It May Be a Grouch, But It’s No Slouch!

JASON BOWMAN HAS BEEN DOING this whole truck thing for a while now—in fact, it’s what he does day in and day out at his shop Big 10 Garage and previously at Arclight Fab. As you can probably guess by his shop’s name, Jason especially digs working on C10s. Even more specifically, he loves laying them flat on the ground and putting big power behind them!

Build Summary

Oscar is a 1969 Chevrolet C-10 pickup truck custom-built by Jason Bowman of Big 10 Garage. The truck has been converted from a longbed to a shortbed through front-and-rear bed sectioning, lowered to ground level on an AccuAir e-Level air suspension system, and powered by a turbocharged GM LY6 6.0L LS engine producing approximately 700 horsepower to the wheels at 14 psi boost on a stock bottom end.

The original GM Yellow Green patina finish has been preserved. The build serves as both Jason’s personal vehicle and a showcase for Big 10 Garage’s fabrication capabilities.

Oscar 1969 Chevrolet C-10 Build Specs:

Category	Specification
Vehicle	1969 Chevrolet C-10 (converted shortbed)
Builder	Jason Bowman / Big 10 Garage
Engine	GM LY6 6.0L LS-based V8 (from 2008 GM truck)
Turbocharger	Precision Turbo 7675 LS-series
Boost Level	14 psi
Power Output	~700 horsepower to the wheels (stock bottom end)
Camshaft	Competition Cams (custom/secret spec)
Valve Springs	Comp Cams 921 dual valve springs
Intake	Holley Hi-Ram high-rise intake manifold
Fuel Injectors	1000cc (Fuel Injection Connection)
Headers	Custom-built by Jason Bowman
Exhaust	4-inch custom piping
Transmission	Tremec T56 6-speed (from 2005 Cadillac CTS-V)
Clutch	Textralia six-puck race clutch (upgraded)
Air Suspension	AccuAir e-Level air management
Compressor	Oasis (large-format)
Steering	SN95 Ford Mustang steering rack (adapted)
Wheels	22×9 GM transit wheels
Front Brakes	Manual disc
Rear Brakes	Drums (Wilwood upgrade planned)
Interior Gauges	Dakota Digital RTX
Climate Control	Vintage Air
Steering Wheel	GM Comfort Grip
Seats	Repro buddy buckets (Slosh Tubz, upholstered by Sculpt Garage / Brent)
Original Color	GM Yellow Green
Body Modification	Longbed sectioned to shortbed (inches removed from front and rear of bed)
Frame	Custom rear section (OEM frame lopped, custom fabricated)

 

How It Was Built

Body & Patina Preservation

One of his personal builds is this ’69 C10 named Oscar, which he uses as both his guinea pig and his biggest marketing tool. When he first picked it up, it had a few sloppy layers of white primer sprayed all over it, which didn’t really do the truck any favors in the looks department.

Jason doused the cab and bed with lacquer thinner to remove every bit of primer, revealing the original (yet very worn) Yellow Green finish underneath. It just looked too awesome to mess with any further, so he decided to leave the rest of the body alone.

Longbed-to-Shortbed Conversion

Wait—no he didn’t. We forgot to mention that the truck was also a longbed, which just isn’t Jason’s style. He carefully and meticulously sectioned a few inches out of the front and rear of the bed, then welded it back up into its new, sportier size without disturbing the truck’s natural patina.

Jason doused the cab and bed with lacquer thinner to remove every bit of primer, revealing the original (yet very worn) Yellow Green finish underneath. It just looked too awesome to mess with any further, so he decided to leave the rest of the body alone.

Frame Fabrication & Air Suspension

Of course, that meant that the frame and wheelbase were now too long, but instead of shortening the frame behind the cab, he decided to lop it off and build a custom frame section from scratch.

This, along with a custom rear link setup, some crossmember mods up front and the appropriate airbags all around brought the C10 down to a much more respectable level.

An AccuAir e-Level air management system works in tandem with a big ol’ Oasis compressor to quickly bring the truck up to driving height when Jason heads off to work or on a cruise.

