Monkey Business

Known for pushing automotive limits on Discovery Channel’s now discontinued show Fast N’ Loud, Richard Rawlings and his team at Gas Monkey Garage have continue to build new rides. One of the latest is this ’67 Chevy C10 that was finished for professional football player Allen Bailey. This truck is the latest and it is certainly not the first truck of this caliber to come out of the shop. Gas Monkey has a history of slammed trucks including a ’76 Chevy C10 Squarebody, ’49 Chevy and a rebuild of the iconic MIC Krew Kut ’92 Chevy OBS crew cab dually roadster.

After a long run with the TV show, Richard decided to move all future GMG content to various digital platforms. In doing so, he challenged his team to rebuild a ’91 OBS Chevy during an “Epic 5 Day Build” deadline. The project was broadcast exclusively on YouTube, where you will find all the latest GMG happenings. When done, the OBS build was a complete success and captivated many fans at the feat of building a truck with a quick turnaround.

In traditional fashion for Richard, he sold the truck off after it was completed. The winning bid was from Allen Bailey as he is a big fan of everything that comes out of GMG. After taking delivery of that truck, Allen was stoked and gained even more confidence in the talented hands at GMG. At the time Allen had this ’67 C10 at another shop and felt they dropped the ball by letting it sit over 2-years with very little progress. It was after the purchase of the OBS when Allen decided to pull the plug and let GMG have their way with it.

Though this would sound like a great opportunity to behold, Richard was hesitant as he only likes to build vehicles from start to finish. However, there was a lot left to do on this truck and there was plenty of room to add that unique GMG signature style that so many of us have been accustomed to. Once Richard and Allen were able to shake hands on a deal, the truck was moved in. The only problem, it was in pieces and took three trailers to move.

Shifting through the mess, the GMG crew (Jason Aker, Jeremy Cheatham, Tony Cano, Keenan Hons and Chad Isbell) sorted out the chassis and prepped it to be slammed on some large rollers. Since the stock suspension systems on these trucks are highly outdated and don’t make for a pleasurable ride, it was all scrapped. The frame was then equipped with the latest offerings from Choppin’ Block and a set of Slam Specialties airbags were thrown into the mix. Thanks to an AccuAir suspension height management system, the truck was setup to clear any obstructions on the road and lay super low when desired.

Making the most out of the slammed stance is a set of 22-inch wheels from Rotiform that are covered in Pirelli high-performance tires. Though these wheels have a different look than other popular wheels used on trucks like this, they add a bit of a modern look to this revamped ride. Since these wheels have more mass than the stock rollers, they are harder to bring to a halt. Fitting the bill here is a set of 14-inch disc brakes from Willwood that provide superior stopping power.

Since the truck was planned to get revitalized with modern components, this truck needed something to follow suit. Filling the void was a new LS3 crate that is controlled by a Holley Sniper EFI intake with PSI management system and backed by a 6L75e transmission. Power is distributed by a custom two-piece driveshaft that pushes rotational force to a Currie Turn 9 rear end. The engine was also dressed up in black and is displayed in a sheet metal engine compartment that was given a matte red finish.

When it came time to finish the exterior, the GMG crew knows how to shine, literally! The goal here was to clean it up while maintaining the original form, a hard balance for some builders. Doing so, the body was shaved of a few unnecessary items like the trim and emblems. It now features a few pieces like the customized bumpers, flush glass and trick taillight fuel filler. With the body made smooth, it was coated in Ceramic Gray and Jet black paint with a red pinstripe.

Rounding out this build was the interior, which was a bit tricky as football players like Allen are built like a brick house and these single cabs are limited on space. The red leather interior was custom tailored by Emilio’s Upholstery to not only look stunning but make room for the owner. Taking care of the vital info here is a set of Classic Instruments gauges set behind an Ididit steering column with Budnik wheel. Making drives comfortable is a Vintage Air climate control unit and a Kicker sound system.

Though this truck had a troubled past, the end result is nothing less than expected from GMG. Allen will surely enjoy this ride as it looks spectacular and drives like a modern pickup. This truck came out amazing and is just another notch on the belt for GMG as they enter the next phase of killing the scene.