The V8 Speed & Resto Shop had the immense privilege of restoring this truly exceptional 1951 Chevrolet pickup truck, which held a deeply sentimental place in the customer’s heart as it once belonged to their beloved Grandfather.

The truck arrived at the V8 Speed & Resto Shop on multiple trailers, bearing the marks of its history as a hardworking farm truck with extensive rust and damage accumulated over decades. Our passionate team embarked on a journey to breathe new life into this treasure, undertaking a comprehensive restoration that encompassed rust repair, meticulous bodywork, striking paint work, a heart-pounding V8 engine conversion, and the meticulous restoration of the dump-truck bed and mechanism originally installed by the customer’s Grandfather.

After the final touches were applied, the family set out on an unforgettable voyage, driving the truck from their grandparent’s farm in Northwest Illinois to Liberty Lake, Washington. Along the way, they graciously shared captivating photos of their adventure. Thankfully, the journey unfolded smoothly, devoid of any hiccups, allowing them to savor every moment of this extraordinary experience. Join us as we journey through an inspiring American Road Trip in a cherished family heirloom truck!

Click here to see all the restoration photos of this truck!

 

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Contact the V8 Speed & Resto Shop to start a restoration journey of your own today!

817 S. MAIN STREET – RED BUD, IL 62278

 

This cool 1957 Ford Thunderbird came to the V8 Speed & Resto Shop in tribute to the owner’s Father who owned several of these cool Birds over the years.   Today, we’re going to make this one more powerful and reliable for years of trouble-free cruising.   The V8 Speed & Resto Shop team will be installing a custom chassis, complete with Wilwood brakes, coil-over shocks, and upgrade the sway bars for better handling.   The ‘Bird will have far more Thunder thanks to a new Ford Racing 5.0 V8 cranking out 430 HP and over 400 lbs.-ft. of torque.   Additionally, we’re installing a 6-speed automatic transmission spinning that steam back to a new 9″ rear axle.    Upgraded audio and lighting will make it even more fun to drive.  Follow along as we make the upgrades on this slick ’57 Thunderbird!

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Continue reading “1957 Ford Thunderbird 5.0 Coyote V8 and Chassis Swap at V8 Speed and Resto Shop Photo Gallery”

On this episode of V8 Radio, we have a special guest as Mike Clarke and Paul Wieshuber head to the V8 Speed and Resto Shop to visit host Kevin Oeste and spend some time working on Paul’s 1962 Buick Electra convertible. They made some sheetmetal pieces, and Paul and Mike learn some new techniques, along with an appreciation for the time it takes to make custom parts. PLUS a bonus automotive trivia, as Paul brings one to the table!!

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V8 Radio Podcast
V8 Radio Podcast: Working On The 1962 Buick with Paul and Mike, Trivia, and More



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On this episode of V8 Radio, Mike Clarke and Kevin Oeste spend some time chatting about the recently completed 1946 Ford Tudor restoration at the V8 Speed and Resto Shop. Later, the V8 Team is honored to have not only 1, but 2 awesome 1969 Camaros built by V8 Speed and Resto at the 2019 Goodguys PPG Nationals in Columbus, Ohio! Next, they discuss the adaptation of new technology to cool old cars for better performance and driveability. Don’t forget the trivia questions, and you have a full episode of V8 Radio!

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V8 Radio Podcast
V8 Radio Podcast: New Tech in Old Cars, Camaros at Goodguys, Trivia and More!



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This 1970 Ford Mustang Convertible is going through a complete restoration, and it came to the V8 Speed & Resto Shop for rusty and damaged sheet metal replacement, bodywork, and paint.   The V8 crew will repair the crashed quarter panel and fenders, and replace the rusty floors along the way.   Follow along in the photos and video to see the latest!    

 

 

Continue reading “1970 Ford Mustang Convertible Body Restoration at the V8 Speed and Resto Shop”

On this episode of V8 Radio, Mike Clarke and Kevin Oeste kick off the show with 2 automotive trivia questions, then fly right into a preview of the upcoming 5th Annual Drive In Cruise event! They also cover some new discoveries made by the V8 Speed and Resto Shop on tuning the Chevrolet LT-4 supercharged engine to overcome a common RPM issue some are having with transplanted power plants.

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V8 Radio Podcast
V8 Radio Podcast: 5th Annual Drive In Cruise, Tuning the LT-4, Automotive Trivia, and More!
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This 1969 Pontiac Firebird is a very good looking car, and it was restored nearly entirely by the owner.   It features a Pontiac 455 and a 6-speed manual transmission, with some suspension, brake, and wheel upgrades to make it drive as well as it looks.    He brought us the car to dial-in the Quadrajet carburetor and tune it on the dyno.     We completed a performance tune to make it run its best! Contact the V8 Speed an Resto Shop for all your Muscle Car performance, restoration, and upgrade needs!

Contact the V8 Speed & Resto Shop with all your Classic or Muscle Car needs today!

Contact the V8 Speed & Resto Shop Today!

817 S. MAIN STREET – RED BUD, IL 62278

On this episode of V8 Radio, Mike Clarke and Kevin Oeste chat about their buddy Paul’s 1962 Buick Electra project, which just arrived in the V8 Speed and Resto Shop to return it to the road. They also talk about the benefits of a recent headlight relay install Kevin completed on his 1962 Ford Galaxie. Then, they share a bit more insight into the Muscle Car Of The Week program and upcoming cars. Of course, there’s the automotive trivia question, a few laughs, and some other nonsense on V8 Radio!

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V8 Radio Podcast
V8 Radio Podcast: Getting Projects Back On Track, Headlight Relays, Muscle Car Of The Week, Trivia, and More!
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This 1962 Buick Electra convertible originally appeared on one of the very first episodes of V8TV working on the engine and a disc brake conversion.  Back in 1998, David Freiburger and Rob Kinnan of Car Craft and Hot Rod Magazines purchased this car for a Car Craft Magazine cheap and fun weekend cruiser project.  They gave the original carburetor a tune, did a quickie bright yellow paint job on the car and drove it around for a bit before putting it up for sale. At that point, our friend Paul purchased  the car from Freiburger and towed it from sunny Southern California to his home in the Midwest. Paul drove the car for a couple summers until the original Buick 401 Nailhead engine failed, and not having a lot of resources back then, Paul decided to install a small block Chevy V8 that he had on hand.  About that time, Paul’s job changed, he started a family, and more important life events occurred. Today, nearly 20 years later, the car has arrived in the V8 Speed and Resto Shop where the V8 Team will complete his engine conversion and make the car a driver once again.   

Contact the V8 Speed & Resto Shop with all your Classic or Muscle Car needs today!

 

 

Contact the V8 Speed & Resto Shop Today!

817 S. MAIN STREET – RED BUD, IL 62278

 

Continue reading “1962 Buick Electra Restoration at the V8 Speed and Resto Shop”