1984 Chevy Shortbed - Off-Road Magazine

Some trucks grab you. Others pull you in, inch by inch, until you're hopelessly entangled. While the Corvette Red on this '84 Chevy shortbed is undeniably eye-catching, it's only the first layer. There's a lot more underneath.

John White of JB Conversions weighed his options carefully when planning the Bow Tie's buildup. "We wanted to build a truck that was very reliable and easy to work with," he relates. "We wouldn't have anything in the truck that might be difficult to diagnose or tweak if a problem arose on a remote trail. Durability and simplicity were the keys to the build, and this was best achieved by going with proven parts that have been available for years.

In the short span of three months, John, with tremendous help from Norman Neely and James Law and company (Law's Motorsports), orchestrated one of the cleanest truck buildups we've seen to date. The final product, pictured against the red rocks of Moab, Utah, was built from not one, but three donor trucks. An '84 2WD contributed its still-pristine cab, doors, front clip, and bed. An '86 shortbed 4x4 with mangled sheetmetal was used for its frame, and an '87 Suburban with a loaded interior was plundered for creature comforts. John and crew connected the rest of the dots with parts pulled straight from many an off-roader's wish list. A TBI Scoggin-Dickey crate motor feeds into a Bowler Performance Transmissions Turbo 400. GM's parts interchangeability is renowned, and we wonder why other OEMs haven't built more uniformity into their truck lineups over the years.

Aft of the tranny, John teamed up with CAD designer Brent Boykin to design what the off-road world has needed for decades: an NP205 transfer case with a sensible Low-range ratio. Until now, enthusiasts who wanted to take advantage of the bombproof reliability of the geardriven NP205 also had to put up with the inadequate 1.96:1 Low range. While lower gearsets have been available for many popular transfer cases, such as the four-cylinder Toyota 'case and the Dana 300, the NP205 didn't lend itself to gearing changes. The obstacle faced by would-be NP205 Low-gear builders was the sheer size of the Low-range gears. To make a lower gearset for the NP205, JB Conversions not only had to facilitate the design and manufacture of the 3:1 gears, but it also had to manufacture a completely new NP205 housing. In a truck where everything is ultraclean and performance-filled, the LoMax NP205 overshadows the rest of the components as the biggest news.

The LoMax feeds into a pair of Tom Wood's driveshafts and connects to a Dynatrac Dana 60 front axle and an AAM full-floating 14-bolt rear axle - two of the finest axles ever to traverse dirt or pavement. Finally, the power reaches terra firma through a set of Detroit Lockers, 4.56:1 gears, and a Mickey Thompson/Dick Cepek rolling stock combo.

There's not a speck of rust to be found, and no errant threads protrude far beyond the nuts holding the bolts in place. It's clear that perfection and attention to detail permeate this truck, radiating from the transfer case amidships. If you're lucky enough to spot JB Conversions' latest flagship on the trail, be forewarned: It takes far more than a casual glance to fully appreciate this truck. As we said, some trucks grab you, and others pull you in. Consider us captured.

With a multitude of easy-to-find performance parts for the Chevy 350 mouse motor, building the engine himself would have been an excellent option for John. With the multitude of well-built, ready-to-install crate motors available, a Scoggin-Dickey Caprice Police Package long-block was an even better way to go. Edelbrock's throttle-body injection manifold and attendant electronics do the fuel atomizing. Airflow into the manifold is further improved by using a Turbo City high-flow throttle body. This bolt-together package produces a reasonable and reliable 280 hp and will run well at any altitude or angle.
With a multitude of easy-to-find performance parts for the Chevy 350 mouse motor, building
A proven transmission if there ever was one, the Turbo 400 automatic does duty in daily drivers to Trophy Trucks and everything in between. John's TH400 was built by Bowler Performance Transmissions. Bowler's specialty is H.O. racing applications; however, since the 400 is plenty beefy for this application, the shop didn't need to use many slick, high-zoot components inside, but instead made sure the internals were within specs and functioning properly.
A proven transmission if there ever was one, the Turbo 400 automatic does duty in daily dr
Yes, a Dana 60 front axle can sometimes be found in a wrecking yard. When you find it, will it be the correct width? Will it have the differential on the same side as your existing transfer case? Will it have the superior ground clearance and ring-and-pinion strength offered by using a high-pinion centersection? Finally, will it be in good, usable shape, or will it need a complete rebuild? All of the above questions were circumvented by using a custom-built Dynatrac Dana 60 in the front, complete with a high-pinion centersection. The 332-x U-joints are above and beyond the task of all but the most extreme four-wheeling situations, and are part of the reason this Dynatrac axle is a primo plug-and-play component. Internals include a Detroit Locker, 35-spline stub shafts, and Warn locking hubs.
Yes, a Dana 60 front axle can sometimes be found in a wrecking yard. When you find it, wi

