Preston Folkestad’s in-your-face ‘84 C10
was built to go fast as hell in every direction
For the most part, truck enthusiasts simply want a clean looking classic that they can get in and take on a cruise whenever desired. There’s nothing wrong with keeping things simple and we speak for ourselves as we fit this profile too. But what do you build next when you already have the badass ’73 Chevy C10 in your garage?
For Preston Folkestad of Des Moines, IA, he needed a truck to fulfill multiple needs as he already created a wicked restomod pickup with his grandfather’s squarebody and didn’t want to destroy a family heirloom by having too much fun. Not only is he a truck enthusiast like the rest of us, he is also the marketing manager for GC Cooling, which is an Italian based company that provides high quality electric fans to help keep engine temps down. So, not only did he want to have more fun in a truck, but he also had a need to demonstrate the capabilities of GC Cooling’s products.
Knowing that he had many boxes to check off, Preston came up with the idea of creating the ultimate squarebody race truck that could scare the pants off anyone that is brave enough to take a ride with him. In order to make this all possible, he had to go on a hunt for a truck that would serve as the base for his new project. Luckily enough he found an ’84 C10 in Virginia that had very little rust. The truck was in such pristine condition that Preston even daily drove it for a little while before starting the build.
Since Preston’s plan was to drive the piss out of this truck at autocross and road race events, he knew that it had to be solid yet simple. In an effort to remove any weak links, it was completely torn down to the body and frame. From there, the frame was boxed, and the front suspension was replaced by a No Limit Engineering Wide Ride IFS system that uses a set of Ridetech coil-overs. For the rear, the factory leaf springs were ditched for a No Limit Fat Bar system that was specifically designed to help the performance and handling of these trucks.
Though the upgraded suspension would have met the demands of most purposes, Preston decided to step things up with a full roll cage created by 515 Fabrication. Not only would this added structure protect him in a wreck, it also helps keep the chassis rigid and lets the suspension do its job uninterrupted. Moving things along, a Quick Performance 9-inch rear end was attached to the rear and a set of Wilwood brakes were installed with a separate handbrake for extra fun.
Preston knew he wanted a more modern engine and decided to build one starting with a Concept Performance 427ci LSR aluminum block. It received a Callies rotating assembly, Cam Motion Inc. custom camshaft and Champ oil pan. The engine was topped off with Frankenstein Engine Dynamics F7 heads and LowPro intake manifold and is now managed by a Holley EFI management system. Spark power is supplied from MSD coil packs while a Wegner Motorsports drive kit operates the power steering pump and AC compressor. Incoming air is delivered by a custom intake with K&N filter. On the other side of this is a pair of Hooker headers and a custom exhaust with Magnaflow mufflers. Sending power to the rear is done with a TREMEC T56 Magnum 6-speed manual transmission. Of course, the engine is kept cool with GC Cooling/C&R Racing ‘73-‘87 drop-in radiator package with dual 14-inch electric fans.
Since this truck is built to shred, it will inevitably see some sort of damage as Preston plans to push it and that means sometimes you go over the edge while trying to find the limits. To make it easier to recover from a wreck, the bed uses only the exterior skins held in place by a tube structure. On the front end is a ’90 Blazer grille and the modified bumper quickly disconnects from its’ two mounting points. The cab floor was stiffened up with 1/8-inch steel and modified with a new trans tunnel. Then it was painted in a single stage Gray by Ken Woltz and received a custom livery designed by Preston. Rounding out the look of the truck is a set of 19-inch Forgeline GA3 wheels with 305/30ZR19 98W BF Goodrich tires.
On the inside is a bare bones interior that has a set of Momo Daytona racing seats with 6-point harness. Up front is a custom dash with Holley EFI Digital Dash, ignition switch panel and Vintage Air AC. Helping to pilot this truck is a custom column with MOMO MOD Drift steering wheel. Below is a set of Wilwood pedals and dirt track style throttle pedal that is designed to be pulled up is the throttle ever got stuck. The cab was sealed up with Precision Replacement Parts weather stripping and the door panels were customized with carbon fiber inserts.
After completion of this truck, it was taken to the 2019 SEMA Show where it shocked many while representing GC Cooling. Then it received an OPTIMA Golden Ticket and the truck was taken directly off the SEMA floor to the Las Vegas speedway to race against the top Optima drivers in the country. Since then, the truck has been taken to a few race events and absolutely attacked the tracks with its’ 768whp! We have witnessed this truck navigate through a course and we can vouch that the name Baba Yaga describes this squarebody well.
