THE RETURN OF ELWOOD

Pop quiz: Which vehicle would you rather have? A built 1965 Chevy Corvette or a full-custom 1971 C10? In all fairness, both rides are absolute stunners, and anyone would be lucky to own one of them. While having the keys to both simultaneously would be the ultimate dream for most enthusiasts, Tommy Johanns of Franktown, Colorado can honestly say he has owned a ‘Vette and a C10—just not at the same time. Sure, a timeless sports car and an old pickup truck live on opposite ends of the vehicle spectrum, but they are both desirable Chevrolet classics on their own. 

Tommy owned his ’65 Corvette before he got his hands on the ’71 C10. In fact, he traded the ‘Vette for the C10 that was built by Laid Back Recreations in McLoud, Oklahoma for a Mr. J.D Arthurs. The truck, which was given the nickname Elwood was well received when it was completed back in 2016. Kyle Gambrell, owner of Laid Back, spent a great deal of time building the ’71 from the ground up, and it quickly became a crowd favorite after it was displayed at shows and in magazine features. Who wouldn’t fall in love with the truck’s low stance, natural patina finish, and the largely factory condition interior? J.D. must’ve had to turn down offers on his truck on a continuous basis, but it wasn’t until the right opportunity came along that persuaded him to even think of giving it up.

“Although I was not involved with the original build of the truck, I was a big fan of its overall style”, Tommy admits. “Luckily, J.D. was interested in the ’65 Corvette that I offered for it. I’ve installed a few things and made a few improvements to the C10 since owning it, but there really wasn’t much that needed to be done. It was pretty much perfect as-is.” 

The C10 had been stripped to the frame by Kyle Gambrell, and that factory chassis was altered with Porterbuilt front and rear Dropmember packages to slam it down to the ground. CPP drop spindles up front along with KYB shocks all around assist in providing a comfortable ride quality, and AccuAir’s e-Level air management system allow for easy ride height adjustment for more enjoyable cruising sessions. 20×8.5 and mega wide 22×12 Intro Retro XLR billet wheels complete the truck’s much more aggressive look. Front and rear Wilwood brake kits, including a master cylinder and booster aid in bringing the C10 to a confident and controlled halt. 

While stopping is an important factor with any custom vehicle build, the importance of going is much more fun to lean into. To break a new speed barrier with the truck, R&P Machine was recruited to go through the 2007 LS power plant before souping it up with a healthy dosage of performance products, with the highlight being a Magnuson blower to make things exponentially more interesting. The smoothed firewall, Hill’s Rod and Custom inner fenders and custom bead rolled radiator cover have come together to frame the upgraded Chevy mill just right. Custom paint or flashy finish work was avoided during the final stage as to keep the engine bay simple and without unnecessary distraction. 

A similar approach was utilized with the C10’s exterior as well. There is no denying that a complete paintjob does change the look and feel of a custom vehicle, especially on a 50+-year-old pickup but embracing and preserving a natural patina finish is equally as impressive. Kyle and J.D had originally decided to leave the factory blue paint alone and work with it instead of against it. The factory bed was raised a full 11 inches to make enough room for the suspension travel beneath, and as easy as it would’ve been at this point to reach for a spray-on bedliner or wood kit, the original rusty floor and wheel tubs were reused for genuine continuity. Fresh Mar-K woodgrain molding was used on both sides of the truck along with the tailgate to add to the ‘71’s prescribed OEM aesthetic. 

Of course, the truck had come too far along to stray down any path other than maintaining the factory appearance inside of the cab. New carpeting and floor mats, along with fresh houndstooth and blue vinyl material were used to freshen up the C10’s interior space while staying true to its roots. Factory door panels have also been utilized, although the arm rests and dash have been recovered to match the seats. Even though the goal of keeping the interior as original as possible, modern additions in the way of Dakota Digital gauges, Vintage Air climate control and a full audio system have been added to give the truck’s inhabitants very welcoming amenities to look forward to. 

One feature ties this entire C10 build together, and that is Kyle’s meticulous attention to detail. Blending and concealing new with the old goes a long way in a full custom truck such as this. It has all the original charm those attracted to natural rust and patina truly appreciate even though it has been given the same level of care and attention as a truck that wears a shiny new finish. There is so much present than meets the eye here, which had made this Chevy so desirable and respected among classic vehicle enthusiasts of all genres.  

Aside from adding power windows and painted-on patina to the rear wheel tubs, the truck’s current owner has left the rest of the build as it was when it first rolled away from Laid Back Restoration’s premises. Tommy has taken the truck out to C10 Nationals in Salt Lake City and has plans to continue to keep it in the public eye at other shows in 2024 and beyond. Next up on the list for Tommy is a ’71 Suburban he is finishing up and wants to line up next to this one. Once done, they’ll prove that trucks like this don’t go out of style, and fans of them will never tire of admiring them up close for years to come.