MR SIMPSON

Every truck guy has one. That project that haunts you like an unpaid speeding ticket. For Jason Fonte, it was a particular 1973 Chevrolet C10, tucked away in a dusty corner of Derek Schaefer’s shop in San Luis Obispo. Not just any Squarebody, either. This one had a factory color you don’t see every day and came from the only model year without drip rails. You read that right. No drip rails. If you know, you know.

Jason had been eyeballing this truck for nearly two years, slowly wearing down Derek with casual texts and not-so-casual hints. Eventually, Derek caved, possibly just to clear some floor space or stop the polite harassment. Jason brought the truck home to Los Angeles in pieces and got to work and began to call in the reinforcements.

Enter Tony from Prr Diem Fab and Willie from Creep Works, both stationed in Long Beach and both fluent in the language of lowered, reimagined Chevys. Together, they hatched a fresh plan for the old truck, respecting Derek’s original ideas while putting Jason’s own stamp on it. The name stayed: Mr. Simpson. The vision evolved.

Derek had found the truck in Northern California, where it served its early life as a painter’s workhorse. Literally. The bed still wears the blotches and stripes of its brush-slinging past. Jason’s friend Eddie Franco convinced him not to cover it up with a spray-in liner, a rare win for the preservationists among us. The bed still tells its story, right down to the bumps and bruises.

But don’t let the patina fool you. Mr. Simpson is anything but a tired work truck now.

Let’s start underneath. The chassis wears a Choppin Block front crossmember and back half, complete with splined sway bars and heim joint links. The motor, suspension, custom bead rolled splash guards, and interior are all paint matched to the truck’s original beige sunvisors that are still in the truck. The exterior wears its factory original Crimson Burnt Orange Metallic paint that’s been cut, polished, ceramic coated, and generally pampered far more than any work truck ever expected. The 12-bolt rear is now a narrowed Moser piece with Dutchman axles and a 4.56 gear.

Keeping the ride in check is a full AccuAir setup featuring dual compressors, dual tanks, and e-Level management. And when it’s time to stop, a Wilwood big brake kit with 14-inch rotors and six-piston calipers up front steps in to handle the situation.

The wheels are Raceline Billet Nitros, 22×10 in the front and a hefty 22×13 out back, polished to the kind of shine that attracts compliments. Wrapped in Toyo Proxes, they tuck in just right thanks to all that chassis work and a bit of good old-fashioned trial and error.

The heart of the beast is a small-block 383 stroker, built with forged internals, Dart aluminum heads, a healthy Comp Cam, and a whole lot of attention to detail. The engine is custom painted to match the suspension and topped with a machined Edelbrock intake and a set of black Cerakote-coated headers feeding into a custom stainless exhaust and Borla race mufflers. Backing it up is a 700R4 transmission, hydroboost brakes, and a custom accessory drive system that runs power steering and A/C. Also painted to match, naturally.

Inside, it’s a mix of subtle factory cues and full-blown modern comfort. A Snowden custom seat sits low, framed by new carpet and door panels, all coordinated to tie into the paint and suspension. The dash wears Dakota Digital gauges, including a built-in tank pressure readout for the air system. A Vintage Air unit keeps the cab cool, and CPT Concepts reworked the stock ashtray into a clever touchpad holder.

Then there’s the audio setup, which might require its own zip code. There are eleven speakers total, driven by 1800 watts of JL Audio power. Three subwoofers handle bass duties, while Focal Flax Evo mids and highs fill in the rest. It’s a concert hall in a C10.

Willie and Tony handled the fabrication, including custom metalwork in the engine bay and tubs by Hart Fab. Audio Concepts in Simi Valley knocked out the stereo install, and the rest of the support crew includes a laundry list of family, friends, and vendors who helped bring Mr. Simpson to life.

Jason’s plan for the truck was always personal. He didn’t just want to build another shiny showpiece. He wanted something that honored its roots, told its own story, and still turned heads at every stoplight. And judging by the result, Mr. Simpson does exactly that.

So is this the end of the road for Mr. Simpson? Not likely. Trucks like this aren’t built to sit still. They’re built to be driven, stared at, and occasionally asked inappropriate questions at gas stations. Just the way Jason likes it.