When the local dragstrip is located only 6 miles from the town you grew up in it adds plenty of insight into the road that you’ll take when growing up. For a young Jerry Crager of Auburn, Indiana, it wasn’t just watching an endless stream of hot rod heroes rolling into town on a regular basis with their tow rigs carrying nitro-breathing terrors to compete for total track domination at Avilla Dragway. He actually lived the experience every Friday night starting at age 5 since his best friend Mark Carpenter’s dad laid down eighth-mile times in a 1968 Ford Torino packing a 428 Cobra Jet V-8. It’s one thing to watch from the stands but imagine the exhilaration a youngster would experience from the pits to the starting line with the scent of nitro and burnt rubber hanging heavy in the air.
Jerry’s dad was also active in the drag racing world, running a number of competitive cars while also inspiring him with plenty of plastic kit models and performance magazines like Hot Rod and Car Craft to make sure he was well-informed on the current happenings from coast to coast. Even the yearly family trips to the U.S. Nationals were epic, with heart-pounding levels of competition tearing up the strip throughout the weekend. As the years passed Jerry followed the hot rod path and got involved in a number of hopped-up cars, including a wicked 1970 Chevy Nova, 455ci-urged 1976 Pontiac Trans Am, and 1974 Plymouth Scamp drag car that he still races today while doing most of the wrench turning himself. When your family shares involvement in the automotive hobby it’s awesome to be able to support each other’s builds while they come together.
One such project was the start of a restoration by Jerry’s brother-in-law, David Howard, involving a 1957 GMC 100 pickup truck. Originally from Texas and powered by a 347ci Pontiac V-8, it was disassembled, with initial metalwork starting on the cab addressing replacement of the floors and cab corners. Sadly, David died at 30 years old, leaving the project in the hands of family members to make a decision. The group concluded that it would be Jerry and his wife, Charlene, who would be given the truck to bring it to completion in David’s memory. Initially the thought was to continue on with a stock restoration, but as the build evolved the truck followed a mild custom route. Once all of the parts were located and brought to their home shop the rebuild moved in a steady direction for the next eight years.
Working with his brother, Gary, to establish a rock-solid base, the original frame was blasted clean and boxed for additional strength. Wanting to set a nice, low, rear stance, a Western Chassis rearend conversion and axle flip kit were added to drop the ride height by 5 inches. A refreshed 1985 Camaro 10-bolt rear was packed with 3.32 gears and set in place by a combination of fresh 1957 GMC leaf springs combined with Monroe gas tube shocks. To match the stance up front, a Heidts IFS featuring their signature tubular control arms, 2-inch dropped spindles, springs, and Monroe gas tube shocks links to a rack-and-pinion for the ultimate in handling. When it’s time to drop anchor, a Corvette-style dual master pushes fluid through steel lines to 11.75 vented discs and calipers at each corner from Allstar Performance. Linking it all to the street you’ll find a set of stunning 18-inch front and 20-inch rear Schott Americana-model wheels wearing General Tire Exclaim UHP rubber to complete the look.
When it came time to making a decision on the engine it was obvious that the original straight-six was moving on. To add just the right amount of power Jerry contacted Doug’s Performance in Edgerton, Ohio, to build a stout 355ci V-8 packed with all the right goods. Once the block was massaged to perfection it was packed with a GM nodular iron crank linked to matching forged steel rods wearing Sealed Power hypereutectic pistons getting a bump from a Crane hydraulic roller cam. Doug’s reworked a set of GM iron heads to make plenty of power, especially when matched to a highly polished GM Tuned Port Injection. A stock GM HEI ignition lights the fire while spent gases dump through a pair of Speedway Motors stainless block hugger headers to a 2 1/2-inch stainless exhaust matched to MagnaFlow XL mufflers. To move the goods a GM TH350 trans by Doug’s Performance links to a custom driveshaft from Fort Wayne Clutch & Driveline.
It’s always great to start with nice, solid steel when taking on a build, and since the truck was originally from Texas there was minimal replacement metalwork to be done to the cab. To freshen up the bed, new side panels and a tailgate were ordered from Classic Parts of America along with a pine bed floor and polished stainless bed strips. Wanting to keep the truck’s nice, original factory lines Jerry had his uncle, Donny Crager, start by first finessing the original steel back to perfection and getting all gaps razor sharp. When it came time to selecting the final colors Jerry and Charlene chose a dramatic Axalta Dark Cloisonné accented by Gold Mist for the roof. Crager loaded his spray gun and laid down the vibe, adding plenty of classic allure. On reassembly the truck was treated to plenty of fresh exterior chrome, including a smoothed bumper, grille, and exterior bits from Classic Parts of America. Additional plating was by the team at Archer Custom Chrome of Cleveland, Ohio.
Inside the stock dash was treated to a custom polished billet insert cradling dials from VDO to monitor the vitals while a leather-wrapped steering wheel from RPC on a GM tilt column carves a course. Shifts move through a GM column shift while tunes roll through a Kenwood audio system and a Painless Performance Products wiring kit pulls it all together. For comfort the stock seat was reworked by Custom Interiors by Thomas in Auburn, covering it in a combination of Baltic Blue and Starlight Gold Ultraleather in a classic pattern while wrapping it up with complementing tan plus pile carpeting.
Jerry wanted to send out special thanks to the entire family for extended support throughout the build in bringing it to completion. This is one 1957 GMC that has a very special meaning to everyone involved as it sets out to cruise the streets of Auburn, and to us that’s really cool.
Facts & Figures
Jerry Crager
1957 GMC 100
CHASSIS
Frame: Stock, boxed
Rearend / Ratio: GM 10-bolt / 3.23
Rear Suspension: Flipped rear, leaf springs, Monroe gas tube shocks
Rear Brakes: Allstar Performance 11.75 disc
Front Suspension: Heidts IFS, 2-inch drop spindles, Monroe gas tube shocks
Front Brakes: Allstar Performance 11.75 disc
Steering Box: Rack-and-pinion
Front Wheels: Schott Americana-model, 18×7
Rear Wheels: Schott Americana-model, 20×8.5
Front Tires: General Tire Exclaim UHP P235/45ZR18
Rear Tires: General Tire Exclaim UHP P245/45ZR20
Gas Tank: 12-gallon, plastic, Classic Chevy Parts
DRIVETRAIN
Engine: Chevrolet 355ci V-8
Heads: GM Iron
Valve Covers: RPC, finned aluminum
Manifold / Induction: GM / Tuned port injection
Ignition: GM HEI
Headers: Speedway Motors stainless block-hugger
Exhaust / Mufflers: 2 1/2-inch stainless / MagnaFlow XL
Transmission: GM TH350
Shifter: GM column shift
BODY
Style: Pickup
Modifications: Stock
Fenders Front / Rear: Stock / Stock
Hood: Stock
Grille: Stock
Bodywork and Paint by: Donny Crager
Paint Type / Color: Axalta / Dark Cloisonné with Gold Mist roof
Headlights / Taillights: Stock / Stock
Outside Mirrors: Stock
Bumpers: Stock
INTERIOR
Dashboard: Stock
Gauges: VDO
Air Conditioning: None
Stereo: Kenwood
Steering Wheel: RPC
Steering Column: ‘70s-era GM tilt
Seats: Stock
Upholstery by: Interiors by Thomas
Material / Color: Ultraleather / Baltic blue with Starlight Gold inserts
Carpet: Tan plush
Source: Read Full Article