Plans for the Truck

Here are a few of the things we have in store for Thunderpig. First up, a brand new custom chasis built by No Limits Engineering, based in San Bernadino, CA. The new chasis and suspension will give it a comfortable and safe ride as well as an agressive feel.. It'll have a pro-street back end on the chasis that will allow us to put 18" wide tires on the back.. You read that right.. 18" wide!! Hot rod tires!!! :)

The frame shop is just getting started on the chasis, so as soon as we get some pictures I'll be sure to post them, as well as the components we're installing on the chasis.

Here is what a basic chasis from No Limits Engineering looks like:

Obviously I can't put hot rod tires on the truck if it doesn't have a sweet engine to go with it, so we're having a brand new Doug Herbert Performance Engine built in Lincolnton, NC. This is a Chevy Big Block 454 with over 565HP.. With the agressive hydraulic cam, Holley Carburator, and other performance upgrades we're putting in it, we should be right around 600HP when its bolted onto the frame. I can't wait!

Here's what the 454 will more or less look like:

We already ordered (and received) a Turbo Hydramatic 700R4 automatic transmission to replace the "grind in every gear" manual transmission that is currently in the truck. I have to admit I will really miss having a manual transmission in the truck as well as the 8-ball gear shifter, but the new automatic transmission should really make the truck easier to drive with such a powerful engine. The transmission was built by a family friend, and MOPAR enthusiast, Mike McCoy, the owner of Gears Transmission and Drivetrain, here in Lehi, UT. The transmission has all new gears, seals, etc as well as a performance high RPM torque converter to handle the power the truck will exhert. This is officially our first part ready for the restoration!

Other items that are on the list for the truck restoration include: Detroit locker rear posi-traction with strange case, aluminum driveshaft, custom 21 gallon fuel cell (moving the existing tank from the cab to the rear bed behind the axel), duel exhaust, anti-lock disk brakes, power steering, Vintage Air Conditioning, a brand new wood bed, custom built Coy Wheels, Mickey Thompson tires, and plenty more.

Stay tuned! I'll post pictures as the project progresses.

My Dad's truck

This is my Dad's truck. Its a 1958 Chevy Stepside pickup that we call "Thunderpig".

(Click here for vintage pictures of the truck)

As of right now "May 2008", the truck is powered by a rebuilt 302 engine with corvette heads. It's pretty much in original condition. My Dad has had the truck since he was a teenager.. My parents drove Thunderpig all over the place when they were first dating/married. (Not too long before I was born, the truck had a camper top with a mattress in the back.. wink wink..)

Flash forward 30 or so years.. These days the truck isn't being driven much. In fact, over the past 10 years, the truck has sat in the back of my parents house collecting dust. So we brought it to Utah and are thinking about restoring it back to its original luster. It's time to get the '58 road worthy again so we can start cruising around!

I'd like to modernize the ride of the truck, but still keep the classic look mostly in tack. I'm sure over the next few months we'll have all sorts of great ideas and dreams of what Thunderpig will look like some day, so stay tuned! Once we've finalized our plans for the truck I'll post more pictures.



This is my son Zach. He's 5 months old right now, but some day he'll be driving Thunderpig so watch out!







The steering wheel is quite large, but its necessary since the truck doesn't have power steering.

Beneath the floor mat is a steel plate my Dad installed to keep us from dragging our feet on the concrete.. Also the step has been reinforced with new steel (this was done probably 20 years ago).

This gas tank has only been back here for about 8 years.. The previous tank was rusted out and leaked. While I was in high school we had (2) 5 gallon military gas tanks (jerry cans) hooked up to run the truck.. When you ran out of gas you just switched tanks!

We re-did the seat about 10 years ago, its stayed in remarkably good shape.


8 ball gear shifter, with custom delux musical car horn instrument panel. heh heh.. I made the car horn in high school electronics class.. Dad was able to install it in the truck so we could announce our arrival in style! :) Also, check out the sweet foot pedal!