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Cool Hand Customs’ Truck Restoration Heading to the Big Stage

*See photos from the build in the top photo gallery

E3 Spark Plugs will host a 1940 Dodge truck restored and customized by Middleton, Wisconsin-based Cool Hand Customs in its SEMA booth this fall. The truck will be the centerpiece attraction at E3’s booth (No. 71000) at the Oct. 30-Nov. 2 SEMA Show, and will be entered into SEMA’s Battle of the Builders competition.

The highly modified truck built by Amy and EJ Fitzgerald, owners of Cool Hand Customs, will feature three E3 high-performance ignition products: E3 Billet Distributor, Race Spark Plugs and Race Wires. The truck will be equipped with a 440 big block and a 1970s-style torsion bar Dodge Challenger suspension. The truck’s paint scheme will be an exterior satin white with green and black accents. The frame will be painted silver and the short block painted in E3’s distinctive green logo color.

“The suspension plan came from EJ’s desire to do something new and different,” Amy Fitzgerald said. “The torsion bar suspension was something used in the 1970’s on Mopars. It naturally fit with the 440 motor and the Dodge truck body. EJ spoke with Bill Foley at QA1 and they had the perfect parts to make it work.”

The truck will debut to the public at the SEMA Show.

“The concept for the truck began to take shape when Amy acquired the truck a few years ago and a friend said he had an RV with a 440 Big Block that could be hers as long as she took the RV too. That’s how the ’40 440 project was born,” said Rob Fisher, E3 vice president of motorsports. “We’re very excited to have this truck in our booth this year. Every year, a Cool Hand Customs build gets closer to the final ten in the Battle of the Builders. I have a feeling this will be their lucky year.”

Other enhancements made to Cool Hand Customs’ 440 truck include: Federal-Mogul rebuild kit, FelPro gasket, Trick Flow intake, hydraulic lifters and top end kit, Eagle Specialties crankshaft, Comp Cams timing chain and gear, Mr. Gasket valve covers, Proform timing chain cover and high volume H20 pump, Edelbrock air cleaner and cover, Carter high flow fuel pump, Holley Performance Ultra Double Pumper and a Powermaster internal alternator. The truck will also have Steele Rubber gaskets and weather stripping, KBS Coatings, an XSPower battery, Thermo-Tec heat and sound control products, Be Cool radiator, overflow tank and electric fan, Power Master starter, Driven Performance torque converter, Eaton Performance Trutrac differential, Grote Industries XLT lighting, AMSOIL fluids and lubricants, DCM Classics fenders and running boards, numerous Painless Performance products for electrical, steering by Classic Performance, PRP seats, wheels by Wheel Vintiques, a QA1 suspension and a Flowmaster exhaust.

“We only build one shop vehicle per year with the help of many sponsors. We are so excited that E3 came on board early for this project and has been one of our most enthusiastic supporters,” Amy Fitzgerald said. “We build three to five vehicles a year for customers, as well as our one yearly show build for the shop. Fitting the SEMA build in is always challenging, but so worth it to get the opportunity to work with so many outstanding manufacturers and have the honor to display our hard work at SEMA.”

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