Chris Hamilton
.
December 30, 2019
.
c10
.
The 1963 Chevy C10 known as “Armageddon” is a fully custom fleetside pickup built by Ariel Paxon and the team at Armageddon Fabrication in Stuart, Florida. The build took under two years and cost approximately $45,000, resulting in a street-driven show truck powered by a 5.3L LS engine, equipped with air suspension, a Currie 9-inch rear axle, and finished in a House of Colors blue-purple paint scheme applied by ChromeFish Customs in Port St. Lucie, Florida. The truck serves as a rolling showcase for Armageddon Fabrication’s custom work and has drawn significant attention on the Florida show circuit.
Building a truck can be a lot like going to war with all the generations that came before and after your finished product. Hundreds of shops around the country use their skills, minds, and available soldiers in their own particular way to wage war with opinionated opposition.
Their tools are their weapons and national events are the proving grounds in which they battle it out. It’s always nice to bring home a trophy that shows you’re doing mental damage to your competition, but for the case of Ariel Paxon of Stuart Florida, the ultimate goal is to promote their custom fab shop and continue the dream of doing what they love.
With that being said, Ariel is entrepreneur minded first and army general second. Being the owner of multiple businesses including Armageddon Fabrication and Florida Vape Supply, The main focus for this functional fleetside is gaining attention and adding additional eyeballs to his highly successful enterprise.
By spending around $45,000 and a little less than two years time, most businesses would consider that a bargain when it comes to marketing costs and customer acquisition.
Starting with a clean 1963 Chevy C10, the crew at Armageddon Fab simply added a scene arch to the factory frame rails along with air suspension in both front and rear. A few other simple modifications including a Boyd’s welding fuel cell, and a new power steering upgrade from classic performance products gave Ariel all the chassis additions he needed to go light up those 20-inch wheels and tires.
These big chrome discs need additional stopping power since the factory brakes were engineered for something much smaller. CPP was also called upon for the massive disc brake conversion and dual power booster set up so he can keep it under control.
The 9-inch rear axle came direct from Currie Enterprises with a 3:73 gear ratio and a locking differential. By adding a simple shift kit with tighter springs and a transmission cooler to a stock 2014 6L80E transmission, The crew at Armageddon was able to transfer all the power from their 5.3-L LS engine.
New motor mounts, headers, and a wiring harness from ChevyTruck.com made the swap just a little easier and a camshaft from Texas speed gave it the aggressive sound they were looking for. Borla headers and Magnaflow 3 inch exhaust push the air out the back before it dumps out under the truck near the rear axle.
Having a truck that sounds and drives as good as this one does, requires an amazing coat of color and smooth dowel classic body panels. Ariel turned two a professional he’s used in the past for the house of colors blueish purple paint scheme.
Jacob at ChromeFish customs in Port St. Lucie is known for laying down some of the cleanest coats of color, and this job was no exception. A few final upgrades to the interior including a newly recovered bench seat, digital gauges and a billet steering wheel help the inside look as good as the outside, along with a combination of pioneer and JL Audio electronics to drown out the engine rumble during the long road trips.
As usual, there were no easy parts to this build. Not too many problems arise but when they did they just took their time and modified everything to fit and perform properly.
In the future Ariel plans to add a bigger motor, a little lower stands, and a few more feature to this already insane influencer. Whether it’s on the street, at the dragstrip or parked in a few order, the crew at Armageddon Fab is ready to Battle for your blessing as one of the top truck builders on the East Coast.
For another unique take on a classic truck, see this impressive Chevy C10 restoration.
This award-winning C10 build showcases a different style of craftsmanship.
