With a custom short bed body, a 376 crate engine, and a plethora of subtle upgrades and mods, this 1979 Chevy C10 is a bonafide showstopper. Built by enthusiast and Alabama-native Rodney Harris, as well as the folks at Rutterz Rodz in Bristol, Tennessee, this truck blends the old-school looks of the classic C10 with the components and equipment of a modern crew cab short-bed. Suffice to say, the results are quite tasty, indeed.
Per a report from The Block, the owner grew up around cars and tractors thanks to his mechanic dad, cementing his love for mechanical things. In fact, Harris first learned to drive in a C10, so years later, it was the obvious choice for building a restomod. However, Harris got too busy to complete the project himself, so he enlisted the help of Mike Rutter at Rutterz Rodz to finish it off.
When it first rolled off the production line, this truck was originally a C30 Silverado Crew Cab 3+3 Camper Special dually. It has since been modified, and now incorporates a unique short bed layout and just two rear tires.
Under the hood, there’s an LS376 / 525 crate engine, with an ASA cam upping output to around 525 horsepower and 486 pound-feet of torque. The motor was also outfitted to give it the appearance of a Big Block V8.
“A lot of people walk up and say, ‘Oh cool this is a Big Block,’ they don’t actually realize it’s a fuel-injected LS,” Harris tells The Block.
Output is routed through the SuperMatic 4L70-E four-speed automatic transmission. The frame was also shortened, while the sheet metal includes original GM components painted in original GM paint codes. All the body seams were filled in as well.
Inside, the cabin was upgraded Ricky Howard from Built by Ricky, and incorporates a checkered blue-and-orange upholstery finish inspired ‘60s-era sports cars. There’s also multiple 3D-printed components, such as the door panels, but the look is still decidedly old school.
The truck was nicknamed Crew Chief 3+3, as it looks like something a racing crew chief might use. These days, this 1979 Chevy C10 can be spotted collecting awards at various car shows, which should come as no surprise given the quality of the build.
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Comments
Too bad they didn’t put real, practical tires/wheels on it.
Yep, wtf happened. It looks great other than those wheels, which, to put it kindly, are lacking in appeal for anyone over the age of 12. Would love to see some custom 21-22″ wheels (not too big) modeled off the original dog-dish wheels from that era…maybe painted to match the side section.
They didn’t make a half ton crew cab only 3/4T and 1T.
It’s a very simple matter to swap a 1/2 ton axle and corresponding front end parts to achieve the goal of being able to use 5 lug wheels on the project.
Not certain, but I believe they were originally available with a painted wheel and caps…
Real nice.
Cool truck. Practical in some ways but who cares. I’d put in buckets or at least a split bench in front.
Custom trucks are lowered and factory trucks are lifted.
Waste of a good HD truck.
Yeah, those old 454 3+3 duallys were beasts. My neighbor had one and pulled a big 5th wheel horse trailer with it.
Hate those goofy Crazyfornia thug wheels.
Yeah, leave a 1ton a 1ton.. Hack up a couple half ton short short beds for the grocery getter. Waste of a good truck right there. 🙄