Some of the coolest builds don’t emerge from spotless workshops with six-figure budgets. Sometimes, all you need is a driveway, several years of persistence, and an unhealthy amount of time spent learning from YouTube.
That’s essentially how Austen’s 1967 Chevrolet C10 came together. It isn’t a pristine show truck either, and that’s exactly the point.
The old Chevy was built to be driven hard, corner quickly, and absorb the inevitable scars that come with doing both. Even its simple paintwork was chosen so damage could be easily touched up after a spirited run.
As seen in a recent video from Autotopia LA, nearly everything was built outside on Austen’s father’s driveway. Five years of work have turned the C10 into a lightweight, LS-powered street truck with serious performance hardware underneath.
An LS3 And Six-Speed Make A Great Pair
Power comes from an LS3 and six-speed TR6060 manual transmission pulled from a 2015 Chevrolet Camaro. The engine received AFR cylinder heads, a Holley Hi-Ram intake, and other bolt-on upgrades, with power sent through a four-inch aluminum driveshaft to a Ford nine-inch rear end.
Before the AFR heads were installed, the truck made 490 horsepower on a dyno. Austen estimates it may now be putting around 520 horsepower to the wheels, although it hasn’t returned to the dyno to confirm that figure.
That’s plenty in something believed to weigh around 3,000 pounds. The engine is also set up to make its power higher in the rev range, helping the truck hook up rather than instantly converting its rear tires into smoke.
This C10 Was Built To Corner
Austen didn’t simply drop an LS into an old pickup and call it finished. The original 1967 frame has been boxed and reinforced, while a TCI front clip, new crossmembers, and a No Limit four-inch C-notch reshape the chassis for performance driving.
Stopping power comes from manual Wilwood brakes with 14-inch front and 13-inch rear hardware. Huge 315-section tires sit at all four corners on 18×12-inch US Mags wheels, creating a square setup that also lets Austen rotate the tires.
A Nine Lives Racing rear wing completes the functional exterior. Fabricator Gabe Franco helped mount the wing, build the exhaust, and handle several other jobs, while Austen tackled most of the truck himself.
Five Years Of Learning Paid Off
The interior follows the same stripped-down philosophy, complete with an exposed dashboard, Wilwood pedal assembly, and a roll cage Austen fabricated himself. He openly admits there was plenty of trial and error along the way.
During Autotopia LA’s drive, the truck quickly proved the effort wasn’t wasted. Its combination of grip, strong brakes, manageable power, and a manual gearbox left a bigger impression than plenty of polished high-dollar builds.
That might be the best part of this C10. It’s rough in the right places, built by someone learning as he went, and now it gets driven exactly as intended.