When hot rodding was in its infancy, trucks were nothing more than the vehicle you used to go to the salvage yard and get parts. Times have changed, and the once-utilitarian vehicle has made its way into the spotlight. If you don’t think enthusiasts are readily understanding that haulers make good hot rods, take a good look at any cruise night or car show, you’re bound to see more than one.

the 383ci small block makes this a cool cruiser that can smoke ’em at will.

“When I bought this truck, it had been in a wreck,” said Marshall Raymond. “The passenger-side fender and the grille were pushed back, hard.” The truck had been setting behind a barn for several years, and even received a few bullet holes for good measure.

Inside you’ll find power-assisted, leather-covered bucket seats, tilt steering column, and a Hurst shifter.

“That was in 1978, and both my boys were young then,” quipped Marshall. For the next several years, Marshall and his two young sons spent what time they could rebuilding the ’57. That was many years ago, and according to Marshall, “I still have that truck, and it’s seen a few changes,” he stated. “When I’m too old to work on it, the boys can work on it again.”

Marshall’s currant project is a 1960 Corvette. He says it’s just about done and should be on the road this summer.

Currently, the step-side features a 383 ci engine connected to a TREMEC five-speed transmission. The list of upgrades continues, with a Firebird front suspension and coilovers on the rear. Stopping is handled by the Firebird’s disc-brakes, and power steering makes taking corners easy.

Do you want to read about more Home-Built Heroes? All you need to do is click here. If you own a Home-Built Hero, we want to hear about it. Since we’ve started the series, we have received more than a few candidates, but we still want to see more – we can never get enough. If you want to see more cars built by you the readers, send us a few pictures of your car showing the engine, interior, and exterior, along with all of the pertinent information, and we’ll make you Internet famous. You can send your submissions to [email protected].