This ’76 C-10 Stayed in the Family

For Justin, his dad Jim helped direct his mind toward building things to go fast or to customize. For many years, Jim was a regular race car driver at the local dirt track on the weekends, but during weekdays Jim worked on painting and restoring autos in his own shop.

ONCE THE TRUCK WAS FINISHED, JIM GOT TO ENJOY DRIVING IT TO LOCAL CAR SHOWS AND GOT THE OPPORTUNITY TO HANG OUT MORE WITH HIS SON IN THE CAR SHOW LIFE.”

During a cool November afternoon in 1975, while driving by the Ramsey Chevrolet in Bixby, Oklahoma, Jim noticed a brand-new ’76 SWB C-10 was sitting on the lot. Once a deal was struck, Jim found himself driving his new truck home. As the family truck, it got a lot of daily use. In fact, this was the first truck that Justin ever drove, and from that point on he formed a bond with his dad’s C-10.

When Justin turned 14 it was time for him to get his own truck. After many failed attempts to obtain his father’s ’76 C-10, Justin ended up getting an ’88 S-10, which gave him and his dad something to work on together. They lowered it and gave it numerous customized add-ons. But the S-10 was just the start, and Justin moved from one customized build to the next.

Around 1999, Jim decided that his beloved C-10 was starting to show its age, so he formulated a plan to do a frame-off restoration to give the truck a new look. Once the truck was finished, Jim got to enjoy driving it to local car shows and got the opportunity to hang out more with his son in the car show life. That continued for several years until 2013, when Jim had to stop driving for medical reasons.

One evening Jim had Justin over for a chat. Little did Justin know that the conversation would be about how his dad wanted to see his beloved truck passed down to his son. In 2014, Jim passed away, but his passion for the C-10 lives on through his son.

With the truck now sitting in Justin’s garage, he reminisced about the great times he shared with his dad. Those thoughts gave him the strength and determination to give the truck the attention his dad felt it deserved. First, he dressed up the suspension a bit. Justin had always liked the look of these trucks when ’bagged, so the old stock suspension was swapped for a new front and rear ’bag setup. Last but not least, Justin felt an interior upgrade was due, so the truck’s old interior panels and seat were pulled and replaced with new black leather and suede pieces. Justin didn’t touch the body or paint, which he left as a tribute to his dad. Now that the truck is finished, he has something tangible to remember all of the good times he spent with his pops.

“JUSTIN DIDN’T TOUCH THE BODY OR PAINT, WHICH HE LEFT AS A TRIBUTE TO HIS DAD. NOW THAT THE TRUCK IS FINISHED, HE HAS SOMETHING TANGIBLE TO REMEMBER ALL OF THE GOOD TIMES HE SPENT WITH HIS POPS.”

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TRUCK SPECS

OWNER

Justin Wallace
1976 C-10
Tulsa, OK

ENGINE

• Original 350-ci V-8
• Edelbrock Endurashine Intake and 600-cfm carburetor
• Chrome air filter with QuikLatch release Coated factory exhaust manifolds
• Aluminum exhaust with 40 series Flowmaster mufflers ARP 12-point hardware Eddie’s Motorsports hood hinges
• Lokar throttle brackets Billet Specialties overflow tank
• K&N filter CoolFlex hoses
• 350 turbo automatic K5 Blazer gas tank

SUSPENSION

• Ekstensive Metal Works front kit
• Western Chassis spindles
• Factory sway bar
• Ekstensive Metal Works 2-link bars
• Adjustable pan hard bar with Heim joints
• 2,600-pound Firestone ’bags Airlift valve block
• Viair compressor Accuair aluminum tank Nitro drop shocks
• Western Chassis C-notch

WHEELS & TIRES

• 20×8.5 and 20×10 Billet Specialties Vintec SLD89s
• 255/35R20 and 275/35R20 Nitto NT 555

BODY & PAINT

• Performed by Jim Wallace
• All original sheet metal, bumpers and trim
• Custom in-bed gas filler with CoolCap
• Sikkens custom red paint mixed a shade more than the original 1976 Crimson Red
• Polished factory original trim

INTERIOR

• Performed by Justin Wallace
• Leather and suede seat cover
• Trim Parts black carpet
• Empire Motorsports billet dash inserts
• Billet Specialties Chicayne steering wheel
• Custom air ride switch panel located on center bottom of seat
• Chrome airplane latch lap belts
• Custom billet door panel inserts
• Billet Specialties pedals and rearview mirror
• GM two-knob AM/FM head unit
• Optima Battery turned 180 degrees to hide wiring and terminal with custom painted top cover

SPECIAL THANKS FROM THE OWNER: Justin would like to thank his wife Jessica, Jack Martin and Ryan Albers for helping with the truck.

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