Taking Craftsmanship to a Whole New Level

It takes a special kind of truck guy to build an old Dodge. Some models look a bit rough and don’t have the clean aesthetic of their competition, but this ’46 Dodge pickup breaks that trend. Not only is it clean and custom, but it also looks amazing squatted over mammoth rollers with that fine patina. As usual, though, there’s more to this story than meets the eye.

IF YOU GET A CHANCE TO SEE THIS THING IN PERSON, SET ASIDE SOME TIME TO GO OVER ALL THE DETAILS FOR YOURSELF. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE TRUCKS THAT SWEATS THE SMALL STUFF, AND IT SHOWS.”

The goal was to build a truck that looked old school, but performed like a modern-day vehicle. That meant that it had to be upgraded, the drivetrain had to go above and beyond, and the suspension could only be the best. When the owner, Bill Williams of Logan, Utah, found the truck, it was bone stock and came complete with extra fenders, bedsides, running boards and a host of other parts. It was the patina that sold Bill on the truck, though. It’s that perfect mix of surface rust and flat finishes that looks spectacular on a truck of this era.

The truck had already seen some custom work, and sat on an otherwise stock chassis that had been modified to run a Mustang II front clip. Since that didn’t work for the plan, that was cut out and replaced with the front suspension from a Chevrolet S-10. Ridetech Shockwaves were mounted between the frame and the control arms, and then the truck was ready to lay down the front cross member, guided by two 18×8 Raceline GT wheels with 245/40R18 Pirelli tires. Out back, they back-halved the frame, mated an HS Customs 4-link to a narrowed Moser rearend with a 3.25:1 gear ratio and Moser 31-spline axles, then and lowered it all down using Ridetech RQ series shocks and Ridetech ’bags. The resulting stance is menacing and integrates a rake into the setup, providing more room for those mammoth 20-inch Raceline GT wheels with 295/40R20 Pirelli tires. That’s not all, though. To make sure the braking system was up to spec, they installed a Hydraboost setup paired that with Wilwood rotors and four-piston calipers on all four corners. Now, once the truck gets up to speed, Bill is confident that it can stop, too.

We should take a moment to address the engine here, because that pig is a monster. Pushing 662 hp out of an LQ4 ain’t too bad, and the extra horsepower was accomplished by a pair of custom-ground COMP Cams, an SLP high-volume oil pump, and we can’t forget that mammoth Garrett GT42 turbo pushing 12 pounds of boost. Shoehorning all that into the engine bay on the ’46 was quite the  accomplishment, and as you can tell by the aluminum panels flanking the turbo, heat control was a big issue. It’s spectacular both to look at, and to drive.

Although the patina look was great, there were a few issues that Bill wanted to fix. Most of the floor and interior has been replaced with custom aluminum panels, for looks and to save weight. The seats are also custom-made by HSC Customs (the shop that did the rest of the interior work as well) and feature hand-tooled leather by Kenny Eggleston. The top was also chopped, and even though that could mean respraying paint on another truck, they just left the cut lines as is and cleaned them up a touch. That’s classic.

All that and we’ve barely scratched the surface of what’s been done to this pavement-pounding monster. If you get a chance to see this thing in person, set aside some time to go over all the details for yourself. This is one of those trucks that sweats the small stuff, and it shows. ST

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TRUCK SPECS

OWNERS

Bill Williams
1946 Dodge
Pickup Logan, Utah

ENGINE

• Shop: HS Customs
• Chevrolet LQ4 6.0L V-8
• COMP Cams with custom turbo grind
• SLP high-volume oil pump
• Stock cylinder heads with titanium springs and retainers
• COMP Cams chrome-moly pushrods
• ARP hardware
• Stock modified roller bearings
• Flex-a-lite fan
• Custom radiator
• Custom air intake with K&N filter
• Garrett GT42 turbo
• Modified stock headers
• HS Customs exhaust with Magnaflow mufflers
• HS Customs custom gas tank with Aeromotive fuel pump
• GM Performance valve covers
• MSD wiring
• Custom aluminum motor cover and engine bay

SUSPENSION

• Shop: HS Customs
• Chevrolet S-10 front suspension
• Bell Tech spindles
• Ridetech Shockwaves front and rear
• Wilwood 12-inch brakes with four-piston calipers
• Hydroboost Brake Booster
• Back-halved rear frame
• 4-link suspension
• Moser narrowed rearend
• Moser 31-spline axle shafts

WHEELS & TIRES

• 18×8 Raceline GT with KO cap front wheels, 20×10 rear wheels, both polished and painted
• 245/40R18 Pirelli tires front, 295/40R20 Pirelli tires rear

BODY & PAINT

• Shop: HS Customs
• 2-inch chop
• Crafty-B Gas Cap
• Street Rod Headquarters headlights
• Dodge front running lights modified to be taillights
• Stock bed floor restored with HS Customs bed slats
• Sectioned fenders
• Shortened bed
• PPG Custom mix copper paint
• Pinstriping by Gene Chambers

INTERIOR

• Shop: HS Customs
• Hand-tooled leather upholstery by Kenny Eggleston of HS Customs
• Modified stock dashboard
• One-piece headliner
• Custom aluminum seats
• Billet Specialties Lakester steering wheel
• Aluminum firewall, seats, door panels, can wall and floor

Special Thanks from Owner: Kenny Eggleston, Gene Chambers, Turbo Re-Source, Gillett Diesel and Blazzard

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