Steering Solution: SN95 Mustang Rack Adaptation

As a lot of you know, the steering situation on these trucks can get complicated when going extra low, so Jason adapted an SN95 Ford Mustang steering rack to simplify things and avoid a jungle gym of rod ends and steering shafts.

Another example of Jason keeping things simple is the set of 22×9 GM transit wheels, which are cost-effective while giving an updated but classic smoothie look.

And while the finished exterior of the truck looks bitchin’, it doesn’t give much of a hint as to what’s under the hood. We could see anything from a 250-CID inline six to a blown big block looking right at home in Jason’s truck, and there’s really no wrong choice to be made here.

See some of the best C10 trucks from one of the largest truck events in the country.

Engine & Drivetrain

Still, we were giddy to see that he went with an LY6 LS-based engine out of a 2008 GM truck, and backed it up with a Tremec T56 6-speed out of a 2005 Caddy CTS-V that uses an upgraded Textralia six-puck race clutch.

The 6.0L engine was already a beast from the factory, but that wasn’t enough for Jason, who decided to boost the crap out of it with a Precision 7675 LS-series turbo.

The setup, which was fabbed up by Jason, includes custom-built headers and 4-inch exhaust piping, while the engine itself received a secret-spec cam from Competition Cams, Comp Cams 921 dual valve springs, a high-rise Holley Hi-Ram intake manifold and 1000cc injectors from Fuel Injection Connection.

All told, this combination is good for almost 700 horsepower to the wheels at 14psi using the stock bottom end.

Interior

Now that you’ve seen the engine compartment, it won’t be too much of a shock to find that Jason has put just as much detail into the interior.

Fresh carpet, a GM Comfort Grip steering wheel, and some repro “buddy buckets” from Slosh Tubz (which were upholstered by Brent at Sculpt Garage) keep things comfortable and maintain the late ’60s vibe, although the custom shifter definitely let you know that something’s up on the other side of that firewall.

Jason plans to keep working on the truck and says that he will be adding Wilwood brakes, and he may even put some fresh GM Yellow Green paint on it in the future. We know that he hits all of the major truck shows, so be on the lookout for a new and improved Oscar soon!

Looking for more inspiration? Here’s another impressive custom C10 project.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

What engine is in Jason Bowman’s 1969 C-10 “Oscar”?

Oscar runs a GM LY6 6.0L LS-based V8 sourced from a 2008 GM truck. The engine has been turbocharged with a Precision Turbo 7675 LS-series turbocharger and makes approximately 700 horsepower to the wheels at 14 psi boost on the stock bottom end.

What transmission is paired with the LY6 in this C-10 build?

The LY6 is backed by a Tremec T56 6-speed manual transmission sourced from a 2005 Cadillac CTS-V, upgraded with a Textralia six-puck race clutch.

How was the C-10 longbed converted to a shortbed?

Jason Bowman sectioned inches from both the front and rear of the original longbed, then welded the bed back together to achieve a shorter, sportier profile while preserving the truck’s natural patina. The frame was also modified rather than shortening the existing frame, Jason removed the rear section entirely and fabricated a custom frame section from scratch.

What steering solution does Jason use on his lowered C-10?

Jason adapted an SN95 Ford Mustang steering rack to the C-10. This eliminates the complex arrangement of rod ends and steering shafts that typically results when these trucks are lowered significantly, simplifying both the build and long-term maintenance.

What air suspension system is on Oscar?

Oscar runs an AccuAir e-Level air management system paired with a large Oasis compressor. The system allows the truck to be raised quickly to driving height and lowered to ground level for shows.

What wheels are on Jason Bowman’s C-10?

The C-10 rides on 22×9 GM transit wheels. Jason chose these for their cost-effectiveness and their updated but classically clean smoothie aesthetic.

Who built Jason Bowman’s C-10?

Jason Bowman built Oscar himself through his shop, Big 10 Garage. Jason previously worked at Arclight Fab and specializes in C10 builds, particularly low, high-powered configurations.

What is the original color of 1969 C-10 Oscar?

The truck’s original factory color is GM Yellow Green. This finish was revealed after Jason removed several layers of white primer using lacquer thinner. The patina finish was preserved rather than repainted.