1963 GMC 4000 CUSTOM QUAD CAB DUALLY PICKUP

Summary

Four-year build, Quad Cab Dually. powered by a 7.4-liter 454ci big-block fuel-injected Vortec engine and a 4-speed automatic transmission. Has suicide doors, LED lighting, a hickory wood bed, Boss touchscreen media player and Rockford Fosgate amplifiers.

Details

This 1963 GMC 4000 quad-cab dually custom pickup underwent a four-year no-expense-spared build that was completed in September 2024. It is powered by a 7.4-liter 454ci big-block fuel-injected Vortec engine freshly built from the crankshaft up by Engine House in Phoenix, AZ, with the accenting engine components brightly powder-coated in red. Power goes to a performance-built 4-speed 4L80E automatic transmission completely rebuilt by Transmission Experts in Phoenix, AZ, that is controlled by a custom-fabricated metal console incorporating a B&M rachet shifter and heavy-duty turbines. The entire chassis was fitted with custom cab mounts for the stretched 1963 cab body and bed, which was shortened from its original crew-cab length with a Z-notch and powder-coated a durable Gloss Black to accept the more compact and stylish proportions of the quad-cab cabin. The 1960-style GM long-bed fleetside panels were custom-modified to accept stock stepside fenders bolted onto the bedside - not welded for maintenance. Modified streamlined GM bed steps were added with accenting trim that also supports the ceramic-coated exhaust system and dual rectangular exhaust ports. Over 18 months were spent on the cab stretch metalwork and door engineering alone. All this steel was combined to create the rear-swinging suicide doors, with the absence of a B-pillar. The underside of the cab, rear fenders and truck bed all have been coated with urethane bed liner for durability, as well as rust protection and additional sound-deadening. The aged hickory bed wood was flame-charred prior to applying an Ebony stain and sealed with gloss urethane for durability. The exterior is finished off in a Pearl Black 'Black Ice' urethane, with silver and red pinstriped graphic trim executed as an homage to the custom cabs of the 1960s. The graphics are buried under layers of clear urethane with a mirror-gloss cut and buffed finish. One specific detail of this entire build is an all-metal painted headliner that is also fully sound-deadened and insulated for noise and the elements. The doors all have sound-deadening, as well as the entire cab interior. The interior features late-model GM seats with custom red/gray and black suede upholstery, complete with shoulder harness seat belts and power captain's chair. These are complemented by an all-metal center console made from the sheet metal of a repurposed reversed truck hood and vintage metal truck bed sides. The metal center console also sports stainless-steel cup holders, a digital gauge displays the supplemental rear air-bag pressure for gooseneck towing, and a convenient trailer brake is ergonomically convenient to the driver as well. The center of the dash face was reworked by deleting the ashtray to accommodate vintage reproduction air-conditioning vents by Cool C10 in the A-pillars of the cab, as well as a Vintage Air system digital climate controller. It also features a large Boss touchscreen media player complete with hands-free phone, iPhone and Android compatibility and GPS maps, along with a front and rear camera displays clearly within view of the operator. Sound comes out twin Rockford Fosgate amplifiers, two 8-inch subwoofers, twin JBL speakers in the suicide doors, 8-inch mids in the kicker panels and separate tweeters mounted in the custom dash. Every component is new, from fasteners, glass and rubber to the extensive LED lighting, including extra interior cabin lighting and DOT one-ton marker lights on the cab roof, fenders and sequential custom LED turn signals on the front and rear. In September 2024, this pickup was featured at the Grand National Truck Show in Pomona, CA.