The transformation of a 4-door Sedan!  -  Super Stepside Trucks

You probably know Joe Greeves. He's been writing and shooting magazine stories about kit cars for many years, so he is an absolute authority on the subject.

But that's all he's been doing, writing about component cars, not building them. Well, not until NOW!

"I haven't seen a kit car that has caught my attention since the Almquist Thunderbolt I put on a TR4 chassis back in the Sixties," says Joe. "I've photographed some of the finest kits, but my hobbies of cameras and computers put my own custom cars temporarily on hold. That all changed when I saw Don Fuselier's Super Stepside!"

And, Joe goes on: "The combination of being easy to build, not a copy of anything, and economical was too much to ignore and I knew I had to build one. Now that it's done, the completed truck has turned out even better than I expected. Fair warning, though, you'd better like lots of attention because this truck attracts a crowd wherever it goes. It easily upstages a Viper at a cruise-in!"

Because Joe is an expert, you have to listen to him when he says, "I've been photographing and writing about amazing vehicles for the past 28 years and the Super Stepside is a rare combination of original design, affordability and ease of construction. Two men can easily mount the four-piece fiberglass body in a weekend. Donor cars are inexpensive and readily available (millions were produced). However, best of all, the finished truck is totally unique."

Okay, that is Joe's testimonial. Now, let's back up a few steps and fill in some blanks on this new product.

Using all manner of General Motors four-door sedans and station wagons (Buick, Olds, Pontiac, Chevy Caprice, etc.) manufactured from 1980 to 1990, the Super Stepside fiberglass kit transforms a car into . . . something else!

We'd guess it's called a truck, but it has a swoopy nose with an air intake, a flared rear end and, yes . . . of course, a small 46-by-60 inch bed out back that's a foot deep -- which is suitable for carrying whatever will fit into it.

Naturally, the kit and the donor car are only a starting point, sort of a blank canvas upon which you can start your own creative thrust -- thus making this a totally unique vehicle using all the aftermarket components you'd want to personalize it.

In Joe's case, he used 20-inch KMC wheels with 255/35-ZR20 Falken tires on all four corners. On the inside, he has a full Blaupunkt/Tsunami stereo with AM/FM/CD combo, plus a Travel Pilot satellite-navigation system, Pioneer XM. Beyond those electronics, there's a Donnelly self-dimming rear-view mirror with TV camera, plus a Dakota Digital dash. Mike Ohren is the electronics genius behind making everything work for Joe.

Moving outside again, there's a Pace Edwards electric Bed Locker tonneau cover over the wooden bed, which has a KMC spare, as well as a storage compartment that holds the second Power Pumper digital readout battery, floor jack and jack stands.

Naturally, everything made from fiberglass needs a bit of paint to transform it, and in this case Joe went with House of Kolor Tangelo Pearl, a color so electric that it matches up well against a neon sign. J-Bar Enterprises in Altamonte Springs, Florida, prepared the body and sprayed the color. 

The engine is a 305 V-8, with a bit of chrome to brighten its appearance, along with dual exhausts and Flowmaster mufflers to give it just the right sound. The grand finale is an adjustable air suspension from Reds of Miami.

But, let's get back to the basics. The four-piece fiberglass package costs $4,700 (approx £3,133) and comes with a sandable gelcoat finish. Included are front and rear clips with all the mounting hardware, along with left and right rocker panels. In addition to the fiberglass, you get a step-by-step, 32-page illustrated instruction booklet.

Donald Fuselier, the 49-year-old company owner (that's him in the fiberglass components photo), figures it will take you six hours to prep the full-sized sedan, which means unbolting the front sheet metal, and then the rear sheet metal is cut two inches behind the B-pillar using a template as a guide. In another six hours, you can have the fiberglass body mounted to the chassis. After that, it probably takes 100 hours to get everything sorted before taking the revamped automobile in for paint.

Donald came up with the idea for the Super Stepside. "My background was in construction, from heavy equipment to finish woodworking," he says. "We had four Chevy Stepside trucks in the construction company and I just liked the stepside look."

The final product is an interesting combination of angles because the donor car is rather boxy. As a consequence, the Super Stepside has an almost vertical windshield and the front door glass is awkward on an otherwise curvaceous body. At the rear there's something of a cross between the rounded rump of a Cobra and a late model Corvette.

Already, the Super Stepside package has won several awards, and I can guarantee you it will be winning more as examples like Joe Greeves' start showing up at major events. Heck, I'd give Joe my Best of Show trophy right now!

One final thing you should know, though: Joe spent about $32,000 (approx £21,333) on this particular truck, but many Super Stepside’s have been built for under $10,000. (approx £6,666) Joe, though, has more than that invested just in electronics!

For further details contact:
Super Stepside Trucks
501 East Gloria Switch Rd
Lafayette, LA 70501

USA
Tel: (001) 337 291-1070
Website: http://www.superstepside.com/

Text by Bill Moore

Pix Courtesy of Joe Greeves