Early model trucks have seen a change in their roles in the car and truck culture over the years just like the early model cars saw an evolution into cool street rods, customs, and musclecars - you might call it an evolution. Some of today's classic trucks acquired newstalgic makeovers, therefore broadening their horizon from yesterday's stock and custom existence. This has added a new flavor to the custom ice cream blender. We have seen the transformation go from simple custom classic trucks rollin' on bigger billet aluminum wheels and tire combos accentuated by adding more billet aluminum interior and engine accessory, and this is all within the last couple of years. With this in mind, billet aluminum seems to be the exotic-metallic element of choice. Can you say bling-bling?
The aftermarket manufacturers have really made the newstalgia trend effortless for custom classic truck enthusiasts. Companies have enabled the builder and owner to have more lateral creativeness while resurrecting another masterpiece from the past. Some of the street-rod components cross over to the early model trucks, creating some incredible truck rods. The introduction of pneumatic suspension has enabled early model trucks more flexibility and athleticism, allowing them to lay rockers or running boards on the ground. Also included in this are aftermarket interior furnishings, such as upholstery kits including seats, carpet, door panels, headliners, billet aluminum window cranks, door handles, dash trims, instrumentations - not to mention mind-blowing custom audio sound equipment. Under the hood, the engine can be dressed up with billet aluminum pulleys, valve covers, air cleaner, an oil pan, a radiator, an overflow tank, and other sparkling parts. Sheetmetal parts, such as OEM reproduction body panels, floorboards, trunk panels, and firewalls can also be created with that super sheen. Don't forget about adding the stainless steel body moldings, grilles, bumpers, mirrors, and tinted windows. These all contribute to the newstalgia trend.
When I sit scanning through today's massive aftermarket catalogs, it reminds me of when I was a little kid thumbing through grandma's Sears & Roebuck Christmas Catalog, marking my favorite wishes. Constantly updated websites are also another parts research tool. Now those hard-to-find parts and pieces are just a phone call or a poke of a key on the computer keyboard away. It beats those long days and endless hours of scavenging through an old, dirty junkyard for that impossible-to-find part.
So, next time you are in search of that missing part of your project puzzle, just thumb through an aftermarket catalog, pick up the phone, or get on the internet, and presto - it's as easy as that. All you have to do nowadays is hope the damn part is in stock.