1957 Chevy Pick-up - A Step-side Dream

By: Stefan de Koker.

The 1957 Chevrolet has always been one of those cars that sits at the very top of every hot rodder’s wish list. It’s the icon, the one that combines shape, attitude and heritage into something timeless. But owning one is only half the dream. Building one that’s unique while still staying true to its roots is where the real magic lies. Back in 1983, Chris Hattingh decided it was time to chase that dream. He wanted a hot rod for the family, something that could do duty on holidays, cruise the streets of Roodepoort in style, and still make people stop and stare. His weapon of choice? A ’57 Chevrolet Stepside Pick-up.

Sourcing one in the early eighties was still possible, but not exactly easy. Chris pieced together his foundation from three different trucks. One came out of Bothaville, another from Warmbaths, and the final donor from Rustenburg. By then his back garden looked more like a scrapyard than a suburban home, but it gave him everything he needed to build one complete truck. He selected the strongest chassis of the three, and while it remained stock for years, he eventually gave in to temptation. In 2001, like many South African builders of the time, he bought a wrecked Jaguar XJ6 and transplanted its suspension onto the Chevy’s frame. It was a game changer. The Stepside suddenly had the road manners of a luxury sedan while still looking every inch the American workhorse.

For power, Chris knew the original straight-six had no place in a hot rod. He slotted in a small block Chevy, a 327 at first, later upgraded to a 350. Feeding it became a personal project. While most people bolted on a Holley or Weber, Chris wanted to be different. He machined his own manifold to mount four SU carburettors, and when he eventually decided to convert to fuel injection in 2007, he built yet another manifold by hand. Even today, it runs flawlessly—a tribute to his engineering spirit.

Getting that power to the ground was handled with the same unconventional thinking. Instead of the common Turbo 350 gearbox, Chris opted for a 200R4 six-speed automatic with lock-up and overdrive. Power ran through to a 3.08 Chevrolet diff, making the truck just as comfortable on the open road as it was cruising through town. Even the wheels told a story. In the eighties he sourced a set of 15-inch Rocket wheels through Tiger Wheel & Tyre in Fordsburg. They came finished in a wood-effect style, something so unusual that Chris believes they’re still the only set in South Africa. Wrapped in 225/60/15 tyres, they remain one of the truck’s most distinctive touches.

When it came to the body, none of the three truck beds he had collected were up to scratch, so Chris fabricated his own from sheet steel. The factory catches didn’t suit his vision, so he built a custom latch system using seatbelt buckles. It might sound odd, but it has never let him down. After endless hours of preparation, the truck was ready for paint. Chris laid down a flawless coat of Toyota Firecracker Red, a colour that turned the Stepside into a showstopper. Small touches like discreet mini indicators on the front kept the look clean while hinting at the custom work underneath.

The inside was given just as much care. Chris reshaped the stock seat frames before trimming them in red and grey leather. The door panels matched, while the floor was covered in quality carpeting tough enough to handle years of long-distance road trips. Between the seats, a handmade centre console housed the gear lever and a small parcel shelf, wrapped in grey leather to match the rest of the interior. To keep the dashboard uncluttered, the radio and gauges were cleverly mounted into the roof lining. And then there was the steering wheel—a handmade piece Chris carved himself using his wife’s kitchen broom handle. It’s a detail that still gets laughs today, though his wife apparently hasn’t forgotten the sacrifice.

By 2008, the Pick-up had already lived a full life of road trips, family holidays and car shows, but rather than selling it, Chris passed it on to his son, Chris Jnr. The Hattingh Stepside continued its life exactly as it had begun—on the road, building memories. It’s towed stranded 4x4s out of the sand at the seaside, covered countless kilometres across South Africa, and stood proud at nationals. It’s more than just a custom Chevrolet; it’s a family heirloom on wheels.

The Hattingh Stepside proves that the ultimate hot rod isn’t the one with the most polished chrome or the most horsepower. It’s the one that stands the test of time, the one that thirty years later is still being driven, still being loved, and still making memories. Chris’s vision back in 1983 was never about trophies—it was about life. And looking at this Firecracker Red ’57 today, it’s hard to argue that he didn’t get it exactly right.