Photo: Roadster Shop
Usually, when we see restomod classic Chevy C10s out in the wild, they're long removed from the true-to-form work trucks that they used to be. By the time we see these restomods, it's common to find barely a single part shared in commonality with the factory truck that's been modified. But that's the beauty of what the Roadster Shop in Mundelein, Illinois, has just come up with with this particular 1974 C10. Yes, the drivetrain is done up to kingdom come, but you'd never know it just by looking at the exterior.
1974 was a transformative year for the much-beloved third-generation Chevy C/K pickup. New for the 1973/74 model year included an all-new front fascia complete with a redesigned, recessed front grille and new orange turn signals to comply with newly implemented federal regulations. The same also applied to the GMC variant of the C/K, albeit with a different front grille all its own. At a glance, all these additions seem to have made it visually onto Roadster Shops '74 C10 restomod. At least, as far as the outside is concerned, of course.
Had none of us bothered to pop the hood on this mad machine, we'd have never suspected the beast latent within this truck nowadays. Gone is whichever archaic straight-six or carbureted V8 that might have called this truck home before. Once the old drivetrain was in the recycling bin, it was easy to swap in a modern 6.2-liter GM LT1 V8 out of a C7 Corvette Stingray in the space where the old engine had once sat. With a forged metal crankshaft, forged rods, and lightweight aluminum pistons, there are enough performance goodies on offer to turn any old truck into a certified badass off-road toy or a mean daily cruiser.
The motor, in its current state, is good for 455 horsepower, at least in its factory crate form. All this power is fet to a GM 8L90E eight-speed automatic transmission. At the back end, a 12-bolt rear end and limited-slip differential combo make for a driveline as rugged underneath as the exterior looks. Thanks to Roadster Shop's in-house developed Legend Series custom chassis riding on Fox 2.5 Factory Series adjustable coilover shocks and 13-inch heavy-duty brake rotors from a late-model Chevy Silverado; it's all made to work in harmony.
Such a stark contrast between the clean, simple, and downright modest exterior and interior paired with the lunacy of the driveline sitting underneath makes for a restomod C10 unlike most you're liable to find out there in the wild. While restomod trucks without a single trace of their former heritage steal the attention of commoners, the real purists at the car meet will likely be drawn to this one. All the while, this truck's just as fast as the rest.
Had none of us bothered to pop the hood on this mad machine, we'd have never suspected the beast latent within this truck nowadays. Gone is whichever archaic straight-six or carbureted V8 that might have called this truck home before. Once the old drivetrain was in the recycling bin, it was easy to swap in a modern 6.2-liter GM LT1 V8 out of a C7 Corvette Stingray in the space where the old engine had once sat. With a forged metal crankshaft, forged rods, and lightweight aluminum pistons, there are enough performance goodies on offer to turn any old truck into a certified badass off-road toy or a mean daily cruiser.
The motor, in its current state, is good for 455 horsepower, at least in its factory crate form. All this power is fet to a GM 8L90E eight-speed automatic transmission. At the back end, a 12-bolt rear end and limited-slip differential combo make for a driveline as rugged underneath as the exterior looks. Thanks to Roadster Shop's in-house developed Legend Series custom chassis riding on Fox 2.5 Factory Series adjustable coilover shocks and 13-inch heavy-duty brake rotors from a late-model Chevy Silverado; it's all made to work in harmony.
Such a stark contrast between the clean, simple, and downright modest exterior and interior paired with the lunacy of the driveline sitting underneath makes for a restomod C10 unlike most you're liable to find out there in the wild. While restomod trucks without a single trace of their former heritage steal the attention of commoners, the real purists at the car meet will likely be drawn to this one. All the while, this truck's just as fast as the rest.
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