Yes, a Dana 60 front axle can sometimes be found in a wrecking yard. When you find it, will it be the correct width? Will it have the differential on the same side as your existing transfer case? Will it have the superior ground clearance and ring-and-pinion strength offered by using a high-pinion centersection? Finally, will it be in good, usable shape, or will it need a complete rebuild? All of the above questions were circumvented by using a custom-built Dynatrac Dana 60 in the front, complete with a high-pinion centersection. The 332-x U-joints are above and beyond the task of all but the most extreme four-wheeling situations, and are part of the reason this Dynatrac axle is a primo plug-and-play component. Internals include a Detroit Locker, 35-spline stub shafts, and Warn locking hubs.
Yes, a Dana 60 front axle can sometimes be found in a wrecking yard. When you find it, wi
Even if you're not a GM fan, you have to concede that the General is king when it comes to parts interchangeability. A 4x4 steering box has incorrect pitman arm clocking for crossover steering, so it was deleted and a 2x4 steering box was bolted up in its place along with a Jeep J10 dropped pitman arm from Superlift. Lee Performance Steering built the box and matching power steering pump. This box is plumbed and ready for a hydraulic assist ram.
Even if you're not a GM fan, you have to concede that the General is king when it comes to
We looked up the word "bulletproof" in the dictionary and found an NP205 pictured next to it. Not really, but the geardriven 205 is ultratough and can be found in many different 4x4s. The 205's weak spot has always been that the anemic 1.96:1 Low range isn't low enough to conquer today's creepy-crawly trails. Enter the JB Conversions LoMax 205. The LoMax drops the Low range to 3:1, allowing 205 owners to enjoy the best of both worlds: NP205 durability and rocky trail crawl-ability. Three to one may not sound huge, but imagine dropping your ring-and-pinions from 3.72 to 5.58. Changing the Low-range ratio wasn't just a matter of machining a new set of Low-range gears: the 205's dimensions necessitated manufacturing a whole new case to house the 3:1 gears. The proof was in the steep, rocky Moab pudding: We watched as the LoMax let John's Chevy idle upward on a high-pucker-factor ascent, easy as you please.
We looked up the word "bulletproof" in the dictionary and found an NP205 pictured next to

Coilovers were considered, but Superlift 4-inch leaf packs won out for simplicity's sake. Antifriction buttons on the leaf ends make the most of a suspension design that goes back to horse-and-buggy times, netting a smooth ride even with the old technology. Superlift SSR remote-reservoir shocks control the rear end's bump and droop.
Coilovers were considered, but Superlift 4-inch leaf packs won out for simplicity's sake.
All-around grip comes from a set of 35-inch Dick Cepek Radial Fun Country IIs wrapped around Mickey Thompson Classic II aluminum wheels with steel lug hole inserts. This rolling stock setup looks great and works just as well. The Cepeks run quietly on the pavement and authoritatively grip steep rock faces or soft sand.
All-around grip comes from a set of 35-inch Dick Cepek Radial Fun Country IIs wrapped arou
In the center of the Mickey Thompson Classic II wheel is an indicator of another GM jewel: the AAM 14-bolt, full-floating rear axle. Not only are these rear axles obscenely strong, they're also criminally common and ripe for the swapping. To match the front, a Detroit Locker quashes wheelspin and is propelled by a 4.56 ring-and-pinion set.
In the center of the Mickey Thompson Classic II wheel is an indicator of another GM jewel:

Stepping inside treats driver and passenger to a comfortable interior that's classy and not overly ostentatious. The dash, steering wheel, and assorted components were snagged from an '87 Suburban loaded with the extras of the day. Instead of using stock seats...
Stepping inside treats driver and passenger to a comfortable interior that's classy and no
...John went for a pair of Smittybilt American Classic buckets ordained in black and gray leather, complete with a center console. The red paint is $400-per-gallon (and you thought gasoline was expensive) Corvette Red put in place by the talents of Trent Bowers at Law's Motorsports.
...John went for a pair of Smittybilt American Classic buckets ordained in black and gray
A Warn bumper and a Ramsey Patriot 9500 winch somehow bolted together sans anti-rejection drugs. Both companies make great products.
A Warn bumper and a Ramsey Patriot 9500 winch somehow bolted together sans anti-rejection

Driveshafts are usually forgotten until they vibrate your teeth loose or twist like a pretzel after an encounter of the rocky kind. Tom Wood's driveshafts propel both ends of the JB Chevy using 1350-series yokes. The rear was fitted with a double-Cardan CV joint, a configuration that works well on shorter-wheelbase rigs. Dual mufflers quiet things down and connect to the cylinder heads using stock manifolds which have been Jet-Hot coated for corrosion resistance and lower engine bay temperatures.
Driveshafts are usually forgotten until they vibrate your teeth loose or twist like a pret
Offroad Design (ORD) is a great resource for trailworthy fullsize GM parts. An ORD steering box brace ties the driver-side framerail to the front crossmember and strengthens this known weak spot on the OEM chassis. ORD shackles are simple and stout and feature greaseable bolts for a smooth, squeak-free ride. ORD's engine crossmember bolts in place of the OEM item and clears the way for crossover steering. Its tubular construction is also stronger than the stamped stock part it replaces. Finally, an ORD twin-stick transfer case shifter lets the driver select 2WD Low range when needed - something the single-stick stock shifter won't do.
Offroad Design (ORD) is a great resource for trailworthy fullsize GM parts. An ORD steeri