We can relate to the oft heard tale of 5 to 5. If you're scratching your head with befuddlement, permit us to explain. We're referring to working on a truck from 5 p.m. on Friday evening to 5 p.m. on Sunday evening. Why would someone undertake such a difficult task, you ask? Have you ever owned a daily driver that was your sole means of transport? If the vehicle breaks down, the only way to get it back on the road is to work from 5 to 5. That's if the machine doesn't go south during the workweek. Then you might be looking at 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. the next day. You get the picture.
Rik King's '46 Chevy shop truck didn't break down. Rather, Rik's a rake of a bloke. Standing tall at 6 feet 3 inches, he wanted room to stretch out in the Chevy's too-confined cab. One Friday evening he put the silver and blue pickup in his shop, Street Rod Concepts (SRC) in Clute, Texas, and set to thrashing. The Chevy emerged from SRC on Sunday evening all welded up and wearing suede, ready for the many workweeks ahead.
Throughout the next eight years, Rik spent most of his time growing his business. The '46 provided reliable transport much of the time, except when Rik and his crew could steal some hours improving the pickup
Improve is a gross understatement. For the chassis, SRC boxed the framerails' center section, welded on a '80 Camaro front clip and custom-built the frame's rear with 11/44-inch sheetmetal to form 2x4-inch rectangular tubing. They enhanced the IFS by replacing the Camaro's stamped control arms with Fat Man Fabrications tubular upper and lower control arms. QA1 coilover shocks were employed at each corner. Rik located a Posi 3.80:1-geared Ford eight-inch differential with a Panhard bar and a custom four-link.
Rik purchased a low-mileage used '96 LT1 engine from a swap meet to power the pickup. Apart from its awesome eight-velocity stack and custom-built air cleaner lid, the mill was left largely stock. With 19,000 miles to the motor's credit, it's nicely broken in. All SRC did to enhance the included 4L60E transmission was to equip it with a B&M trans cooler.
 |  Rik built both the bed sides...  Rik built both the bed sides and the bed floor. The bed floor was constructed from 18-gauge steel. Notice also the fuel filler door in the floor. SRC made the 11/48-inch-thick aluminum fuel tank and installed the 25-gallon container behind the differential, under the custom floor and between the rear custom SRC framerails. |  The owner's handiwork includes...  The owner's handiwork includes the custom roll pan, the third LED brake light under the rear windshield and the frenched LED taillights in the custom pan. Rik says the '46 Chevy is once again his daily driver and the Street Rod Concepts shop truck. Outstanding! |
 Dakota Digital instruments...  Dakota Digital instruments and a Vintage Air Gen II Super Cooler for large-sedan HVAC registers fit the interior's modern theme perfectly and work even better. |  Chevrolet script adds a '50s...  Chevrolet script adds a '50s element. It works because it's a Chevy. |  You already know the story...  You already know the story behind these eight breathers, but we thought they looked most sanitary against the Frank Reyes-sprayed DuPont Hot Hues Satin Black paint. Wouldn't ya love to hear that mill howl? |