If you know anything about the RACE! workshop in Kyalami, South Africa, you’ll know that they aren’t afraid to modify, improve and even chop up some of the most exotic cars you can think of. Lamborghinis, Ferraris, McLarens, Porsches, GT-Rs – they’ve taken grinders to them all.
The RACE! team has the skills – and balls – to make extensive modifications to expensive cars, but what you won’t usually associate them with is old school American trucks.
This pickup was actually inherited from one of RACE!’s customers, and the initial idea was to just make it a bit prettier and do a quick flip. But despite it not being the usual sort of vehicle they work on, the team fell in love with it and quickly devised a plan to build a farm-style shop truck for the buzzing metropolis of Johannesburg.
The canvas is a 1966 Chevrolet C10 Fleetside. I say ‘canvas’ because the first thing you’ll notice about this truck is its patina, which is nothing short of art. And yes, it’s real, not a wrap or faux patina finish.
When RACE! acquired the truck from Cape Town it already looked this way, so finishing off the exterior only required a few signature touches to be applied. A custom ‘RACE! Speed Shop’ insignia was airbrushed onto the doors, and purposely made to look faded and old to fit in with the rest of the bodywork. Then came a chrome delete, with the C10 and Fleetside badges, fuel cap, front bumper and front grille pieces refinished in satin black for a more understated look.
The rear headlights were also blacked-out for continuity.
To bring this old C10 into the 21st century, the original headlights were replaced with a pair of custom Jeep Wrangler LED plus Xenon units.
Then comes the wheels, which by size and design are as modern as they come. The satin black 21-inch Forgiato F-Cinque billet 3-piece wheels are wrapped in 265/30R21 Continental SportContact 6 tyres.
To properly tuck the huge wheel and tyre combo under the Chevy’s arches required a full custom suspension setup. Air-ride was the obvious choice to get the truck at the right height, but also improve the way it rode and handled.
The woeful stock brakes got the chop too, now replaced with a Wilwood 6-pot system in the front. They’re not just for looks either, as under the hood the original six-cylinder is now nowhere to be found.
In its place sits a beefier 350ci small block V8 to give this truck some decent go. In keeping with the fact that this is a cruiser first and foremost, power gets to the rear wheels through a 3-speed automatic transmission.
As Good Inside As OutUnlike the exterior, the interior has been largely overhauled, albeit in a way sympathetic to the C10’s age. The original bench seat was replaced with three seats all recovered in diamond-stitched red leather, chain link door handles were added, as was a billet aluminum steering wheel. The center console houses gauges and switches for the air suspension.
This city-styled farm truck is testament to the custom machines that Marco and his team at RACE! create inside their high-end premises. Usually it’s Liberty Walk-kitted supercars, Novitec N-Largo Ferraris and they like, so this one is really left of field.
That said, shop trucks don’t come much cooler.
Stefan Kotzé
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The Patina on the front left side gradually drops down further forward, It accentuates the rake of the body & suspension. For some reason I cant envision a paint job doing this anywhere as good as the Patina has.....
Whilst this obviously started out as a ratty truck, you can still very easily tell it has been sanded all over to allow different coloured paint layers to come through unnaturally. This patterning is not technically patina, nor is it even natural. It may be that the car was partially sanded back many years ago in preparation for a paint job, then abandoned half way through and left to age to its current state. Patina is an oxidisation that builds up on the surface of the paint, you usually only get it on desert cars. It has a whitish tinge and if you run your hands over it, it will leave imprints. Still looks cool, but I think it would be even better if they hadn't sanded it smooth, though as I mentioned maybe they got it in this state as an abandoned project from years back. The dimples, cracks, crows feet and various surface imperfections like that are are huge part of the appeal of ratty cars. Anyway, I still do like this truck, the interior looks beautiful!
Love classic trucks featured on Speedhunters!
DIg them too, I'd love do daily something like this
Hang on, RHD?? was that done or is that factory?
It's South African. We drive on the correct side of the road in this part of the world.
I'm really loving Stefan Kotze's articles as they feature rides from our side. Awesome.
Hou aan broer.
Dankie meneer. Glad you like it!
You're stories a real pleasure to roll through!
Thanks dude, appreciate it!