Tre 5 went across town to GSI Machine and Fabrication for a full chassis to place the 454SS upon. Thanks to a huge notch, improved geometry and plenty of planning and effort, the GSI frame allows the C1500 to set gingerly on the ground as well as rip up the highway. Now-defunct AccuAir components including ELevel controller and an EndoCVT tank work in concert with air bags and Ridetech shocks at each corner for an adjustable and always-comfortable ride. Under the bed is a Currie Enterprises Ford 9-inch rear axle, selected because its strength for, ah, shall we say hauling. Staggering 14” Baer Brakes (yet another Phoenix-based participant) live behind 22 and 24” Intro wheels; the rears are a whopping 15” wide!

Putting that 9” rearend and huge rear tires to work is a Don Hardy-built 418-inch LS monster. As if that wasn’t enough, a Whipple supercharger is nestled happily between the heads, doing its part to coax over 900hp from the monochromatic mill. No, it’s not 454 cubes in a 454SS, but I don’t hear anyone complaining! A Phoenix Transmissions 4L80E does what it can to make use of the power, and an EFI system from Holley keeps things in check.

While a stock outward appearance was an important aspect of this truck (other than the stance and wheels!), that hardly means it was a scuff-and-spray redo. Once Tre 5 was finished shaving the impact strips from the bumpers, building the insane bed floor, including lift-up center section, fabbing engine compartment panels and installing Hart-Fab inner fenders, the 454SS was turned over to IKandy Paintworks for untold hours of block sanding. The end result looks like the paint is wet, and I know that phrase gets tossed around a lot these days, but we saw this bad dog in person at the 2019 SEMA Show and ’19 Git Down and we’re still impressed 10 months later.

At a glance, the cabin is reminiscent of the stock maroon situation, but the coloring is where the similarities end. Ceballos Upholstery (guess where they are) slicked everything up for a modern feel but the familiar power door lock and power window switches remain, as do the boxy dash shapes. An ididit column offers a much simpler look, crowned with a billet wheel. Also chosen for simplicity over stock was a Restomod AC system, as well as an HDX instrument system. We created this package in our most technology-soaked series just in time to ride the wave of these so-called “Old Body Style” (OBS for short) trucks, and this particular unit was treated to a one-off overlay (gauge face) touting the truck’s nickname, Blackjack.

As mentioned, Blackjack has already made several public appearances and it draws a huge crowd each time. We’ve been watching a steady stream of collaborations between Tre 5 and IKandy over the years, and it seems like each one pushes the envelope just a bit more than the last. For those of us who drooled over the 454SS, and lesser “Sport” models, in the early ‘90s, Joey G’s OBS is an incredible throwback.