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Vehicle | 1963 Chevrolet C10 Fleetside |
| Builder | Armageddon Fabrication, Stuart, Florida |
| Build Cost | Approximately $45,000 |
| Build Time | Under 2 years |
| Engine | 5.3L LS V8 |
| Transmission | 2014 GM 6L80E (with shift kit and transmission cooler) |
| Rear Axle | Currie Enterprises 9-inch, 3.73 gear ratio, locking differential |
| Suspension | Air suspension, front and rear; scene arch on factory frame rails |
| Brakes | CPP disc brake conversion with dual power booster |
| Wheels | 20-inch chrome wheels |
| Exhaust | Borla headers, Magnaflow 3-inch rear dump exhaust |
| Paint | House of Colors blue-purple by ChromeFish Customs |
| Camshaft | Texas Speed performance camshaft |
| Fuel Cell | Boyd’s Welding |
| Power Steering | CPP power steering upgrade |
| Audio | Pioneer head unit with JL Audio speakers |
| Interior | Recovered bench seat, digital gauges, billet steering wheel |
The GM 6L80E was selected for its strength, overdrive capability, and electronic compatibility with the 5.3L LS engine. Adding a shift kit with tighter springs improves shift firmness and reduces heat buildup under hard acceleration, while the transmission cooler extends service life during long drives and hot Florida summers.
A 3:73 rear gear ratio provides a balance between low-end torque for acceleration and manageable highway RPM. Combined with the 6L80E’s overdrive, the truck can cruise comfortably while still launching aggressively off the line making it equally capable at car shows and on the dragstrip.
Air suspension allows the truck to sit at show height frames-on-the-ground slammed while retaining the ability to air up for daily driving and navigation of driveways, speed bumps, and ramps. For a truck that’s driven regularly rather than trailered, this flexibility is essential.
Twenty-inch chrome wheels fill the wide C10 wheel wells in a way that smaller diameter wheels cannot, creating a visual presence appropriate for a show-level build. The CPP disc brake conversion was necessary to provide adequate stopping power for the added unsprung weight.
The total build cost for the 1963 Chevy C10 “Armageddon” was approximately $45,000, covering chassis modifications, engine swap, paint, interior, suspension, and all supporting components.
The build was completed in just under two years by the crew at Armageddon Fabrication in Stuart, Florida.
The truck is powered by a 5.3-liter LS V8 engine paired with a 2014 GM 6L80E automatic transmission. A performance camshaft from Texas Speed gives it an aggressive idle sound.
The truck runs air suspension in both the front and rear, with a scene arch added to the factory frame rails. This allows the truck to be raised for driving and lowered for show display.
The truck was built by Ariel Paxon and the crew at Armageddon Fabrication, a custom fabrication shop based in Stuart, Florida.
The House of Colors blue-purple paint scheme was applied by Jacob at ChromeFish Customs, located in Port St. Lucie, Florida.
The truck uses a Currie Enterprises 9-inch rear axle with a 3:73 gear ratio and a locking differential for improved traction and performance.
Classic Performance Products (CPP) supplied a full disc brake conversion and a dual power booster setup to handle the added weight of 20-inch wheels and increased performance demands.
The exhaust system combines Borla headers with a Magnaflow 3-inch exhaust that exits underneath the truck near the rear axle.
Chris Hamilton is an automotive journalist, editor, and lifelong truck enthusiast with extensive experience covering custom truck builds, fabrication, performance upgrades, aftermarket products, and a ...
C10 Builders Guide
Built one Piece at a Time When you see a truck like this, you imagine that the owner picked up an old vehicle and simply… Continue reading
GINA REYNOLDS . April 07, 2022
c10
There are so many different types of vehicles to build out there. Not so much in the form of makes and models, but the many… Continue reading
John Mata Jr. . May 09, 2022
C10 Builders Guide
Ontario, CA — Total Cost Involved Engineering (TCI) announces its 45th Anniversary Celebration. In 1974, Founder and President, Ed Moss, turned his passion into a… Continue reading
Chris Hamilton . April 10, 2019
C10 Builders Guide
A’66 BEACH CRUISER WITH ROOM TO ROAM Getting the OK from your significant other to build a project is, more often than not, a rare… Continue reading
streettrucks . March 11, 2020
We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience, serve personalized ads or content, and analyze our traffic. By clicking "Accept All", you consent to our use of cookies. Visit our Cookie Policy for more info.
Share Link