REDEFINED

We’ve heard of rebuilding a single truck multiple times throughout the years, but never have we encountered a story of a pickup being bought three times by the same folks, and sold twice, all while enduring three separate rebuild phases. Ken and Susan Fontes of Arroyo Grande, California recently stopped to tell us their story while they have been out on tour with their recently completed ’56 pickup. This Chevy has claimed accolades as a top 12 finalist for the Al Slonaker award at the Grand National Roadster Show, Outstanding Truck at Sacramento Autorama, multiple nods at Goodguys events, as well as a Top 50 finalist at the 2023 Barrett Cup in Scottsdale, AZ. There’s been a whirlwind of excitement surrounding this ’56 over the last year or so, but it’s certainly been a long time coming. 

“My wife and I have owned this truck off and on since 1982”, Ken admits. “We purchased it at a yard sale for $1,500 back then. Yes, the truck came very cheap, but it has been invaluable to us, and has been a big part of our lives. Throughout the years, we have traveled all over California in it for car shows. We drove our newborn son home from the hospital some 36 years ago in it. We’ve even had to sell it twice to help fund two moves and two house builds when we needed the financial help, but we’ve always been able to buy it back surprisingly.” 

The times Ken and Susan got their Chevy truck back after letting it go, Ken and his brother Richard customized and restored it further each time – it almost became some kind of tradition. After owning it this long, Ken got the urge to go crazy on the truck, but he realized that the degree in which he wanted to change things up would require the help of a seasoned professional. Susan told Ken that he could rebuild the truck one more time, any way he wanted it – as long as it was red. This is when Scott Laitinen of SIC Chops in Cave Creek, Arizona joined this truck’s long history with the Fontes family.

Scott has gained worldwide notoriety with his motorcycle builds at the start of his career, but he has since placed his focus on custom cars, trucks and hot rods, which is what initially piqued Ken’s interest. ‘Seeing is believing’ as they say, and Scott’s portfolio of completed projects is all the convincing Ken needed in order to place his ’56 on the SIC Chops waiting list. When it came time to start working on the Fontes’ Chevy, Scott hit the ground running. The entirety of the truck, from top to bottom, was formed to its current condition while in the care of SIC in only one year’s time. It was an exciting dozen months, as Ken and Susan saw their truck transform in what now seems like overnight. 

A Roadster Shop Slammed SPEC IFS chassis was selected to serve as the foundation of the Chevy’s latest and greatest rendition. The frame was outfitted with only top-end bells and whistles to help it perform to its maximum potential. Laser-cut rails, power rack and pinion steering, rear 4-link, coil-overs and upgraded Baer brakes all around equate to unmatched suspension handling. One-off Colorado Customs wheels with 3-piece hubcaps and Diamondback Red Line rubber add unique, throwback styling to the Chevy’s newfound ground-hovering, curb-carving stance. 

The next piece of the truck’s performance puzzle would come together under the hood with a Don Hardy Racing LSA engine, a 2.9 Whipple supercharger and all the go-fast fixins to produce an impressive 850HP with 752 ft-lbs of torque. Yeah, it might be a tad bit more power than Ken and Susan actually need, but if you’re going to go all the way on a truck that means the world to you this is how you do it. Of course, Scott completely reworked the engine compartment with custom sheet metal and paintwork to properly showcase the highly decorated power plant. 

While on the subject of paint, Susan’s solitary request to run with the color red was met with the concoction of a special shade aptly called REDefined to adorn the Chevy’s exterior. A combination of gloss and matte finishes were used in order to add some extra depth into the overall appearance of the finish. Before any paint was sprayed, however, Scott and his SIC Chops crew redesigned the entire surface of the ’56 to give it that well-appointed street rod sophistication. A combination of shaved features, reworked parts and panels, and the highly tuned attention to the smallest of details was sunk into transforming this truck into an undisputed leader in its class. 

Carrying the same level of styling into the interior, Scott was able to successfully integrate a ’56 Bel Air dash at the center of the cabin. The dash itself has been custom outfitted with its own one-off tweaks, paint and inclusion of custom Dakota Digital gauges and steering wheel. Ron Mangus Interiors was sourced to whip up modified glide seating, custom paneling and a headliner that features ultra plush red and black leather upholstery along with cloth accents and chrome trim where needed. Of course, Vintage Air climate control and an audio system featuring Kicker components were also must-include amenities to guarantee a lifetime of cool, comfortable cruising. 

A lot has happened for Ken and Susan’s ’56 Chevy truck throughout their 40 years of ownership. While it has changed hands twice for brief periods of time, it has always made its way back home to them. Ken has always celebrated its return with a round of upgrades that helped it gain more attention at shows as well as multiple magazine features during the 80’s and 90’s with appearances in All Chevy, Super Chevy and Truckin’. While this truck is exponentially cooler than it was back then, Ken and Susan will never forget its very humble beginnings. 

“I really wish that we met Scott Laitinen of SIC Chops 10 to 20 years ago”, Ken says. “The buildup process was absolutely seamless on our end, even though Scott may have run into his own issues like supply chain delays or other hiccups along the way but he never gave us reason to worry. He would update us multiple times a week up until the truck was completed. Now, it’s been nothing but smooth sailing since we got it back, and for that we will be forever appreciative.”