The Most Awesome Truck At SEMA: Hot Rod Jim's Project PT-57

Hot Rod Jim’s Project PT-57 is the most awesome pickup truck that you’ll see at SEMA. It’s a 1957 Chevy pickup project vehicle inspired by a World War II Curtiss P-40 fighter plane.

Here are the amazing details.

The exterior features a P-40 Warhawk face, air brushed steel plates and rivets and army style logos and warnings. The crosshair grille is custom. Side pipes feature machine gun style heat shields with a waste gate dump and caution logo. Exhaust pipes in the hood are fully functional.

Underneath, Hot Rod Jim created a custom chassis based on the Chevrolet Corvette C6 platform. The suspension has been cribbed from both the C5 and C6 Vettes, including the dual front and rear A-arms. The PT-57's brakes are off a C6 Z06 Corvette, as are its wheels.

The powertrain is a 6.0-liter V-8 from a Heavy Duty Chevy pickup, with twin turbos, a custom spec camshaft, Τhunder Racing Cr-Mo-Alloy pushrods, Patriot dual extreme valve springs and titanium retainers. It’s paired with a Borg Warner T56 transmission.

Inside, there are 5-point racing harness seats, a smoothed dash, custom gauges, vintage HVAC controls, a center console and cupholders!

Hot Rod Jim, you, sir, are an American hero.

Comments (2) in 2009 SEMA