Building An ’87 Chevy Truck to Experience the Adventure of Sick Week’s Sick Ward
A drag-and-drive event can completely change a person’s outlook on what can be done with a vehicle, or even an approach to our car hobby. Some will look at drag racing in a different light, while others can have a renewed interest in cars and trucks.
For Tommy Polacek, it was a chance to spend time with friends and enjoy a drag-and-drive as a participant. “I’ve been friends with Glenn Hunter and Scott Mueller for over 30 years,” said Tommy. “When I lived in New York, we would do Super Chevy Show events every year.” Having hot rods and classic cars since he first earned his license, Tommy’s interest in the hobby is a solid one.
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But when it came to drag-and-drive, he was about to get a crash course in joining the fun. “When Glenn and Scott heard about Sick Week in 2002, they said they were coming to Florida,” Tommy said. “I knew I had to join in, but my truck wasn’t finished yet.
So, the first year we did a few tracks in my sons ‘94 Yukon and by 2023, I was able to finish mine with only a few days to spare (in true drag-and-drive fashion.”
Was all the effort worth it for Sick Ward Presented by Peak Performance? “The best event, hands down,” said Tommy. “The way the staff treats the Sick Ward participants is like real family. The snacks and drinks hit the spot when you forget to pack extra. We honestly look forward to the event all year long.”
With a long history helping build cars and trucks with his father-in-law, Tommy had some ideas for his truck build. He selected a 1987 model Chevrolet pick-up, and stuffed with an ATK 350 cubic inch crate engine with enough power to make it move, but reasonable enough to drive and last a long time.
A mild built 700-R4 overdrive keeps the rev in check, and the factory 10 bolt was filled with a Yukon posi and 3.73 ratio Richmond gears. Since the truck would see some miles, Tommy added some goodies inside too, including Mazda 3 buckets seats, a center console, plus an old school SunPro tachometer, to complement the factory-optioned air-conditioning, power-windows, door locks, tilt steering column and even intermittent wiper.
The exterior got a fresh paint job in black with original Apple Red paint side stripe, plus a cowl induction hood and a Western 4-inch front and 6-inch rear drop kit.
“When we first did Sick Week Presented by Gear Vendors Overdrive in 2022, we didn’t sign up for the Ward with my sons Yukon just because we didn’t have the time off for the whole week,” said Tommy. “Now it’s a father-son cruise vacation that we will never miss.”
Written by Derek Putnam. Photos courtesy of Tommy Polacek.
If you have thoughts / feedback / ideas, please e-mail us at derek@sickthemagazine.com