Road & Track recently got the opportunity to test an custom Icon Thriftmaster Chevrolet Pickup. Icon’s founder, Jonathan Ward, is incredibly passionate about his restored vehicles, and it shows in the craftsmanship that goes into the vehicles.
For this particular Thriftmaster, Jonathan opted for a California emissions compliant 5.3 liter E-Rod V8. But he didn’t stop there, Ward was also the first person to install a Magnusson blower on the environmentally friendly E-Rod engine. Apparently, it’s pretty potent, with R&T saying it has “plenty of juice to fry those wide rear tires.” We like the sound of that.
This truck isn’t built just for speed, though. Every body panel has been custom fabricated to improve on the originals, while still maintaining their vintage look. Underneath, the Thriftmaster sits on an Art Morrison chassis with six-inch adjustable JRE coilovers at all four corners. Ward will also sell the custom trucks with an optional hydraulic suspension system, allowing for in-cab adjustability of the trucks stance.
The modifications to the chassis and suspension appear to have worked, as this Thriftmaster looks like a truck and handles like a car.
“We autocrossed this thing at Spring Mountain Motorsports Park, and the guys in their old Camaros and 911s were like, ‘Oh, hey, can we go before the truck?’ And then we spanked their asses,” Ward told R&T.
Check out the full review of the Thriftmaster over on Road & Track.
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