THE COMEBACK

This truck used to be amazing. Well, it’s obviously still amazing, but it used to be amazing in a completely different way many years (and a few owners) ago, too. The paint job is the dead giveaway as to this ‘86 Silverado’s prior incarnation and is a testament to the original painters at Pristine Custom Paint and Pat Maxwell’s pinstriping – it’s still the same flawless paint a decade later! 

The bagged Chevy actually went M.I.A. for a bit after it debuted at SEMA 2014, with some rumors indicating that it was spotted on Craigslist at one point. Eventually it hit an auction in Houston, where Mike Lawson of Andrews, Texas, first laid eyes on it and just had to have it. As Mike described it, “It had a great paint job and was a unique color for a C10. I thought it would be a good project to take to the next level.”  

For whatever reason, although the exterior and interior were still pretty much mint, the underside and drivetrain were in need of a serious refresh. But Mike was up for the challenge and knew just who to go to make it happen. Roger Lynskey at RPL Customs is known for building high-quality, classy rides, so his shop was an easy choice for the job at hand, which as it turns out was a hefty one despite the head start.   

The cab and bed were removed to reveal the custom air ride chassis that was underneath the truck when Mike got it, and it was quickly rolled out of the shop door with a “for sale” sign on it. In its place, a powdercoated CB Chassis Products coil-over chassis was rolled underneath, complete with Ridetech coil-overs, a 4-link, and a stout Ford 9-inch rear end assembly. Wilwood brakes were a no-brainer and would help the freshly mounted 20-inch Billet Specialties Prism wheels and fat Michelin Pilot Sport tires come to a halt in a hurry whenever necessary. 

And although lots of folks might overdo it on the brakes-to-power ratio, that’s not the case with Mike’s C-10 – this truck scoots plenty quick enough to need them! The existing 6.0L LS was gone through and treated to a Stage 2 cam from 21st Century Muscle cars, along with a Holley Sniper high rise intake manifold and Hooker headers, which lead to custom 3-inch piping and Borla ProXS mufflers. A Billet Specialties front drive belt kit was also bolted on to the immaculately painted and detailed engine, which was also plumbed with a Vintage Air kit. 

With the drivetrain now complete, the RPL crew briefly moved to a few changes that Mike wanted made to the body. Yes, it was already in fine shape, but when it’s your truck you get to do what you want! The steel bed floor was carefully cut out, and a stained and matte clear-coated curly maple bed floor from Mar-K was fitted to take it up a level. New chrome bumpers and trim were also installed to replace the less-than-perfect hardware that was previously on the C-10, but aside from that it’s essentially as it was a decade ago when it hit SEMA.

The interior was also amazingly in great shape, so it too just received some minor lovin’ where needed from Cato’s Custom Upholstery, with some upgrades along the way. A new Alpine stereo system with Kicker amps and speakers was installed by JD’s Auto Glass, and Dakota Digital gauges, an Ididit steering column, and a Billet Specialties steering wheel were also included in the revamp.

Even though Mike’s C-10 may, at a quick glance, looks like its former self, it packs a totally different attitude after its redo. With handling and performance now the name of this truck’s game, we see some well-earned rock chips and melted rubber in its future!