The Chevy C10 has been gaining in popularity
recently, as people are attracted in high volumes to its classic, honest
design, and display of sheer simplicity. It also enjoys an existence in a space
between the blessed muscle car era that all of us at the Midwest Missouri Powerhouse
were so fond of, and the existence of modern-day pickups. Everywhere you see
classic cars has experienced a very revamped excitement regarding this model as
of late, and auction sites, as well as restoration shops, are filling up with
these beautiful machines.
This video from The Smoking Tire YouTube
channel shows a truck built specifically for SEMA, the aftermarket show held
every year in Las Vegas. It also spent more than 8 months at the Petersen
Automotive Museum, and is resting in a garage for now. The builders did not
want to stray at all from the original design elements, but instead to retain
the design GM and Chevy had originally intended. Even though the classic sheen
was of dire importance, the powerful punch it could pack was definitely taken
into serious consideration during development. Under the hood resides the
502-cubic-inch Chevy Big Block V8, also sporting a Vortech supercharger on top.
The engine is stock, except for an added blower that makes 640 horsepower and
525 lb-ft of torque.
The motor is now paired with a GM-sourced 4L85-E
automatic gearbox and features Street and Race modes, as well as paddle
shifters. We have been noticing how many SEMA builds you find lately have very
off-the-wall interior designs, and the Chevy C10 is a very welcome change from
the exploration into territories that simply feel too modern and techno-street
for what is supposed to be the trusty and loyal backbone of the hard-working
and All-American vehicle.
As the video describes, this was truly a build
that “left no stone unturned”, and you definitely get a great view of the motor
off the bat. The Street mode is for easy cruising, and as you get your first
glance of the interior, the dash absolutely is over-the-top beautiful. When the
truck first goes screaming by on the highway, the sound is glorious: not just a
fierce roar, but a thunderous announcing of its own presence that is so
distinct, we wanted to snag one for ourselves and take it home right away! Yes,
everything about it is THAT good. Later in the video, they really put the truck
to the test on inclines, and it simply lurches forward with the purest of
power.
As the testing team set out to show just how
awesome this classic is, you get the sense of how great it is to “Ride high” in
a muscle truck: You sure are bound to not feel every ding and rut when you are
comfortably situated this far away from the pavement. This was an exceptionally
refreshing example of what the best in restoration and development can
accomplish: This C10 is truly going to have a scorching and commanding allure
at SEMA!
