PCHRODS C-10R: Chevy C10 Track Truck
Haulin’ takes new meaning with this 1972 C10.
The Pro Touring scene has given new life to most pony cars and hot rods around the world. Camaros, Novas, Chevelles, and other desirable cars now corner nearly as well or even sometimes better than what the General can produce today. However, the problem lies in the fact that these cars are getting harder and harder to find. What’s a future Pro Touring builder to do? Well, get into the truck market. More and more trucks like the Silverado and the classic C/K-series are being built to corner just as well as the best Pro Tourers in the country. One of the best is this 1972 C10 by PCHRODS dubbed the C-10R.
Built by PCHRODS Co-Owner, Rob Phillips, the desire was to build a truck that would not only score high with the engineering section of the Ultimate Street Car Association, but also outperform many modern cars around the road course when driven by Brandy Phillips. That would require a complete overhaul and redesign of the chassis.
The front suspension is handled by Detroit Speed’s 595X suspension with AFCO double-adjustable shocks and Eibach springs. The rear suspension is designed by PCHRODS with custom trailing arms with AFCO shocks and Eibach springs. A Hotchkis rear sway-bar controls rear roll while their anti-squat mounts keep the rear level under acceleration.
The wheels are a set of Intro Wheels three-piece custom units, sized 18×12″, with BF Goodrich Rival S 335/30R18 tires all around. Bringing this truck to a stop is a Baer Brake six-piston front caliper with fourteen-inch rotors up front and a full floating setup on the Currie Pro nine-inch rear end. Inside the carrier is a Yukon Gear 3.89 ratio ring and pinion with their locker to make sure both rear wheels spin with equal force.
If the engine looks a little odd, that’s because it’s set back ten-inches. This makes it front-mid-engined, as the front of that ATK 383 Stoker sits behind the centerline of the front wheels. Doing this improves weight distribution, taking weight off of the front tires to balance out the chassis. That engine also features a set of Trick Flow 225 Gen X heads, Holley EFI and Modular LS intake, Hooker headers, AUTOKRAFT road race oil pan, Magnaflow xxhaust, and “NASCAR ‘Boomtube’” side exit exhaust to produce 600-horsepower and 600-torque to the T56 six-speed transmission.
When running road courses, proper aerodynamics are important even on a flat front end like the C-10R. The PCHRODS front splitter, air damn, and Ciro Racing rear wing function to keep the truck down on the ground at high speeds and has been tested and verified in CFD by Ryan Morrow. Add an aluminum tonneau cover and the truck sticks to the ground better than ever. Though, GM probably never would have imagined that the C10 would be romping around the road course.
The Pro Touring scene isn’t going away anytime soon, and PCHRODS C-10R proves you don’t need a Camaro or Corvette to go fast around the road course. A pickup truck will do just fine and can be built to hang with the best of them or beat them at their own game while still being able to drive home. If you want to be seen on the track with something different, maybe it’s time to start looking for something with a bed.
