By Rob Fortier – Images by NotStock Photography
Up until 1960, General Motors had names for each series of trucks—Art Deco, Advance Design, Task Force—even the second generation C10s received in-house birth names (unbeknownst to me, the ’67-72s were called the “Action Line,” though I believe from there on out, it was/is all consumer-given monikers but I could be wrong … wouldn’t be the first time!). Nevertheless, the first-gen C10 in any form is without a doubt one of my favorites … OG restored, full custom, post-NAPCO 4×4, and especially in hot rod patina form like Walker Zeigler’s ’65 Fleetside!
There’s not much required to make the ’64-66 short wheelbase C10 an attractive cruiser: the right set of wheels (such as the 20-inch Boss five-spokes) tucked in the sheetmetal via the right stance (in this case, courtesy of Michigan Metal Works front suspension, flipped trailing arms, and airbags) and, just as Walker’s Chevy illustrates, you’ve got a definite looker!
Walker, a steamfitter by day, helps his brother Travis and father Edward as owners and operators of Zeigler Fab in Renfrew, Pennsylvania. The ’65 was initially purchased back in 2014 and over the course of the following three years, the trio managed the mild but impactful transformation.
Check it out: Troy Alston’s 1959 Chevy Apache
Along with the chassis mods—which also included CPP disc brakes (managed by a Wilwood master/pedal at each corner)—Walker chose to forgo the LS route and instead opted for a ZZ4 crate engine surrounded by a handmade sheetmetal engine bay and inner wheeltubs. The carbureted V-8 features an in-house custom-fabbed air cleaner and a full stainless exhaust by Hart Fab (using Stainless Works mufflers) along with a column-shifted 700-R4 transmission.
While the exterior is pretty much, well, as-was (the bed, however, features a raised floor and custom wheeltubs), some time was spent inside the cab freshening things up with satin tan paint (with accent pinstriping by Walker) and a customized Bel Air steering wheel before Sew It Seams in Erie, Pennsylvania, whipped up a perfect contemporary interior to finish the Chevy off.
Maybe General Motors chose not to distinguish the first-gen C10s with a proper model/nickname because they realized they’d developed one fine-looking pickup truck, and that was more than enough! Of course that’s my opinion—and I’m sticking to it!
Click on this issue’s cover to see the enhanced digital version of Walker Zeigler’s First-Gen 1965 Chevy C10.
