1982 Chevrolet Silverado - Daily Grind - 54

Name: Tim Kerr
Vehicle: 1982 Chevrolet Silverado
Nice-looking truck Tim, did you buy it like that?
Nah, it started off as a diesel and got tucked away in the garage when the diesel stuffed out, and then I got carried away and started rebuilding the whole thing. Ended up taking the diesel motor out, putting a fuel—injected petrol motor in, and then doing everything: new rubbers, lowering it, new paint, panel work, new wheels, the lot. I painted it myself ” I won’t do that again.
How long ago did you buy it?
It would probably be about eight years now; two and a half years in the garage getting rebuilt, when I could fit in time to work on it. As everyone knows, projects always take longer than originally planned. I didn’t plan to go this direction with it, but it always happens, doesn’t it?
Isn’t it a bit too pretty to be used as a work truck now?
Yeah, but it is good to drive every day, it’s quite a comfortable ride. It is a truck though, but I’m pretty happy with it.
What’s the new motor you put in it?
It’s a fuel—injected 350 from an early-’90s truck. I bought the motor and transmission together. The trans is a 4L80E, which has been rebuilt, so it goes well. It’s not too bad on gas now, which is good, as I drive it from Pukekohe every day to Procoat in East Tamaki. On the motorway it just idles along when you’re doing 100kph, it’s great.
If you weren’t driving it every day, what would you be driving instead?
I don’t know. It would have to be something practical. I did have a Hiace van but that crapped out at 450,000km. I was a bit gutted, as I was aiming for the half century. With its big tray the Chev is quite practical, but as you said, it’s a bit too nice to be used for lugging stuff round. I’ve already put a few scratches in it from delivering parts to people, so it really is time to sell it. It’s too nice for that.
Have you got another project on the go?
Yeah, I’m going to sell the truck, as I’ve got the project I’ve always wanted, a ’55 two-door post Chev. I’m really looking forward to getting into that. That will be another few-year project I’m sure. I’m really looking forward to it, and I know I can do a lot of things on it through here [Procoat].
So the ’55 will become a bit of a business advertisement when done?
Yep. You learn by your projects. The truck was a good gauge of how things should be done, for when I do it to another vehicle worth doing it on. With the truck, I learnt a few things, so you know what to iron out the next time round; hopefully everything goes according to plan.