1948 Chevy Pro-Mod Pickup - Blazin' Thunder

The leading edge of a '48 Chevy pickup doesn't deliver any means of low coefficient drag. Aerodynamically, it's more like a brick. The interior of a Pro-Mod drag truck doesn't feature much creature comfort. A 1-5/8-inch rollcage adds rigidity to the chassis; the double driver hoops give the driver maximum protection. The aluminum floorboard panels and transmission tunnel can be removed for easy access to Power-Glide two-speed transmission. Auto Meter white-faced gauges show vital engine signs during seven-second passes. An aluminum Kirkey seat with RCI five-point safety harness keeps John restrained. John's air-catching hood scoop was actually inherited from Jeg Coughlin Jr.'s world record holder Olds Cutless Pro-Stock car.

The leading edge of a '48 Chevy pickup doesn't deliver any means of low coefficient drag.

Where there's smoke, there's fire. This holds true for John Taylor's tire-smokin', fire-breathin' '48 Chevy Pro-Mod pickup that blazes the quarter-mile in 7 seconds-teasin' the 200-mph barrier.

When John isn't piloting his 1,300hp Pro-Mod down the quarter mile, he is a firefighter in Apache Junction, Arizona. John is a dedicated family man; his wife Linda and three sons, John Jr., Mike, and Jeff, serve as his fan base and crew.

The chassis of this Pro-Mod was constructed from 1-inch, .120-wall, chrome-moly round tubing. An eight-point, 1-5/8-inch rollcage with door bars and double-head hoops protect the driver and create more rigidity in the frame. The rear suspension was designed using a 1-3/8-inch tubing wishbone four-link and a Panhard bar with Strange shocks and springs. A beefed-up Dana 60 rearend was stuffed with Richmond 4:10 gears, Strange 35-spline axles, and Strange drag racing disc brakes. A pair of 17x15-inch Weld Racing Magnum billet aluminum drag wheels were wrapped with 33x17-inch Goodyear Eagle rubber. The 96-inch-long wheelie bars keep the front end planted during launch. The front suspension was designed and fabricated by John Lovan from Apache Junction. The suspension consists of Strange struts, spindles, and disc brakes. A pair of 15x4-1/2-inch Weld Racing Magnum billet aluminum drag wheels are mounted with 26x4.5-15 Goodyear Eagle rubber.

NHRA Pro-Stock engine builder Steve Schmidt performed his wizardry building John a sick 1,300hp Pro-Mod engine producing an amazing 1,000 lb-ft of torque. A Dart cast-iron block was used as the foundation. Steve precisely bored and honed each of the eight cylinders to a diameter of 4.600-inches, and stuffed them with 4.594-inch-diameter JE pistons that connect to GRP 6.675-length connecting rods creating a 4.750 stroke. A pair of machined Schmidt 12-degree aluminum cylinder heads were completed after installing Manley intake and exhaust valves with Comp Cams valve springs, lifters, and push rods. A set of 1.8 Jesel rocker arms increased the duration of the intake and exhaust valve creating a 15.5:1 compression ratio. A Pro-Filer intake manifold is fitted between the cylinder heads with a pair of Guy Williams-built, 1,150-cfm Dominator carburetors. The camshaft timing was set at plus-1 degree, while the engine timing was set at 29 degrees. An MSD 7A ignition box and Pro Power coil delivers the electronic charge to the MSD distributor, which delivers the spark that lights the candles in each combustion chamber. A reworked Power Glide two-speed transmission, received all the trick internal components with a Hughes torque converter.