C10 Builder's Guide Winter 2023

MAN, OH MAN, HOW TIME FLIES. THE nostalgia, the smell of classic iron, the gathering of friends around the next mod and build—it’s what dreams are made of, right? But something even more special and personal has come to light in my own custom automotive journey. Passing on this love for custom trucks to your kiddos and enjoying it with your family by your side is something I never actually put much thought toward. But lately, as I watch my boy flip through these very pages, I’ve suddenly been getting the itch to start a new project again. Only, this time, it’ll be a little different than the insane full-custom builds and insane SEMA thrashes of yesteryear. This time around, I really want to take my time, soak it all…

1973-’88 Chevy Pickup Cab Molding Sets THESE REAR CAB MOLDING KITS FROM OER ARE AVAILABLE IN TWO DIFFERENT OPTIONS—ONE FOR 1973-’80 pickups and one for 1981-’86 Chevrolet C/K and 1987-’88 Chevrolet R/V pickup truck models. Each molding is manufactured in quality, stamped aluminum to exact factory specs and features a brushed finish as well as the Chevrolet Bow Tie emblem on the corner moldings just like OEM parts. Each set comes complete with righthand and lefthand corner moldings and all necessary hardware. Classic Industries 855-357-2787 www.classicindustries.com Trans Am Steering Wheel LECARRA HAS A GREAT SELECTION OF NEW STEERING wheel styles available starting with its 14-inch Trans Am steering wheel that delivers genuine ’70s and ’80s style. While these were developed for Trans Am vehicles, they can be added to your…

TAKE A GOOD LOOK, PEOPLE, BECAUSE THIS TRUCK WON’T LOOK LIKE THIS FOREVER. IN FACT, IT’LL PROBABLY BE VERY DIFFERENT IN THE NOT-TOO-DISTANT FUTURE SINCE THE OWNER, RUDY ARAGON, PLANS ON COMPLETELY DOING AWAY WITH THE PATINA AND LAYING ON PLENTY OF THE SHINY STUFF FOR THE ’66 CHEVY C10’S NEXT INCARNATION. BUT FOR NOW, LET’S TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT ITS CURRENT STATE AND TALK ABOUT HOW IT GOT HERE. Rudy has always had a thing for the first-gen C10. His uncle actually built a ‘bagged ’62 on 20s in the late ’90s, and Rudy was never able to get that truck out of his head, pretty much obsessing over it every minute of the day. In fact, he made it his mission to one day own and build…

“…I was set on finding the exact truck that I wanted then so that my son and I could share some of the same experiences I did with my father.” RICHARD HOPKINS OF Burlington, North Carolina, used to have a pretty cool vintage Chevy pickup back when he was younger. Although the truck is now gone, he still has the greatest memories spent working on it with his father, Richard Sr. (Big Rich). Although that particular truck wasn’t exactly his dream ride, it was still a great project to have and it gave him a great excuse to spend some quality time with his dad. “That old truck of mine was a ’66 Chevy C10 longbed”, Richard says. “I always wanted a big window shortbed, but I enjoyed what I…

THIS IS SOMETHING WE’VE anticipated for quite a while now! As Lone Star Throwdown has exploded over the last decade, the amazing crew at LST saw a need to split up the show a bit and dedicate an event for classic trucks with a pre-’98 cutoff. Thrown by the same crew as Lone Star Throwdown in the same location, the Classic Truck Throwdown was something special and something we wanted to jump in on from the start. Now, we all know that first-year events are a tough sell to get people to take the chance and come out for a weekend—especially in the mid-summer June/July heat that is certainly a Texas specialty. But rolling in on Friday and wandering the vast showgrounds of the Conroe, Texas-based Lone Star Expo Center,…

“…to me, it doesn’t get more classic than ’67-’72 C10 pickups.” THERE ARE MANY FACTORS that fuel the creation of a true custom vehicle. These factors are often based on personal taste and standards, as well as direct inspiration that led one to decide what is and what isn’t cool in their own book. For guys like Wesley Nelson of Grand Rapids, Wisconsin, figuring out what he liked was easy—kick-ass and unique low-riding pickup trucks. While that does sound like a wide spectrum of things to like, Wesley specifically gives his attention to pickups that had characteristics unlike most others in the crowd. Wesley’s first full build was a ’99 Ford Ranger that was stock floor body dropped on 22s during the mid-2000s. “It was one of the first running…