There’s nothing more satisfying than opening up the garage door and letting the first rays of morning light into your shop. If you follow by turning the key to fire up your classic truck, it sets a perfect base for starting a new day. With a full tank of gas and a destination in mind, the open road is yours. Regardless, if you’re heading to the donut shop, a local cruise night, or something far more adventurous, driving is the foundation for all of the excitement to follow. If you’ve ever experienced the open road through the windshield of a vintage truck, you know what we’re talking about.
Derrick and Katie Pesko of Waterford, Connecticut, are well-seasoned hot rodders who’ve covered thousands of miles over the years in cars that they’ve built while also owning and operating Allstar Hot Rods. Having always been fans of classic trucks, the thought behind their latest build was to put together a wicked hauler packed with early ’60s style that they could not only use as a daily driver for the hot rod shop, but to also hit the road for coast-to-coast adventures. Taking on a build like this would need to make rock-solid dependability a priority, while also fusing plenty of neat design elements into the mix. It’d be a perfect follow-up to his radical custom 1956 Ford pickup, known as the Scarlet Hauler, seen a number of years ago right here in Classic Trucks.
Having always been a fan of 1940 Ford trucks, Derrick started a search for a suitable base to start with. Finally one evening, an eBay listing caught his attention with what seemed to be a decent starting point. A deal was made, and the truck was delivered to his shop. Evaluating the truck brought full circle the fact that although it was a runner, it was in need of a full rebuild. Without wasting any time, Derrick got busy tearing it down. The original frame was blasted clean, boxed for extra strength, and treated to custom crossmembers for a prefect spine. Out back, a 1967 Camaro 10-bolt rear was packed with 3.23:1 gears spinning 30-spline axles, suspended in place by fresh parallel leaf springs and tube shocks from Pete & Jakes. For a killer stance with razor-sharp handling, Derrick added a Speedway Motors Mustang II IFS complete with its exclusive tubular control arms, 2-inch drop spindles, coil springs, Pete & Jake shocks, and rack-and-pinion steering. When it’s time to drop anchor, a Corvette-style dual master moves fluid through steel lines to rear GM drum and GM 11-inch vented discs in front. Wanting to give the truck a signature look, a set of Halibrand Sprint wheels wearing Firestone/Coker blackwalls get the job done in grand style.
If you’re planning on hitting the road and racking up some serious miles, your driveline choice had better be up to it by providing proven dependability. To handle the task, Derrick had A&M Machine of Meriden assemble a 1969 Chevy 327ci V-8 packed with all the right goods. Deep inside, a steel crank and forged rods are linked to TRW forged aluminum slugs getting a solid bump from a Crane stick. For seamless power, a set of massaged iron heads work perfectly, especially when matched to an Offenhauser intake breathing deep through a sextet of Stromberg 97-series carbs topped with a set of traditional frog-mouth scoops from Speedway Motors. An MSD ignition lights the fire with spent gases dumping through a set of original GM ram-horns to a 2-inch-straight steel exhaust. To move the goods, a tweaked GM TH350 links to a custom driveshaft, both by Allstar.
Nothing says hot rod better than a fusion of cool details to make your ride a standout. Derrick started by stripping the original steel and addressing any areas needing attention. He followed by fabbing and louvering a number of filler panels for the engine bay as well as new floors, tailgate, and roll pan. For a truly unique look, he chose to dump the hood as well as craft a set of custom nerf bars. The team at Allstar Hot Rods then metal-finished all the panels, set the gaps and laid down a tasty coating of Axalta Satin Black accented by a classic flame-job. To add the final icing, Bob Mariani worked his magic with pinstriping accents.
Adding bring a classic element to the business office, the stock dash was filled and treated to a bevy of Stewart Warner dials to monitor the vitals. A 1960 Corvette wheel mounted to a modified stock column carves the course with a custom shifter by Allstar pulling gears. Plenty of louvers by Allstar accent the dash and inner door panels while tunes from Sony and Boston Acoustic seal the deal along with wiring by Dennis Dagliere who installed a kit from Rebel Wire. For plenty of comfort on the long drives, a pair of ‘70s-era Mustang seats were modified and treated to custom diamond-stitched black vinyl by CZ’s Upholstery of Southington accented by durable black rubber matting on the floors.
Since its completion in 2015, the truck has put down over 45,000 miles, including a round-trip to Southern California. The trip was an epic 7,300-mile journey spanning 22 days on Derrick and Katie’s honeymoon, all without a hood or even air conditioning but packed with fun, and, to us, that’s the real deal!
Facts & Figures
Derrick & Katie Pesko
1940 Ford Pickup
CHASSIS
Frame: 1940 Ford, modified
Rearend / Ratio: Chevy 10-bolt / 3.23:1
Rear suspension: Parallel leaf, Pete & Jakes shocks
Rear brakes: GM drum
Front suspension: Speedway Motors IFS, coil springs, shocks, 2-inch drop spindles
Front brakes: GM 11-inch disc
Steering box: Manual rack-and-pinion
Front wheels: 15×4 Halibrand Sprint
Rear wheels: 15×8 Halibrand Sprint
Tires: Firestone / Coker
Gas tank: Custom aluminum
DRIVETRAIN
Engine: 1969 Chevy 327ci V-8
Heads: Chevy iron
Valve covers: Cal-Custom
Manifold / Induction: Offenhauser / six Stromberg 97-Series carbs
Ignition: MSD
Headers: GM Ram-Horn
Exhaust / Mufflers: 2-inch steel / never!
Transmission: GM TH350
Shifter: Custom by Allstar Hot Rods
BODY
Style: Pickup truck
Modifications: Custom filler panels, louvers; nerf bar, roll pan by Allstar Hot Rods (Waterford, CT)
Fenders front / rear: Stock / stock
Hood: None
Grille: Stock, chrome
Bodywork and paint by: Allstar Hot Rods / Allstar Hot Rods, Derrick Pesko
Paint type / Color: Axalta / Satin Black
Headlights / Taillights: Stock with H-4 beams / 1937 Ford
Outside mirrors: Peep-style
Bumpers: Custom front & rear by Allstar Hot Rods
INTERIOR
Dashboard: Stock, filled
Gauges: Stewart-Warner
Air conditioning: Cowl vent
Stereo: Sony head unit, Boston Acoustic amp and speakers
Steering wheel: 1960 Corvette
Steering column: Stock, modified
Seats: ’70s-era Mustang, modified
Upholstery by: CZ’s Auto Upholstery (Southington, CT)
Material / Color: Vinyl / black
Carpet: Rubber mat
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