By Douglas R. Glad
After owning and racing a ’69 Chevelle for 16 years, Jim Huber decided to sell the car and build something different. Jim realized that newer, aerodynamic body styles were the way to go when it came to speed. He also liked the idea of a Pro Stock Truck—so much so that one Sunday he visited a used car dealer and bought an original ’97 Chevy S-10 with a 2.8-liter V-6 showing 117,000 miles. Monday it went in for teardown, and by Wednesday he trailered it to Stanley Budke Racing Chassis and Components in Alexandria, Kentucky, for the works.
Jim yanked out the Chevelle’s engine and sent it to BES Racing Engines in West Harrison, Indiana, for an overhaul and stroke change. The small-block was used to create a 423ci Mouse producing a staggering 920 hp on the dyno without squeeze! Jim speculates that the mill will croak out over 1,100 hp using the Nitrous Works Fogger. Included are important items like: Brodix canted-valve heads and an HV-8 intake, a steel crankshaft, aluminum rods, 15.5:1 compression, and a pair of Hooker headers with 2.5-inch primaries. When pressed about engine particulars Jim just said, “That’s top secret,” and moved on. He did, however, divulge that the Barry Grant carb is a 1050-cfm model, and the sparks are delivered by an MSD 7AL-3 ignition.
The interior retains the stock tilt wheel and the factory dashboard, but the seats were replaced with a set of racing buckets and harnesses to keep Jim glued down at speed.
Jim’s truck popped a couple of friends’ Powerglides before finding one that would hold together. The Hurst Quarter-Stick shifted, BES-built trans and API 8-inch converter now in it shouldn’t squirm under the gun.
The third member is a Ford 9-inch utilizing Moser 35-spline axles, spooled with a 4.56 ratio. This setup lies under the sheetmetal bed between tubs and 31.5x10.5 M/T bolognas mounted on Center Line Convo Pros. In fact, over 100 Dzus fasteners can be twisted to completely disassemble the sheetmetal behind the cab. Up front are a pair of pancakes coated with M/T rubber turned by a rack-and-pinion setup with coilover shocks.
The Medium Quasar Blue Metallic paint provided by PPG was laid on by Mark “The Man” Fields to duplicate the color of Jim’s motor-donor Chevelle. The stock windshield and door glass were retained, and to fit the chrome-moly rollcage, the rear window is now Lexan. The bed was cut away to accommodate the new chassis and a fiberglass cowl was laid on the hood.
Jim ran the truck at its first Fastest Street Car competition in Memphis, posting an 8.29 at 167 mph. His only complaint is that without a bed, he can’t haul wood. Don’t worry Jim, this truck hauls much more.