It seems like almost every year, the vehicle builds at the SEMA show get more extravagant and otherworldly. However, sometimes it’s a vehicle’s story that makes it SEMA-worthy. Today, we have a 1971 Chevy C10 Cheyenne, nicknamed THXDAD (aka thanks dad), built in modest fashion with a heartwarming story.
Kevin Webb, the builder of this 1971 C10, was pondering a way in which he could show his gratitude to his father, Jimmy, on his 80th birthday. It wasn’t long before Kevin decided to build a C10 that would match the original truck his father had the day he began his carpentry business.
Six months before his father’s birthday, Kevin set out to find the perfect foundation for the future build. After scouring thousands of miles and coming up empty handed, he took the matter into his own hands and created his own ideal setup. Kevin bought two trucks, one to serve as the foundation and the other for parts. The first truck was a long bed, so he cut the chassis down to size to become a short bed truck. After three months of fabrication work, the truck finally had the basics finished.
Kevin surprised his father on his birthday, showing him the build and asking him to choose the paint color, as well as any extra accessories or options. After settling on a dark olive hue, the same as his original truck, the build got underway. In total, it took Kevin 18 months to compete the project.
The resultant 1971 Chevy C10 is a humble build done very well. A 6.0L L98 V8 gasoline engine from a 1990 C4 Corvette lies under the hood, and is paired with a 700R4 automatic transmission. Some accessories include a Vintage Air Condition system, Dakota gauges and a dropped ride with Ridler wheels. In addition, Kevin included a bed cover to keep Jimmy’s carpentry works out of the weather. In fact, Jimmy uses his custom truck to haul timber and sheetrock for his projects, putting 6,000 miles on the build thus far.
One of our most favorite custom touches is the gas filler neck. Jimmy stated that he didn’t want to open the tailgate to fill the gas tank, so Kevin fabricated the filler neck into the rear driver-side marker.
And now for some more background: growing up, Jimmy wanted his son to follow in his footsteps and become a carpenter. While Kevin could appreciate the craftsmanship, his true love was found in the automotive sphere. When he turned 18, Kevin entered the field, working his way up to GM Master Technician and then manager for GM dealerships. After that, he became an ASE Master Technician and National Street Rod Association (NSRA) inspector. Then, in 2019, Kevin opened the extremely popular Hot Rod Custom garage.
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Comments
Very nice. Factory, take note of what a segment of truck owners prefer.
You are so impressed by the driver side filler cap behind the rear marker, but not worth a photo?
nice job well done ben in fl bens detialing empiourm and classic cars
I’m obsessed with 72 Cheyenne’s. This one reminds me of the 72 Cheyenne Super I bought new. Same color too. Would love to see how they did the gas fill too. I need to move the gas tank out of the cab on my 72 C20.