1958 Chevy Fleetside 4×4

Larry Lemmons, a manufacturer of wood products from Long View, Washington, is a second- generation car guy. He grew up around his dad’s early American iron, and throughout the years, he’s owned many custom cars and trucks. Larry always wanted to build an old 4×4 truck that looked clean, something he could drive around the lush back woods of the great Northwest. His latest ride is this beautiful ’58 Chevy 4×4 conversion fleetside pickup.

Larry called on Mike Asbahr and his team at Benchmark Fabrication in Corvallis, Oregon to head up his Big Red project. Don’t let Big Red’s clean looks fool you, though, its split personality will attack any torturous terrain with a vengeance.

WHETHER DRIVING AROUND TOWN ON LOCAL ROADS OR ATTACKING SOME OFF-ROAD TERRAIN, LARRY HAS NO PROBLEM ROLLIN’ IN STYLE.”

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To strengthen Big Red’s foundation, Benchmark Fabrication boxed the factory frame rails. New tubular cross members and K-members were welded in place to increase the frame’s rigidity. The rear suspension consists of custom mounts and suspension pickup points. A triangulated 4-link anchors the Ford 9- inch rearend, while a pan hard bar eliminates any lateral slippage. A pair of American Eagle double adjustable shocks and 500# coils dampen the suspension over springs. A 1-inch- diameter cantilevered sway bar (sprint car style) was installed to flatten out the rear body- roll while cornering. A pair of beefy Scott II Spicer 44 4WD axles was inserted into the Ford 9-inch rearend housing. The third member was stuffed with 4:10 gears and a Posi-unit. A pair of 11-inch drum brakes is responsible for bringing the rear wheel and tire-rotating mass to a halt. The front suspension consists of a Scott II Spicer 44 open knuckle 4×4 differential. A Scott II 44-inch axle housing is anchored by a fully adjustable triangulated 4-link suspension system with a 1 ¼-inch- diameter sway bar and 550# coil springs with double adjustable American Eagle shocks. The Scott II 44-inch Spicer 4WD front spindles are connected to all-new GM steering components and power steering box. The front stopping power comes from a pair of 11-inch drum bakes. Big Red rolls on a set of Mickey Thompson 15×10 forged aluminum wheels wrapped in aggressive BF Goodrich A/T 33-12.50xR-15 rubbers.

Big Red’s roar and power comes from a Chevrolet 350-ci small-block. This small-block was disassembled, cleaned, measured and machined by a shop in Long View, Washington. Larry took the liberty of assembling the engine with all of the right performance components himself. A pair of stock cast iron cylinder heads was fitted with 1.94 intake valves and 1.60 exhaust valves. The cylinder head valve assemblies are covered with a pair of B&M Vintage aluminum valve covers. An Edelbrock 650-cfm four-barrel carburetor and K&N air filter sit on top of a Holley dual-plane aluminum intake manifold. A stock long neck water pump circulates ample coolant through the engine and cross-flow aluminum radiator. The engine’s electrical juices are energized and transmitted through a GM HO coil linked to the GM HEI distributor, which flows through Taylor 9mm spark plug wires to designated spark plugs. The engine’s exhaust gases pass through a pair of Hedman 1 5⁄8-inch- diameter headers and on into a 2 ½-inch-diameter exhaust and Flowmaster mufflers. The crew at Phil’s Transmission in Corvallis installed a Stage II shift kit into the built GM TH400 transmission. It was teamed with GM 208 transfer case.

Big Red’s sheet metal was straightened and trued by Benchmark Fabrication. Benchmark also fabricated a custom aluminum tonneau cover that fits precisely inside the bed rails. After the sheet metal was massaged, it was given multiple coats of sanding primer. Then all of the body surfaces were block-sanded smooth. Single-stage PPG Red urethane is the color of choice. A local pinstriper laid down orange and yellow stripes and painted the Chevrolet embossing on the tailgate and grille black. A pair of quad halogen headlights flanks the rechromed grille. The cab was fit with new polished stainless steel deluxe, window trim, door handles and chromed side mirrors.

Opening the cab doors exposes the stock dash fit with a new instrument cluster. A 1988 Chevy Suburban tilt steering column is capped with a 1988 Suburban four- spoke steering wheel. Larry’s Upholstery in Albany, Oregon was responsible for the immaculate upholstery. The bench seat was borrowed from a late-model Chevy truck. The seat is covered in factory gray cloth and tweed material, and the steel door panels were treated to gray tweed inserts. To eliminate engine heat and noise, Dynamat sound deadening material was laid down over the cab floor and covered with gray nylon pile carpet.

To maintain the original radio location and appearance, Larry had the crew at Benchmark Fab install an Auto Sound head unit into the dash with a 200-watt amplifier. A pair of 6-inch dual- cone speakers was installed in the door panels. Two 6×9-inch dual- cone speakers were mounted in custom enclosures in the rear lower cab corners behind the seat.

Whether driving around town on local roads or attacking some off-road terrain, Larry has no problem rollin’ in style. ST

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TRUCK SPECS

OWNERS

Larry Lemmons
1958 Chevy Fleetside 4×4
Long View, Washington

BUILDER

• Benchmark Fabrication Mike Asbahr
• Corvallis, Oregon

ENGINE

• Chevrolet 350 ci
• Chevy cast-iron cylinder heads, 1.94 intake valves, 1.60 exhaust valves
• Holley dual-plane aluminum intake manifold
• Edelbrock 650-cfm four-barrel carburetor
• K&N air filter
• B&M aluminum valve covers
• GM HO coil
• GM HEI distributor
• Taylor 9mm ignition wires
• Hedman 1 5⁄8-inch diameter headers
• 2 ½-inch-diameter exhaust
• Flowmaster mufflers

TRANSMISSION

• GM TH400 automatic
• Stage 2 shift-kit

WHEELS & TIRES

• 20-inch Raceline billet wheels all around
• 225/35zr20 Falken (front) 245/35zr20 Falken (rear)

FRAME

• Benchmark Fabrication boxed the factory frame rails
• Benchmark Fabrication custom cross-members and K-members

SUSPENSION

• Benchmark Fabrication custom triangulated rear 4-link with pan hard bar
• American Eagle double adjustable shocks with 500# coil-over springs
• Ford 9-inch rearend housing
• 4:10 gears and Posi unit
• Benchmark Fabrication custom triangulated front 4-link with pan hard bar
• American Eagle double adjustable shocks with 550# coil-over springs
• Scott II Spicer 44 4×4 front differential
• GM 208 transfer case
• Brakes front and rear HD 11-inch drum

WHEELS/TIRES

• Mickey Thompson 15×10 forged aluminum wheels
• BF Goodrich A/T 33-12.50xR15 tires

BODY & PAINT

• Benchmark Fabrication bodywork and paint prep
• Benchmark Fabrication paint PPG Red urethane

INTERIOR

• Larry’s Upholstery
• 1998 Suburban tilt steering column
• Late-model Chevy bench seat, factory dark gray cloth and light gray tweed insert
• Door panels dark gray cloth with light gray tweed inserts
• Dynamat sound deadening material
• Dark gray nylon pile carpet

AUDIO

• Benchmark Fabrication
• AutoSound head unit and 200- watt amplifier
• Dual-cone round speakers
• Dual-cone rectangular 6×9-inch

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