Long Live the Working Man

Every guy has fantasies of owning his dream car one day; it’s what keeps us going. Money seems to evaporate quicker than it materializes some months, but there are always opportunities to stash a few bucks aside. Sadly, the word “few” is all too literal sometimes, but there are occasions throughout the year that help more than others. Birthdays are always good times to ask for cash—so is Christmas/Hanukkah/ Kwanzaa/whatever. Even if a rusty, rotting pile of a truck is the only starting point available to you, take it. Hey, at least it’s your rusty, rotting pile. Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither was any legitimate dream truck we’ve ever encountered. Baby steps, man; it’s all about baby steps.

Let’s turn the focus of our story to Southern California native Jeff Sharell, a small business owner specializing in auto detailing. He of all people should know that the struggle to make an honest buck in the real world is tough. In all actuality, that fact is an understatement, but in any event, Jeff has stuck with the grind and kept on moving forward. Since moving wheels and parts around is a daily job, Jeff had to invest in a solid and able workhorse. He threw $2,500 down on an old Chevy C-10 with plans to load it up and drive it where he needed to go during his 9-5 schedule. But one thing anyone who is self-employed knows, running a business goes far beyond a 40-hour workweek. Jeff grew fond of his work truck, and as he spent more time with it, he started looking into investing more money into it to make it a show-worthy, yet hard-working shop truck.

Talking about building up an old shop truck is one thing, but actually getting around to doing it is quite another. Day in and day out, the C-10 served its purpose and then some, which made it one of Jeff’s most reliable business assets. “This truck had very humble beginnings. It was always meant to be the shop beater and nothing more. That all changed when I was contacted by Max Grundy and Trenton Ulicny,” Jeff told us. Illustration artist and automotive fanatic, Grundy had just finished working on a collaboration with American Racing, and test fitting one of the two new designs on Jeff’s C-10 was the topic of conversation. This ultimately led to the truck’s process of rebirth.

We all hear of Cinderella stories. You know, turds turning into diamonds. Usually these tales about sweeps of luck happen to other people, but never to us. Well, this is exactly one of those instances, but Jeff was lucky enough to find himself caught up in the magic. Not only was his truck in an excellent position for a complete (and somewhat sponsored) restoration, it was being rebuilt with hopes to take it to SEMA. That’s right, this once lowly shop truck was about to take an unlikely turn in the right direction, and better still, there weren’t any stoplights in sight.

Long were the days and nights leading up to the aftermarket’s biggest coming out event of the year, but it was all worth it. Most guys dream about owning a truck that not only looks like Jeff’s but also has a success story to go along with it. Don’t get the wrong idea, though, the truck still puts in long hours (and miles) by maintaining its previous employment status as a full-time parts delivery truck. If there’s one thing for certain, it’s that the little dose of celebrity treatment hasn’t gotten the best of Jeff or the way he puts his truck to use with his Auto Sauce Car Care. “Now that the C-10 has been completely made over, it’s the most ideal delivery vehicle to showcase our products.”

You might not notice it on these pages or in person, but the Chevy’s metallic blue skin is actually a wrap. That’s right, the truck has not been painted. This fact may or may not lead to the immediate question of how could a wrapped truck be the spokes-vehicle for a line of car care products. The answer: Auto Sauce is aimed at capitalizing on the popularity of wrapped vehicles and has tweaked the chemistry of its product to work well on satin wraps and candy paints. Impressive, right? It really is.

This old dog has picked up some new tricks during the latter stages of its life, but with a resurgence of energy and inspiration, Jeff’s C-10 is sure to take on the upcoming years with a heightened level of style and grace.

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TRUCK SPECS

OWNER

Jeff Sharell
1966 Chevy C-10
Huntington Beach, CA

BUILDERS

• JFR Motors, Costa Mesa, CA
• Wraps1, Huntington Beach, CA
• California Upholstery, Bell Gardens, CA
• PTeaser, Santa Ana, CA

ENGINE

• 1972 Chevy 350-ci 5.7L
• U.S. Radiator
• Energy Suspension motor mounts
• Jegs intake manifold
• MSD Atomic throttle body
• MSD digital 6A ignition
• MSD air cleaner
• Aeromotive fuel pump
• Mandrel-bent 2.5-inch exhaust piping
• Flowmaster muffler
• Classic Industries valve covers
• GM Powerglide transmission

SUSPENSION

• CPP 5-inch front drop with spindles and springs
• CPP 7-inch rear drop springs
• Frame C-notch
• Relocated/extended pan hard bar
• CPP 13-inch front and 12-inch rear big brake conversion

WHEELS/TIRES

• 20×8.5 American Racing Max Grundy Stella Wheels
• 245/40R20 Nitto NT555

BODY AND PAINT

• Matte blue metallic Avery Dennison body wrap
• Classic Industries grille, front and rear bumpers
• Classic Industries exterior trim pieces
• Line-X bed spray
• Bed Wood and Parts wood floor
• LED taillights
• HID headlight conversion

INTERIOR

• Leather-stitched seats with European Range Rover pattern
• Bolsters added to bench seat
• Heated seats by Check Corp.
• Custom suede headliner
• Leather-wrapped dash
• Billet steering wheel
• Custom Chevrolet script Lloyd Mats
• Dynamat applied throughout cab

SPECIAL THANKS FROM OWNER: Thank you to Tamara Baumann, Trenton Ulicny, and Max Grundy.

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