Chevrolet Trucks Marks 100 Years With Customized Classic

Vintage C/10 concept carries Centennial theme, features ZZ6 Connect & Cruise system

LAS VEGAS — A customized, classic Chevrolet C/10 pickup is helping the brand celebrate 100 years of building trucks.

The pickup blends classic style with contemporary crate powertrain technology and shares the exclusive color and other heritage cues of 2018 Silverado and Colorado Centennial Edition production models.

'One hundred years and 85 million trucks later, Chevrolet trucks continue to inspire, support and reward through hard work and recreation,' said Sandor Piszar, Chevrolet Trucks marketing director. 'We are celebrating this historic milestone with the customers who have trusted Chevy Trucks for generations.'

A century ago, Chevrolet's first trucks included a half-ton light-duty model and a 1.5-ton commercial vehicle. The modern era of pickups was born with the 1960 introduction of the C/K series, which offered greater passenger comfort and fresh styling. That was largely due to a new independent front suspension that greatly improved the ride and a frame design that allowed the cab to ride lower on it, for a sleeker look.

Chevy's second generation C/K debuted in 1967, with suspension enhancements that provided a smoother ride. It also introduced new styling that, in time, would be revered by hot rodders for its pure, timeless design. That's where Chevy's designers and concept craftsmen started with this project.

Built in-house by Chevrolet, the '67 C/10 started as a long-bed model with a rare big rear window. The frame and cargo box were shortened to give the truck classic short-box proportions. The suspension was also lowered and matched with 20-inch wheels, while the rest of the truck features more styling enhancements — from the smoothed and customized bumpers and tailgate to the brushed trim and custom engine compartment closeouts — than there are pounds-feet of torque churning out of its Chevrolet Performance ZZ6 Small Block crate engine.

The ZZ6, which is rated at 405 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque, is one of approximately 50 Small Block, Big Block LS/LSX and LT crate engines offered by Chevrolet Performance. In this application, it's paired with a 4L65-E electronically controlled four-speed automatic transmission as part of Chevrolet Performance's Connect & Cruise lineup of factory-matched powertrain systems.

Each Connect & Cruise system matches the crate engine with a complementary transmission, as well as the engine and transmission controllers, installation kits and more. There are more than 60 combinations available for all engine families, matching them with manual and automatic transmissions.

Connect & Cruise systems also include E-ROD crate engines that are emissions-compliant for millions of 1996 and older vehicles in California.

'No matter what kind of project you're building, Chevrolet Performance has a crate engine solution to make it work,' said Piszar. 'We've got it all.'

Additional details for the C/10 concept include:

•Centennial Blue exterior with heritage Chevrolet bowtie emblems matching cues for Silverado and Colorado Centennial Edition production models

•Suspension lowered with drop spindles, custom springs and modified original front control arms

•Disc brake conversion with Chevrolet components

•20 x 8.5-inch front and 20 x 10-inch rear forged aluminum wheels

•255/40R20 front and 295/40R20 rear tires

•Raised Chevrolet Centennial bowtie on the bed floor

•Brushed-finish exterior trim

•LED exterior and interior lighting

•Modified instrument cluster with custom gauges

•Modified bench seat with headrests and embossed with the Chevrolet logo

•Interior trimmed in Porcelain White

The C/10 concept joins approximately 20 additional Chevrolet models this week at the SEMA Show, Oct. 31-Nov. 3. Follow the action at ChevySEMA.com, #CHEVYSEMA, @ChevroletPerformance on Instagram and Chevrolet Performance on Facebook.

Photo credit: Chevrolet
posted on conceptcarz.com