Featured Ride: Taylor’d Customs 57 Chevy 3200

If this truck could talk prior to becoming part of the Taylor’d Customs fleet it would have told  the same stories any other 54 year old truck would.

Tales of journeys to and from work or the farm, first dates, and perhaps a trip to a hospital for a child birth (or two) are nothing out of the ordinary of a truck this vintage.

Dragging frame from from Ajax Ontario to Ohio though? That is a little less typical and a welcome turn of the page in the history of this awesome 57 Chevy 3200.

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With several award winning custom builds under his belt Blair Taylor of Taylor’d Customs picked this truck up as a side project completely stock in August of 2011 and three short months later had it laying in the weeds at Dropt and Destroyed October of 2011.

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Behind a grill that has swallowed its fair share of country mile now sits a freshly rebuilt ‘low horsepower’ Chevy 350 motor.

Low horsepower is of course a matter of perspective because based on his other builds and the impressive growl audible in the video recently released on the Talyor’d Customs Facebook page this truck could probably put vehicle or two to shame while leaving a trail of sparks in its wake.

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The 350 sits on top of a Heidts Mustang II front end with custom lower control arms, and the 57 three speed transmission bolted to the back of it is mounted to a lifted cross member.

The original bed, which used to carry lord knows what, has had it’s floor removed to clear the massive 8 inch notch and custom triangulated, square bar, four link suspension necessary to get this truck to lay out completely flat.

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When the time is right to get up and go slam bags at all four corners are aired up with dual Viair 444 compressors.

Static fans don’t fret this truck doesn’t ride high and park low, it rides low and parks lower.

Exterior wise Blair kept this trucks character intact by not removing the multiple layers of paint on the exterior, instead he took just a little bit of sheen off with a buffing pad giving it a very nice looking patina that doesn’t look forced.

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The only modern addition that can be found on this trucks exterior are the 20″ Foose wheels that spend most of their time buried in the fenders.

Inside a 61 Chevy Impala bench seat keeps occupants in place while the rest of the interior, save for the floor mats, are factory 57.

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Big thanks to Blair and Kristina for letting me put together this feature and inviting me to check out the shop which I will be doing in the next few weeks.

I really look forward to seeing what else Taylor’d has in store for 2012.

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Modification List

Drive-train

• Freshly rebuilt 350
• 57 3-speed standard transmission
• 2-piece drive shaft
• Stainless Gas Tank

Suspension/Chassis

• Heidts Mustang II front end with custom lower control arms
• 5-bolt conversion
• Custom triangulated square-bar four-link suspension, 8-inch C-notch
• Slam Bags (all four corners)
• Lifted transmission crossmember
• AccuAir manifold
• Dual Viair 444 compressors

Interior/Exterior

• ’61 Impala seat
• 20” Foose wheels

Photo Credit: Kristina Doyle – Taylor’d Customs

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