Sleepless nights dreamin' about 'em and long nights workin' on 'em-we can all relate. There are many common threads that weave through these tales of vintage truck acquisition, build, and triumph.
A heating and air conditioning technician, Louie Fesmire worked 30 miles from his home in Pueblo, Colorado. Monday through Friday he'd drive by a few vintage Chevy pickups rusting away in fields or sitting in driveways collecting decay. Eventually, vintage truck temptation got the better of him. Hot rod hauler lust is too strong to be denied. He stopped at the house with the most presentable pickup. Louie was lucky; the owner had intended to build the straight-six '48 Chevy for the last 10 years, but never found the time or money. After paying $1,500, he and his good buddy Tom Musso, owner of Musso's Machine Shop, trailered the truck to Tom's shop in Pueblo to begin deconstruction. They found considerable mice evidence: droppings, eaten-through seats, and even some healthy critters lounging in the glove box. The pesky varmints vamoosed, Renzelman Powder Coating in Pueblo sandblasted the still-sturdy frame and body panels that came from three '48s. Friend Kevin Renzelman then went to work on the exterior while Louie and Tom re-created the '48's chassis.
By boxing the front framerails, a Heidt's Mustang IFS could safely replace the stock frontend. Louie and Tom took out the factory Chevy differential and installed a narrowed Ford 9-inch with 2-inch lowered leaf springs. A 20-gallon Classic Performance Products aluminum fuel tank was located behind the 9-inch and plumbed with stainless lines. The chassis' transformation may sound like it was a snap, but remember, Louie worked in the evenings and on weekends for 6 1/2 months. To receive an orange powdercoating at Renzelman's shop, the buddies took the frame apart one last time.
Kevin Renzelman expertly filled the firewall before spraying the Chevy's exterior with a custom mix of PPG Orange and Black. |  |
Ever since the Chevy's swift 13-month re-creation, the owner drives the pickup on a daily basis. | 
Not too long after Kevin Renzelman filled the stock Chevy dashboard, So-Cal Speed Shop in Pueblo installed a Vintage Air HVAC system. Louie equipped the cab with a Kenwood stereo/4-CD/MP3 system with two 4x9-inch speakers in the rear and two 6.25-inch speakers under the dash. |
Frank of Frank's Upholstery trimmed the '97 Crown Victoria seats in orange and black leather with green piping. He blanketed the floor with black wool carpet. | 
The Chevy steers easy via an ididit column and a Colorado Customs polished aluminum wheel. Auto Meter gauges and Vintage Air registers and controls complete the custom equipment in the dash. |