1952 Chevy Pickup - Rolling Thunder

This fat-fendered '52 Chevy possesses the complete package: style, beauty, and power. Dave Harrington, from Garrettsville, Ohio, pulled out all the stops when he decided to go ahead and build this black boulevard prowler. The '52 reflects an intimidating presence and ground trembling vibrations, whether idling or screaming at full-throttle from the blown 980hp Arias engine.

Beginning with a new '52 Chevy pickup frame, Tim Blevins from Medina, Ohio, boxed the framerails and added triangulated supports creating additional strength and rigidity to the frame. The front suspension consists of a Scott's air ride system and shocks that allows the front fenders to ground out. A Scott's power steering rack makes for effortless left and right turns. A pair of Wilwood brakes with 14-inch rotors and dual-piston calipers are responsible for decelerating the front rotating mass of the American Racing polished aluminum Torque Thrust II 15x7-inch wheels and 26x7.50x15 Mickey Thompson tires. The Ford 9-inch rearend was suspended by a Chassis Engineering four-link system and Panhard bar with a pair of QA1 coilover adjustable shocks. The rear American Racing 15x15-inch wheels are wrapped in massive 33x16.50x15 Mickey Thompson Sportsman rubber. The huge Mickey Thompson meats are stopped with a pair of Stainless Steel disc brakes.

The old skool, Hilborn bug catcher peering out of the hood is a hint there is something stout lurking underneath. An Arias 540ci cast iron Chevy block with a pair of trick aluminum Arias Hemi cylinder heads develops both incredible torque and power. The Arias engine was fitted with a Littlefield 8-71 supercharger and a Hilborn EFI system. An all-MSD electronic ignition system, coil, distributor, and ignition wires supply the required electrical charge to ignite and provide continuous electrical current to the spark plugs. Stainless Works supplied a pair of 21/2-inch diameter stainless steel "Zoomie" headers that produce the neck snapping torque, power, and unique cackling thunder. The mighty Arias engine backs up to a GM 400 that has been upgraded and hooked up to a B&M 3,500-rpm stall torque converter. An Optima battery was located underneath the rear fender.