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A 1992 Chevrolet C1500 Silverado lay unused and waiting for its makeover in a secluded area of South Central Pennsylvania. Its owner, Bill Hade, a retired psychologist with a youthful spirit, and a deep-rooted love for classic Chevy trucks, saw not just a truck, but a canvas for his creativity and engineering prowess.
Bill’s 1992 Silverado now has the perfect blend of classic OBD styling with muscle truck performance and style.
From its modest beginnings as a dependable daily driver, Bill’s Silverado has been a reliable companion for his daily commutes. With over 267,000 miles on the clock, Bill’s Silverado began to reveal its age. Reaching the top of those Pennsylvania mountains was becoming more difficult. A particular problem, since Bill lives at the top of one of them! The moment had come for Bill, a hardcore Chevy enthusiast, to give the old workhorse a new lease on life.
Those stainless steel mid-length headers feed 3-inch tubes back to the muffler, and then 2-1/2 pipes out to a pair of chrome, Chevy Bowtie tips. Note the absence of an external tailgate release handle, which has been relocated to the inside of the bed.
In keeping with Bill’s fondness for ’70s rock music, the metamorphosis started, not-so-quietly, with the installation of a rocking sound system. A 12-inch subwoofer, 6-1/2 inch door speakers, and 4x6s in all four corners of the cab are driven by a 1,800-watt amplifier, transforming the Silverado into a mobile music venue.
The COVID-19 lockdowns, however, were the time of the actual transformation. A frame-off restoration was Bill’s passion project since he had plenty of free time on his hands. He dismantled the vehicle piece by piece, taking the time to inspect every part, mentally cataloging its age and condition, and planning its eventual resurrection.
The gauges started to fail, so Bill custom-fabricated a gauge panel, removed the factory set, traced each wire and installed new gauges. He also installed an OnStar mirror and later installed an Apple CarPlay head unit. 
The Silverado’s engine was the focus of particular care and maintenance. Bill, driven by an insatiable need for more power, constructed an ominous small-block 350. He removed the factory “spider” fuel injection system, opting for a 4160-style, 600cfm carburetor, and Edelbrock Airgap intake instead. Stainless steel mid-length headers, a new cam, rockers with a ratio of 1.6:1, and pistons with a ratio of 10:1 were all used to double the horsepower. All of this added up to Bill’s goal of building the nastiest 350 small-block that his budget would allow.
When it came time to put some punch back into his 1992 Silverado, Bill opted to go big and built the "nastiest small-block 350 I could on a budget."
No detail was too small for Bill’s focus when it came to the truck’s exterior. Following the installation of a new differential, the frame was painted, and treated to new body and bed mounts. From the frame down, the truck’s handling and performance were improved by installing new brakes with slotted and vented rotors in the front and American Racing Torque Thrust wheels mounted with Hankook radials. The body was then finished in Light Starlight Blue Metallic and Indigo Blue metallic before being installed back onto the freshly painted frame.
Torque Thrust and thick side walls make for the perfect pairing.
The Silverado’s cabin was also meticulously detailed. Instead of using the factory parts, Bill made a gauge panel from scratch, traced each wire for the new gauges, and installed them. The onboard computer, an OnStar mirror, and the Apple CarPlay system were all modern additions that went well with the vintage style. A sunroof, new carpet, and door components upgraded the cabin, while a clever relocation of the tailgate release brought a touch of refinement to the tough truck’s exterior.
Bill added a tilt column to his Chevy and those modern gauges peek through a custom steering wheel to make for the perfect muscle truck aesthetic.
Bill’s Silverado was given new life, not just refurbished. With its newfound lion’s heart and gazelle-like grace, the truck is once again prepared to face the world. Unfortunately, and with a heavy heart, Bill chose to release this masterpiece out into the wild. The truck will be going across the auction block at the Mecum Kissimmee Auction in January. Although it was not an easy decision, Bill felt it necessary to find a new home for the Silverado.
Looking back with pride and forward with enthusiasm, Bill is getting ready to say goodbye to his beloved Silverado. This is just the beginning, though, for Bill. The trip is never done for a hardcore Chevy enthusiast. There’s always something new to work on, something new and exciting to pursue.
Let’s See Your Chevy!
We love to see other enthusiast’s rides, no matter where they are in the build process, finished, or if you’re simply enjoying them in their current state. The best part is that all we need are a few photos and some information about you and your Chevy. That said, the more information and images you submit, the more we can show (and talk about) your car to the rest of our readers.
We’re looking forward to seeing what you are doing to keep the Chevy Hardcore lifestyle alive. If you want to see more cars built and owned by our readers, send us a few pictures of your car showing the engine, interior, and exterior, along with all the pertinent information, so we can include it in our Reader’s Ride section. You can send your submissions to [email protected].
