To power the '36 Ford, the Hot Rod Garage installed a new 355-horsepower ZZ4 Chevrolet engine mated to a beefed Turbo 350 tranny by Mike Oliver at Easton Transmissions in Easton, Maryland. Internal transmission modifications include a B&M 2,200-rpm stall torque converter with a shift kit. On the inside, a 16-inch Lokar shifter pops out of red wool carpeting laid down by the Hot Rod Garage's Dean Alexander. Dean was also responsible for custom-fabricating the '36's seat and door panels, then covering them in red leather. The stock dashboard on John's '36 Ford was replaced with a '37 Ford passenger car dash featuring a custom gauge panel fabricated by HRG's Jason Gallo. Completing the '36 interior's tasty vintage look is a banjo steering wheel from The Wheel Shop topping a fully chromed tilt steering column from the folks at Flaming River.
To accent the exterior of John's pickup, the Hot Rod Garage looked again to a Ford passenger car for subtle changes. The headlights and taillights are from a '36 car. The bodywork on the stock all-steel '36 Ford cab, bed, and fenders was done by Gary Hunter at the Hot Rod Garage. For those special touches, only a custom-made part will do. Jason Gallo fabricated filler panels and a custom rear roll pan along with front and rear stainless steel nerf bars. For exterior color, the Hot Rod Garage's painter, Dustin Lutz, sprayed the '36 in General Motors Refrigerator White DuPont paint. One of the few chores handled by an outside source were the pinstripes pulled by Jerry Campbell of DuPont's hometown, Wilmington, Delaware.
"In June 2004, Ray delivered the truck to us at the York, Pennsylvania, show. We couldn't believe it was our truck. Since then the truck has been to Indy, Columbus, Louisville, Pigeon Forge, Charlotte, and numerous local runs as well. With many more trips planned, the completed truck is well beyond what we ever expected."
 Three-deuces on a chromed...  Three-deuces on a chromed Edelbrock intake manifold flanked by Moon-finned aluminum valve covers betray the ZZ4's high-tech heritage. Sanderson headers dump into a pair of Smitty's glasspacks, giving the old Ford a small-block Chevy bark. |  Man, there's nothing like...  Man, there's nothing like red leather to brighten up an old cab. The Hot Rod Garage's Dean Alexander is the guy responsible for the '36's tasty cowhide and wool carpet interior. |  In ancient times, cavemen...  In ancient times, cavemen ignited dinosaur fat for illumination. The stock '36 Ford shallow-bucket headlights were swapped for more streamlined models from a '36 Ford passenger car. Pinhead Jerry Campbell of Wilmington, Delaware... |
 ...pulled the pinstripes inside...  ...pulled the pinstripes inside and out on the Venuti's '36 Ford. Custom Chrome of Grafton, Ohio, custom-plated the shiny parts. |  The stock '36 truck dashboard...  The stock '36 truck dashboard was swapped for a '37 Ford passenger car dash. Jason Gallo fabricated the custom gauge insert adjacent to the banjo-style steering wheel from The Wheel Shop and chromed tilt steering column from Flaming River. | |