Rod Parsons' Fully Custom 1967 ZL1 C10 Pickup was Featured at the 2016 SEMA Show
- Apr 19, 2017
While at The Project Shop he noticed a dilapidated 1967 Chevrolet C10 pickup Greg had bought to fix and sell quickly. After a few years, the timing seemed right. Greg hadn’t gotten anywhere on the truck and Rod decided to buy it off of him as the basis for his next project. That was about three years ago. When Rod was going through the paperwork for the truck, he found that it had been pulled out of a salvage yard in his hometown of Ripley (believe it or not). The truck had sat, right under his nose, not more than a mile or two from his shops, in the same little town of 3,256 inhabitants. Go figure.
Since what Rod bought was really just a cab and a chassis, the first thing they did was to discard the outdated chassis. In its place is a No Limit Engineering frame with No Limit independent front suspension carrying RideTech coilovers and a Flaming River race-spec rack and pinion. At the rear is a nine-inch Moser rear axle with 3.70 gears and an Autotech WAVETRAC diff, connected to the chassis via a No Limit four-bar linkage with RideTech coilovers. To keep everything under control Speedway NASCAR-type adjustable anti-roll bars round out the suspension.
It also features L92 high-flow cylinder heads that support the airflow drawn through the K&N panel air filter cleverly mounted to capture incoming air through the hood scoop. Said scoop is actually a carbon fiber ZL1 hood grafted onto the C10 steel hood. The panel filter itself is a K&N 33-2035 for the ZR1 Corvette. The filter was chosen as its shape was a better fit. The air coming through is then passed off to the Eaton EVS 1.9L supercharger. Bolted up to the motor is a Chevrolet Performance Supermatic 4L85E four-speed automatic, selected for its ability to handle the LSA’s diesel-like 551 lb-ft of torque.
But while suspension components and engine specs are impressive, it’s the attention to detail that’s been put into this truck that truly sets it apart. Owner Rod Parsons says he lost numerous nights’ sleep worrying over the details. To him, the components of the truck that the eye can see are even more important than what was hidden underneath, and that’s a tall order.
Now while Rod is obsessive, like insisting on aerospace-type 12-point stainless steel fasteners be used throughout the vehicle, he’s not necessarily brand loyal. He’s selected items that will work best on the truck and not just from one brand or company’s catalog. For example, a Ford-style rear end is one tip-off, but here are a few more: the paint color came originally from Subaru, for which they won the Color Grand Prix in Japan. The seats are from a Pontiac G8, the outside mirrors are from a Ford Mustang, the air filter from a ZR-1 Corvette, the door handles from a Chevrolet Equinox, just to name a few.
The gray of the wheel centers perfectly contrasts with the painted sheet metal. Further, that same gray was carried into the interior of the ZL1 C10 to interlink the interior with the exterior of the truck. Inside, the factory dashboard was reinstalled with two inches more rake, making the gauges easier to read. A custom-made billet replica of the original instrument panel, painted body color, houses Auto Cross gauges from Classic Instruments. Credit goes to Steve Holcomb at Pro Auto Custom Interiors for the implementation of the interior, including pulling the gray of the wheel centers into the cab as an accent color.
All hardware was removed from the bed and the entire assembly was welded, filled, and reassembled, which now presents a completely clean look. FYI, over 150 feet of weld was required to hang the bed together. The bed floor was raised four inches and the width of the rear wheel arches was increased by 2.5” on each side to accommodate the 335mm section width tires. The tailgate was filled and the release moved inside the bed. Beneath it the bodywork is rolled into a diffuser, and hanging on for dear life at the top of the tailgate is a NASCAR-like rear spoiler that communicates to anyone within range that this truck is as much for go as it is for show.
Rod credits Ralph Whisenhunt for working with Greg and keeping the project moving, and WD Moore for figuring out how to wire modern systems into a 50-year-old truck. Rod largely credits Greg for the success of the project. “I feel Greg’s multiple talents, workmanship, and our vision has produced a one-of-a-kind special truck.” All the effort has been recognized by the company that built the C10 in the first place. At the 2016 SEMA Show, the ZL1 C10 was honored with a GM Design Award. Photos courtesy Classic Trucks Magazine | ||||||||
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