A Chopped, Smoothed and Slammed C-10

Justin “Pony” Carrillo, of Chad’s Auto Glass and Designs by Daryls in Visalia, California, has his roots in the custom mini-truck scene. He built a red hot S-10 that was featured in Street Trucks several years ago, but since then he’s strayed from the path of custom trucks and built a handful of classic Cadillacs. One of the Caddys included a roadstered ’60 nicknamed Cruella De Ville that made waves at SEMA 2011 and took home a GM Design award. The car hit Goodguys-style and truck shows throughout the following year before it went on the auction block at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale.

Having varied his résumé of custom car builds, Pony decided to get back into the truck game. For reentry, he chose the ever-popular 1967-72 GM truck platform and decided to go fairly radical on the build with custom suspension, big wheels and several body mods. The end result is Lucy, a wild combination of everything he’s learned in a subtle, timeless package.

His first step was to lay the rockers flat on the pavement. He used Art Morrison Max G frame rails with a custom Choppin’ Block triangulated 4-link setup in the rear. The link bars control the movement of a Ford 9-inch rearend that was narrowed 12 inches and uses Moser axles to accommodate a set of 26×12-inch Raceline Scoundrel wheels with minimal backspacing.

“SITTING UNDER THE LMC TRUCK HOOD IS A FULLY BUILT 383 SMALL-BLOCK CHEVROLET ENGINE. MILLER’S SPEED SHOP MACHINED THE BLOCK AND ARIE VERBOON ASSEMBLED IT WITH ALL OF THE GO-FAST GOODIES HE COULD GATHER.”

The front suspension was narrowed with Choppin’ Block tubular control arms to allow the front 24×10-inch wheels to turn fully. The billets were wrapped in Toyo Proxes 275/25R24 and 315/25R26 in the rear. To stop the massive rollers, a full set of CPP big brakes complete with booster and Wilwood master cylinder were installed. The entire chassis and all of the suspension components were powder-coated red at Simoe’s Custom Coatings.

When it comes to modifications the GMC body is on par with the detailed frame that it hides. Pony knew he wanted it smoothed and shaved with a subtle 2-inch chop to the roof, just like close friend Lee Milinich’s blue C-10 (featured on the cover of Street Trucks Dec. 2010). Pony and Lee have worked on several creations together, so he knew the GMC was in the right hands at Lewis Milinich Body Shop in nearby Hanford. The shop did the chop and replaced the front sheet metal with LMC Truck fenders and hood and a GMC grille shell.

Next, Pony contacted metal master Bob Grant of Grant Kustoms to provide the finishing touches. Bob produced custom front and rear roll pans with built-in flush bumpers, and a smoothed tailgate, with “GMC” stamped in the center, sporting 1984 Buick LeSabre taillights was the custom coup de grace. The Buick lights mimic the shape of the factory versions, but they’re larger and provide a custom touch that only those in the know will pick up on.

Once all of the metalwork was completed, Lewis Milinich Body Shop slicked it smooth and dusted it in DuPont Victory Red. They also hit the raised bed floor and wheel tubs with bed liner. The center section of the wood floor comes from Bed Wood and Parts, and the glass and one-piece windows were installed at Chad’s Auto Glass.

“PONY LEFT NO STONE UNTURNED AND NO CORNER UNTOUCHED ON HIS ’68 GMC TRUCK. AS ALWAYS, HIS NEXT PROJECT IS ALREADY UNDERWAY, AND WE CAN’T WAIT TO SEE WHAT IT IS.”

Sitting under the LMC Truck hood is a fully built 383 small-block Chevrolet engine. Miller’s Speed Shop machined the block and Arie Verboon assembled it with all of the go-fast goodies he could gather. The 400-hp motor features a Scat crankshaft, I-beam rods, forged pistons and a Lunati Voodoo flat tappet hydraulic camshaft. A set of Trick Flow Specialties cylinder heads using AFR valves and rockers with Lunati lifters completes the package. Topping the engine is an Edelbrock RPM air gap intake manifold, Edelbrock 750-cfm carb and LMC Truck air cleaner. The front accessory drive comes from March Performance with a Summit Racing 140-amp alternator and Edelbrock water pump. A radiator from LMC Truck with Flex-a-Lite electric fans cools off the high horsepower engine. Summit Racing headers connected to a custom 3-inch Flowmaster exhaust system expel gasses.

The full custom touches continue inside of the truck as well. The large factory dash was tossed aside for a 1957 Bel Air version featuring Dakota Digital VR-X gauges. A-Z Auto built a custom center console between a pair of custom-built bucket seats covered in peanut butter leather by Big Daddy’s Upholstery. Tucked behind the seats is a full Scosche Realm sound system complete with wiring and Accumat sound deadener. A Pioneer head unit controls the sound system, while Lokar door handles monitor exit and entry.

Pony left no stone unturned and no corner untouched on his ’68 GMC truck. As always, his next project is already underway, and we can’t wait to see what it is. ST

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TRUCK SPECS

OWNERS

Justin “Pony” Carrillo
1968 GMC
Visalia, CA Severed Ties

ENGINE

• Shops: Miller’s Speed Shop/Arie Verboon/Andrew’s Transmission
• 1975 383 V-8 SBC
• Scat crankshaft
• I-beam rods
• Forged pistons
• Lunati Voodoo hydraulic camshaft
• Trick Flow Specialties cylinder heads
• AFR valves and rockers
• Lunati lifters
• Edelbrock water pump
• Summit Racing 140-amp alternator
• LMC Truck radiator
• Flex-a-Lite electric fans
• Edelbrock RPM Air Gap intake manifold
• Edelbrock 750-cfm carburetor
• LMC Truck air cleaner
• Summit Racing headers
• Flowmaster 3-inch exhaust
• March Performance pulleys
• Turbo 400 transmission
• Summit Racing 2300-2600 torque convertor Custom driveshaft

SUSPENSION

• Scosche Realm sound
• Shops: Designs By Daryls/Choppin’ Block/Simoe’s Custom Coatings
• Art Morrison Max G chassis
• Powder-coated red
• Ford 9-inch rearend narrowed 12 inches
• Moser axles
• Choppin’ Block triangulated 4-link
• Narrowed front suspension
• Choppin’ Block tubular control arms
• CPP drop spindles
• Fox shocks
• CPP big brake kit
• CPP booster
• Wilwood master cylinder

WHEELS & TIRES

• 24×10- and 26×12-inch Raceline Scoundrel
• Toyo Proxes 275/25R24 and 315/25R26

BODY & PAINT

• Shops: Lewis Milinich Body Shop/Grant Kustoms
• 2-inch chopped top
• LMC Truck hood, grille and fenders
• Grant Kustoms roll pans and flush bumpers
• Grant Kustoms roll pan
• Grant Kustoms tailgate
• Bed Wood & Parts bed floor
• Shaved handles, drip rails and filler
• 1984 Buick LeSabre taillights
• Chad’s Auto Glass one-piece glass
• DuPont Victory Red

INTERIOR

• Shops: A-Z Auto/Big Daddy’s Upholstery
• 1957 Bel Air dash
• Dakota Digital VR-X gauges
• Peanut butter leather
• Custom seats
• Lokar handles
• Custom center console
• Pioneer head unit
• Scosche wiring
• Scosche Realm sound system
• Ron Francis wiring harness
• Accumat sound deadener

Special Thanks: Lee Milinich, Lewis Milinich, Canaan Smith, Arie Verboon, Radel and Christina Jacobo, Choppin’ Block, Mike Scott, Joeseph Simoes, Chad Canerday, Nick Waters and Matt Phillips

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