Odds are, you have a favorite generation C10. Whether it’s the funky lines of a ‘60-66, the smooth classy look of a ‘67-72, or the angular aesthetic of a ‘73-87, there’s just a whole lot to love about ‘em. For Chris Patterson, the love of the second gens runs deep, more specifically the ‘67 and ‘68 models. After driving a ‘68 during his high school years, Chris was hooked! When he was given a chance to scoop up another ‘68 just a few short years ago, he jumped at the chance to revisit all the nostalgic feels of years past.
The 1967 and 1968 C10 trucks are often regarded as having a more timeless and classic design compared to the later ‘69-72 trucks. They feature a simpler, cleaner look with straighter lines, giving them a more understated and elegant appearance, so it’s easy to appreciate why Chris prefers them over the more bull-nosed trucks that followed.
Once Chris was ready to get moving on his new-to-him ‘68, he had some big decisions to make, since the truck, although the same model year as his high school rig, was pretty different otherwise. “The truck started as a black with red interior, factory A/C truck that I purchased from a guy in Jacksonville, North Carolina. Black was not the color I originally planned on painting the truck because we had a gold and white 50th anniversary long bed that I drove in high school and around the farm I grew up on that I was trying to replicate, except I wanted it to be a short bed.”
Obviously, the original plan of going gold and white didn’t stick, but neither did some other pretty big details. “I had originally planned on a factory chassis and stock ride height for the truck, but after some Google searching and seeing pictures that my dad and I had come across, I decided I wanted a lower stance and to upgrade the running works, including the engine, transmission, and chassis.”
Although that did narrow things down quite a bit as far as the overall vision, Chris still had some details to iron out, such as the chassis. And instead of going with a suspension parts kit to upgrade the original frame, he decided to go all out with a complete aftermarket chassis. But which one would it be? “I started looking for a chassis from several different companies, and finally settled on the No Limit Engineering Pro Tech chassis, which would give me the ride height options we were looking for, as well as the 4-link and 3.73 gearing in an aftermarket Ford 9-inch.”
Once the truck was on its new, solid foundation (which included a 6.0L LS swap with a 4L60E auto trans) Chris moved onto the exterior part of the build, but as is often the case, there were some hiccups along the way. “I had a local paint and body guy take the job, and his plan was to take it from start to finish. It stayed at his shop from 2017 until 2019, when I got the call from him that he was taking another job and wouldn’t be able to finish the truck. So, the search for someone to finish the truck began, which didn’t take long thanks to my friend Tony Moose. He recommended Jason Mode, owner of New Creations in Lattimore, NC, who is known as one of the best there is restoring ‘67-72 C10s. I called Jason and got on his schedule in late 2021, and he finished it up in April of 2022.” Since New Creations is a one-stop shop, Jason also took care of the upholstery and final details before handing the truck back to Chris.
Unfortunately, Chris’ dad passed before he got to see the truck finished, but Chris says that he’s sure he would give it a big thumbs up. So, what does Chris think of it? “It’s exactly what I wanted. A plain Jane ‘68 C10 with newer running gear, yet still somewhat stock looking.” We can’t think of anything more satisfying than getting to look at this truck every time Chris opens his garage door.
CHRIS PATTERSON • ‘68 C10
- 2009 GM 6.0L LS engine, built by Ricky Butler Auto Machine
- J&E 10:1 pistons
- Air Flow Research aluminum cylinder heads
- Comp Cams camshaft
- Comp Cams valves and springs
- FAST LSX 92mm intake manifold
- Speed Engineering stainless steel headers
- Pypes stainless steel mufflers
- Custom 2.5-inch stainless steel exhaust by New Creations
- 2006 4L60E transmission, built by Donnie Wheeler
- Custom driveshaft by Carolina Driveline
- Ford 9-inch rear end, with 3.73 gears and limited slip differential
- No Limit Engineering chassis
- 4-link rear suspension with Panhard bar
- Coil-overs front and rear
- No Limit Engineering fuel cell
- US Mags Scottsdale wheels, 20x8.5 and 20x10
- Lexani ZX-Twenty tires, 245/35R20 and 295/35R20
- Bodywork and paint by New Creations
- Shaved fuel cap and rain gutters
- Repainted factory black
- New Creations taillight fuel filler kit
- Red wood bed kit
- Interior work by New Creations
- Classic Instruments gauges
- RetroSound head unit
- PowerBass amplifier
- PowerBass speakers and subwoofers
- RestoMod Air A/C unit
- Snowden bench seat upholstered in Apex leather
- German weave carpet
- Custom door panels upholstered in Apex leather