame. Twenty-plus years of rust and road grime is better off in the driveway than in your face—am I right?

RideTech C-notch — RideTech supplied this C-notch

This **bolt-on wishbone** system greatly improves traction, handling and ride quality while offering a 4- to 6-inch drop in height. Installation does not require any welding or major modifications to the bed floor. It includes patent-pending R-joint rod ends to eliminate binding and noise. The **HQ Series coilovers** are direct bolt-on and allow for easy adjustment.

Front HQ Series coilovers include **bolt-on upper shock mounts** to allow more ground clearance and maximum suspension travel, front upper and lower StrongArm tubular control arms, front and rear HQ Series coilover shocks, front **sway bar and HD drop spindles.**

This **Pro Performance** 14-inch front and 13-inch rear **big brake kit** is designed for **’88-’98 GM trucks** and SUVs. This kit does not require machining to the axle or rotors, and the caliper has an integrated parking brake option. This brake kit will work with any disc brake drop spindle, such as **McGaughy’s**, **Street Edge** or **Belltech**. You will receive a template and instructions on modifying your spindle, which requires cutting of the caliper “ears” and drilling and tapping for the caliper mounting bracket. They look amazing behind our **22-inch American Racing wheels** and **Nitto Invo tires.**

Plastic grille — Classic Industries black plastic grille

**Classic Industries** offers this reproduction black **plastic grille** as well as the dual composite headlamps and corner lights that are all designed to replace the original. This conversion is as simple as unbolting the original grille and headlights and swapping in the new stuff. To swap the headlight plugs, we turned to **MrTailLight.com** for the kit. The company offers the new headlight plugs and all the mounting hardware you need to take the guesswork out of the process. We can’t convey how simple this process is and it’s very affordable.

Cleaning the engine bay — Before the new engine can go in, Trey pressure cleaned the engine bay to remove all the old grease and grime. The core of this truck is in great shape!

Our **BluePrint Engines 383ci Stroker engine** comes turnkey other than the drive pulleys. So, before they bolt up the new 5-speed **American Powertrain** **transmission**, a **Vintage Air** Front Runner drive **pulley kit** goes in. The completed kit looks amazing! It is nice and tight to the block, so we don’t have to worry about fitment when installing the engine. Also, the Bright finish gives its the quality look they deserve.

To control our fuel delivery system, we chose to go with Edelbrock’s new Pro-Flo 4 electronic fuel injection. The Pro-Flo 4 is not just a replacement for your carburetor. It’s a complete engineered system that provides the ultimate in performance, drivability and quality. This will result in a smoother idle, faster acceleration, better peak power, improved fuel economy and the ability to control detonation, all in the E-Tuner 4 app.

The key to the improved performance is the fuel injector location, which is at the end of the runner on the intake manifold right before the airflow stream enters the combustion chamber. This location provides a more efficient mixture control that’s unaffected by varying intake manifold runner temperatures and length.

Next to be bolted to the block are our Hedman Hedders designed for the SBC 350ci engine. Hedman Hedders began as a one-man shop in 1954. Bob Hedman, founder of Hedman Hedders, sold his highly sought-after exhaust tubes to fellow racers on the salt flats of the Mojave Desert. But what started out as a way to make a few bucks to pay for Bob’s racing hobby quickly turned into the premier header manufacturer for both the racing and street header marketplaces.

Centerforce is the clutch of choice for our project and recommended by American Powertrain. The Centerforce II Clutch Series utilizes a full facing disc with premium friction materials and a pressure plate with centrifugal weights. It offers superb holding power and maximum clutch life, making this clutch ideal for selected street/strip, off-road and towing applications.

• Patented centrifugal weight design
• Patented ball bearing pressure plate
• High quality friction material
• Light pedal effort
• Increased holding capacity
• Smooth engagement

American Powertrain’s Pro-Fit kits for 88-98 Chevy/GMC C1500 OBS GMT400 trucks come in either 5 or 6-speed. There is no need to cut the floor if your truck is already manual since it fits in the factory location. This kit reuses the original cross-member. It’s actually a very easy install!

Benefits Include:
30-50% increase in fuel economy
Low RPM cruising for greatly reduced driver fatigue and an improved highway driving experience.
Reduced engine wear leading to longer engine life
Cooler engine operating temperature

The 88-98 Chevy kit includes
AP Revolution Shifter Mechanism locates shifter that will fit bench or bucket seats
Seamless DOM Driveshaft Assembly that has been race balanced
Solid U-Joints
A Driveshaft Slip Yoke made from Cryogenically hardened steel
Polyurethane Transmission Mount
Greased and pre-packed pilot bearing with stainless rollers
Reverse Light Harness
Electronic Speedometer Conversion
Shifter Knob and all the Hardware and instructions you need.

With the engine fully assembled, Trey can slide the engine into the bay and start prepping the cooling system. We used a set of factory V-8 motor mounts to bolt it to the frame and Mishimoto radiators and electric fans. This is a 6.2-liter (383ci) diesel cooling system that Trey recommended for additional cooling. To make it all work correctly, Trey installed a factory OEM diesel coolant reservoir and made a trick aluminum coolant transfer pipe.