2020 C10 of the Year
There Were So Many C10s to Choose From, It Was Hard to Pick the Best
There Were So Many C10s to Choose From, It Was Hard to Pick the Best!
ONE OF THE HARDEST DECISIONS WE HAD TO MAKE IN THIS YEAR’S “BEST-OF” AWARDS WAS CHOOSING THE BEST C10 OF THE YEAR. We feature so many amazing C10 trucks that picking just one was almost impossible. This immaculate C10, however, not only deserves the spot for best C10, but it nearly won the overall vote for best truck of the year. This is a story you have to read!
Sometimes, to get exactly what you want from a custom truck project, you have to do most of it all over again. There’s nothing wrong with that. Maybe you were forced to do “this” when you should’ve done “that.” It can happen when you’re doing as many things as possible with your own hands. Having a limited bankroll oftentimes poses an issue when reaching certain goals, because let’s be real here: If money were no object, we’d all be driving the trucks of our dreams right now, wouldn’t we?
Mike Johnson of Aguanga, California, has spent his fair share with his ’65 Chevy C10, and he came to a point when he knew that a motor upgrade was in order. After hearing about and seeing the level of work coming out of Fat Fender Garage in Gilbert, Arizona, he figured he’d reach out to see if they’d be interested in the job. Little did Mike know that this would be a major turning point for his truck.
Once Jason Noel, president of FFG, began taking a closer look at Mike’s C10, the two came to an agreement on a few things. First, aside from the motor swap, a bed restyle, new interior and possibly new paint were needed. But upon a second look, Jason noticed things that could make this pickup much better in other ways, too.
Trucks can always sit lower,
and larger wheels can still fit underneath them, with the right about of engineering, that is. Luckily, this is the mindset Jason works with on an everyday basis at FFG. The ideas started to flow, and soon they were talking about gutting the truck’s existing air-ride system and going with a newer Porterbuilt kit instead. It wasn’t too hard to sway Mike, especially when Jason told him there would be enough room to squeeze a set of 22x12 wheels in the rear.
Add all this goodness to the already impressive list of pending upgrades, and this truck would for sure reach a level Mike wasn’t so sure it would climb to.
Shortly after Mike and Jason got to know each other better and they came to an understanding of what would be lined up for the C10, the FFG crew first got to work tracking down an engine for the much-needed swap. They found a good 2013 ZL1 donor, and just like that the injection of reliable performance was lined up for installation. With some additions in the way of wiring kits from Modern Vintage and Concept One, along with in-house 3-D printed coil pack covers at FFG, Mike’s C10 was finally morphing into a far superior version of itself.
To better transform the truck, Jason and crew decided to start from scratch on the suspension system by incorporating front and rear Porterbuilt Fab kits to allow the C10 to gain a lower stance in a far better orchestrated fashion. They also added other top-shelf components to the new suspension setup for good measure. Accuair air management was incorporated for ease of adjustability and reliability, and Fox/ridetech shocks were brought in to keep the ride quality as smooth as can be. This is most definitely the epitome of “leveling up” for any classic truck owner looking to get the low look but with high quality materials, not to mention expert installation by a shop as reputable as FFG.
A custom Green Apple shade of paint was concocted especially for the truck to better give it a unique appearance. The traditional chrome exterior trim was painted and powdercoated, leaving behind a more streamlined, minimalist vibe that FFG has become known for over the years. The subtlety of the modifications made to the truck aren’t only contained to the exterior of the Chevy. The pared-down yet highly impressive alterations are everywhere. Trained eyes will notice the cut and tucked bumpers and the color-matched accessories that all tie into the gray finish of the Raceline Classico wheels. There’s a rhyme and reason for everything here.
Now, for the most part, Mike allowed Jason to run with the build. Mike liked his simplistic approach to design and his fearless commitment to ideas and aesthetics that he was 100% sure would work well for
the truck. Over the years, Jason has proven himself to be trustworthy with his conceptual ideas, and more importantly his execution. His track record specks for itself, and Mike had no problem giving him the artistic and creative reigns of the truck’s restyling.
When going for an ultra-clean look, the greatest achievement any builder can hope for is to attain a “more but looks like less” end result. This is what Jason and crew are great at doing, and the best evidence of that is what they did with the C10’s engine compartment and bed, which is now Mike’s favorite area of his truck. The factory-style beaded panels that most people are used to seeing on a pickup is replaced with smooth, elegant lines. The raised bed floor is great, too—dual Dakota Digital actuators adjust its up and down movement. There is definitely a push to create a high-end softened look to what otherwise would be idealized as crude utilitarian steel given that these old trucks were the pillars of the American working class.
Within a year’s time, Mike had the truck back in his garage fully renovated and looking sharper than ever before. A ton of work has been invested both physically and mentally, and the quality of craftsmanship shows—whether you notice all the expertly styled tweaks first glance or not. This C10 is absolutely one of those trucks that gets better the longer you look at it, especially in the details. Mike admits that the best thing he did for the truck was to entrust Jason Noel and the entire Fat Fender Garage team to design the truck of his dreams and then bring that image to life. Things don’t always turn out ideal the first time around, but there’s always an opportunity to push forward to do things the way you’ve always envisioned.