1990 Chevrolet 1500 chop top truck rat rod

1990 Chevrolet Other Pickups Description

1990 Chevrolet 1500 long bed pickup truck with PS, PB, A/C, 4.3, 5 speed and 3:42 rear, 3.5 inch chop, 4/6 drop and door modifications. Additionally, this truck was equipped with the HD brake option with the thicker front rotors.

I have owned this truck since 2003 and performed the chop/lower on 2007. This truck has been my daily and I’ve racked up 232K miles on it. I have always maintained it and over that time it has seen new water pump, exhaust manifolds, intake, distributor, brakes, rotors, m/c, clutch/transmission, clutch slave and m/c, front end, radiator and various components. While I liked the rat-rod look, this isn’t a junker ride. It drives and rides great with nice cold A/C.

The top was chopped 3.5” by sectioning, using some c-channel and an extended cab skin. The A pillars were stacked to use the factory side glass and the doors were modified by raising the side profile to match the body lines. The windshield was cut 5 ¼” by tri-vally auto glass in California. The back glass is polycarbonate and the windshield wiper arms were shortened. Additionally, the seat frame was sectioned to accommodate the roof drop. I’m 6’ tall and I fit perfectly. The top is structurally sound. The ergonomics of the chop are surprising good and the driving views are uninhibited. I have tons of photos during the chop process.

The lowering was accomplished using DJM control arms up front which let me use stock springs and spindles. This maintained the suspension travel and use stock shocks. This truck drives great without all the problems associated with short springs and stubby shocks. The front springs are also Moog replacements. The rear uses an axle flip kit with frame channeling. The spring perches were welded to the axle after the proper driveshaft phasing was accomplished. The drivetrain has gone over 120K without any universal joint or phasing issues. The shocks are staggered with one long/short. The leaf springs were custom modified with additional load handling by Walker Spring service in Shreveport, LA. I used the truck to haul my motorcycle and needed the additional load handling. The truck handles and rides exceptionally well.

The entire factory A/C/heat has been replaced utilizing a vintage air gen IV magnum unit. The R4 compressor has been replaced with an adapter using Sanden compressor. The factory controls have been replaced with vintage a/c controls and the outlets are round for a classic look. It is an R134 system and blows nice n cold with heater and defrost functions. This alone was an expensive and difficult conversion but essential for comfortable ops and eliminates the troublesome factory setup.

The 15” factory wheels are powder coated red with early 60’s Buick hubcaps and diamondback whitewalls.

Interior was done by ACS Pro Trim in Shreveport LA. I have some left over material to replace some of the faded glitter red.

The negatives: The engine has been well maintained and serviced, but it does have 27 years and 230K miles on it. It runs great, but does use a little oil and blows a little smoke on start up. The interior is a little heat faded, but I have extra material. The glove box door latch is broke and the seat doesn’t fold forward for some reason, but the rack works fine. The truck was painted in PPG epoxy primer and has faded into gray finish with a little surface rust on the bed rails. The filler has started to delaminate on the top and in some of the door areas and needs to be re-finished (see pictures). 10 years of harsh summers and it’s taken a beating, but I did apply POR15 to the areas that need attention. The rear polycarbonate window is difficult to see through and needs to be replaced (preferably with a custom glass). The window tint needs replacing.

This truck is great project that doesn’t require mechanical work to drive it away. I would (and have) driven this truck anywhere reliably. There are many directions to take it: LS or diesel conversions (or drive as-is), with the real work of the chop already accomplished. Custom, low-rider, rat rod or any configuration it’s ready to start and a chopped late model is extremely rare due to the technical difficulties required to make it happen. I hate to let it go, but I have too many vehicles and I’m not getting any younger to maintain them all. Time for someone to take it to a new level, enjoy and love it like I did. Feel free to send me any questions. Clean FL title.