By Chuck Vranas – Images by the Author
With its first major restyling since 1947, the designers at Chevrolet truly raised the bar with the mid-year introduction of the Task Force Series trucks for 1955. Packed with details, the trucks showcased crisp modern lines with a “first in the industry” wrap-around windshield complemented by optional wrap-around rear glass for DeLuxe models, headlights integrated into the fenders, and a cab that was updated for increased driver comfort and safety. The new model fast became a favorite across the country, eventually becoming an icon to future truck enthusiasts. The traditionally styled hop-up laid out across our pages belonging to Butch Brooks of Newark, Delaware, is a perfect example of fusing classic lines with traditional vintage power to create a timeless look.
Growing up, it wasn’t long till Butch stepped onto the high-performance path, especially since his dad, Henry, and uncle, Guy Robinson, were both active in the drag racing scene. Hot summer days spent in the pits with their race cars at Cecil Country Dragway combined with time cruising the local strip and late-night street racing was a perfect platform to welcome his teen years. As the years passed it was only a matter of time till he campaigned his own big-block–powered 1972 Chevy El Camino on the quarter-mile. He later developed a passion for vintage trucks, spending plenty of time on bringing them back to the street. One particular ’55 Chevy truck owned by good friend Marty Hall eventually caught his attention, being an older restoration that was extremely clean and well maintained. It wasn’t long till he swapped cash for keys, making it part of his collection.
As time moved forward, he and his dad laid down plenty of miles in the truck, making memories to last a lifetime. Eventually wanting to bring it to the next level by ditching the restored vibe in favor of a high-performance kick brought him to Butch Lloyd of Lloyd Originals in Wilmington, Delaware. With Lloyd well-known for his custom fabrication and creativity, the pair shared plenty of ideas on what would add just the right amount of detail to bring the truck to the next level. Without wasting any time, it was delivered to start its metamorphosis.
Seeing the factory spine was in solid shape, it was blasted clean and prepped for updates, starting with custom lightning-hole-filled boxing plates and a C-notch out back. For laying down the power, a narrowed GM 12-bolt rear was refreshed and packed with 3.73 gears. To set the stance, Lloyd flipped it, removed two leaf springs, and added Monroe tube shocks. Wanting razor-sharp handling, a Southern Rods & Parts Mustang II IFS was added, featuring their exclusive heavy-duty steel crossmember, tubular control arms, 2-inch drop spindles, coil springs with Monroe tube shocks, and power rack-and-pinion steering. When it’s time to drop anchor, a GM dual master moves fluid through stainless lines to 11-inch GM rotors and calipers up front with factory drums out back. For a truly timeless look linking it all to the street, a set of U.S. Wheel Rat Rod Series 68 steel wheels in gloss black (20×8 rear and 18×7 front) wearing Goodyear RSA rubber (sized P245/45R20 and P225/45R18 respectively) are complemented by Bowtie caps.
When it came time for adding plenty of punch underhood, Butch went straight to Watson Ruppel Performance of Sarahsville, Ohio, for one of their stout small-block Chevy V-8s. To start, a cast-iron block with four-bolt mains was machined to 383 ci and filled with a Scat nodular iron crank linked to matching I-beam rods topped with hypereutectic aluminum pistons getting a bump from a hydraulic roller stick. Up top, a set of massaged camel-hump iron heads make seamless power, especially when crowned by a rare Mickey Thompson cross-ram intake breathing deep through a pair of Edelbrock 650-cfm carbs complete with custom linkage. It all sparks to life through a Mallory electronic ignition with exhaust roaring through a set of Speedway Motors mid-length headers to a custom 2-1/2-inch stainless exhaust with Flowmaster 40-Series mufflers by Lloyd. To move the goods, a warmed-over GM 700-R4 trans from Deltrans of Newark pushes power to a custom driveshaft.
Giving a new look to an older, restored truck definitely has its benefits when it comes time to address the cab and bed. Thankfully, the decades-old restoration had been masterfully tended to, leaving Lloyd to work his magic in addressing numerous areas that needed updating. Starting underhood, he crafted custom firewall panels with matching inner fenders along with a fan shroud and radiator filler for a clean look while also adding custom stainless radiator hoses and polished billet hood hinges from Eddie Motorsports. For the final detail, Gary Snyder laid down a perfect coating of PPG satin black, bringing the engine bay to life. Lloyd continued with a smoothed and tucked front bumper, custom sill plates along with column drop and pedals, roll pan with plate recess, and finally adding a hidden latch with hinge kit from Brothers Trucks. The bed was then treated to a fresh oak floor complemented by polished stainless strips and hardware, fresh chrome grille and trim, all from LMC Truck. Finally, Dave Jeandell of Executive Auto Body of Wilmington, Delaware, gets credit for perfectly blending all exterior paint updates while Don Burch of Polished Treasures Metal Restoration and Plating in Chesapeake City, Maryland, handled all the fresh chrome and polish.
Bringing a perfect balance of style to the interior, the factory dash was filled with Dakota Digital VHX dials to monitor the vitals while a Grant steering wheel navigates the course through a Flaming River tilt column with shifts clicking through a Lokar stick. Tunes flow through a Kenwood audio system complete with a custom-designed metal speaker enclosure complemented by wiring from Lloyd to tie it all together. For plenty of comfort, Bobby Montgomery, at New Castle Auto Upholstery of Newport, Delaware, crafted a custom bench seat and side panels wrapped in yards of smooth and perforated black leather accented by black square-weave carpeting. The finished truck has plenty of newfound allure bringing it to the next level while Butch lays down plenty of miles. To us, that’s as good as it gets!
Check out this story in our digital edition here.
