TAKE IT EASY Build a Dream Truck at Your Own Pace
Build a Dream Truck at Your Own Pace
Nothing was rushed, and all aspects of the build were properly prioritized— a true testament that timing is, in fact, everything.
WHILE IT’S HARD NOT TO do everything in your power (and credit limit) to get everything needed to build the truck you want right this minute, taking things slow usually makes for better results. There is much truth to the whole “quality versus quantity” debate, as is there in the saying that goes something along the lines of “good work ain’t cheap, and cheap work ain’t good.” A calculated approach is always suggested for a parts-heavy and labor-intensive project, and a cool head almost always prevails.
When Arizona native Andrew Barnett first started planning the build of his ’67 C10, the sky seemed to be the limit, but his feet were grounded enough to know that he would have to build his old Chevy truck in stages to afford it all. This should sound very familiar to the vast majority of us since we are hardly close to being millionaires, but even if you happen to be loaded, taking things easy oftentimes proves to be a priceless decision in the end.
Andrew says the overall cost of his truck crept into the six-figure territory, which isn’t completely unheard of given the quality components he handselected for the build and the respected, talented group of artisans he chose to mold his Chevy into the beauty it is today.
“When it boils down to it, I essentially wanted the truck to cruise around in on weekends,” Andrew says. “I knew right away I wouldn’t be able to check the truck into a shop and pick it up when everything was complete, so I had to work in phases. The first stage was getting all the suspension and sheetmetal work done. When all that was done, I planned on taking the truck back home to sit on the sidelines for a bit while I saved up more money for another round of work.”
Living in the Phoenix area, Andrew has quite a few talented neighbors he was looking to recruit in the rebuilding of his C10. The first and ultimately most influential stop Andrew made with his truck was Tre5 Customs.
“I would highly recommend anyone thinking about building a truck in the Arizona area or beyond to consider Jeremy and Hector at Tre5,” Andrew says. “These guys are good, easy to work with and know how to build a truck.”
Tre5 is definitely not a new name in the game, and Andrew was right to have all confidence in the world that his C10 would be treated right.
To get the truck down to a more respectable ride height, Porterbuilt front and rear drop
member kits were worked into the factory frame. The chassis was also equipped with a PB anti-sway bar for the most stable ride quality possible. Ridetech coilovers were then introduced at each corner to provide high performance suspension response.
The truck not only has a killer stance, but it also has the agility to back up its aggressive street shark appearance. To better promote the balance of good looks and high function, Andrew selected a set of 20-inch Intro Vista II billet wheels, as well as a solid braking system upgrade in the way of CPP front and rear big brake kits. Tre5 really has cooked up an all-encompassing chassis package for Andrew to take full advantage of wherever he very well pleases—from the streets to the track.
During the first round with Tre5, Jeremy and Hector also addressed the sheetmetal work needed to get the truck ready to finish in the near-enough future. Given the truck’s lower ride height, the guys needed to rework the rear tubs and bed floor by raising both to create enough room for the rear suspension to perform at optimal performance. To follow the trend at working with purveyors of true craftsmanship, Andrew looked to Ikandy paintworks to spray the PPG Silver base and clear down to create a slick yet understated appearance to the truck’s surface. With help from quality bodywork and new smoothie-style bumpers, and the C10’s exterior was left at an impressively subdued style that is equally as attention grabbing as any crazy graphic scheme or over-the-top modifications. “Mean and clean” is definitely the theme Andrew was going for, and the entire picture was steadily starting to come into focus.
With the suspension package and exterior work well on track, the engine bay and interior space were the next items to be addressed. As far as the engine, Andrew was going for something reliable yet powerful. A 2008 LS3 crate engine was a natural shoe-in for his truck, as it delivers wellrounded perfection in both categories. The engine was outfitted with custom headers and a premium exhaust system to allow for maximum breathing abilities, and it has also been properly dressed and polished to
match its impressively clean surroundings underneath the hood. The shiny engine bay has been finished enough to surely earn points from truck show judges, and the LS3 is rated to pump out 430hp with the reliability to run on a daily basis whenever Andrew chooses to extend his seat time straight through the weekend.
And speaking of seat time, the Slosh Tubz Buddy Bucket seating setup was freshly upholstered by Elevated Designs—another automotive powerhouse in the greater Phoenix area. The dash was then updated with Dakota Digital gauges, and a custom stereo system was built from scratch to ensure the fitment a full set of speakers, subwoofer and amp inside the confines of the C10’s cab. Custom kick panels and enclosures crafted by Elevated Designs allow for the audio magic to happen.
In a matter of a single year, Andrew was able to see his truck to the finish line while making the necessary pit stops to replenish funding for the job.
“I can now hop in this truck and drive it anywhere at any time,” Andrew says. “It has a brand-new engine and transmission, a loud stereo, A/C and a killer stance—what else do you need?”
Now while all that, with the addition of skilled labor hours, sounds like it would’ve cost a small fortune—it did. Luckily, Andrew was able to save up for what he wanted in a relatively short span of time.
“The truck ended up being more expensive than I thought it was going to, but it was all worth it,” he says.
Andrew cut back on other luxuries and things he could do without for a greater purpose and bided his time for when new luxuries were within reach. Nothing was rushed, and all aspects of the build were properly prioritized—a true testament that timing is, in fact, everything.