Bryan's 1965 Chevy "C40"
Bryan’s C40 is one of those builds where we didn’t want to just restore an old truck, we wanted to completely rethink what a C10 could be. The name C40 came pretty naturally. It’s still a C10 at heart, but now it’s sitting on 40-inch tires, so C40 it is.
What makes this truck even cooler is the story behind it. Bryan’s dad bought this truck brand new in 1965. That means this isn’t just another old Chevy that we found and turned into a custom — it’s been part of Bryan’s family for generations. There’s a lot of history and memories tied to this truck, and that was something we wanted to preserve while taking the build to a completely different level.
The goal was never to make it look like a brand-new truck. We wanted to keep the character and soul of the original C10 while building everything underneath it to handle what we were asking it to do.
We took a classic ’65 C10 and completely reworked it into something that looks at home cruising the street or tearing through the desert. The stance, suspension, drivetrain, wheels and tires were all designed around one idea — build something that looks completely insane but is still a real truck that you can actually use.
The end result is a C10 that still carries the same history Bryan’s dad brought home in 1965, but with a whole new attitude.
This truck started with the classic Chevrolet C40 body and a stock frame, but pretty much everything underneath it was re-engineered around the vision for the finished truck. David Chappelle designed and engineered the heavily modified factory frame, turning what started as a stock C10 chassis into a purpose-built piece of engineering that could support the power, suspension travel, and overall size of this truck. The frame became a huge part of the build itself, with extensive fabrication throughout and every detail designed around how the truck needed to perform.
Power comes from an LSA engine backed by a 6L80 transmission and Atlas transfer case. That combination gives the C40 modern power and drivability while providing the drivetrain strength and gearing needed to take advantage of the suspension and chassis underneath it.
The suspension is where this truck really separates itself. Dave built a complete long-travel setup using trophy-truck-style trailing arms and a custom link-bar system, with Fox coilovers and triple-bypass shocks controlling the suspension. Dynatrac axles provide the heavy-duty foundation, giving the truck the strength to handle the combination of horsepower, suspension travel, and 40-inch tires.
Getting 40s under a C10 wasn’t as simple as throwing on a bigger set of wheels and tires. We stretched and reworked the wheel openings to properly accommodate the 40-inch Nitto tires and the amount of suspension travel this truck was designed around. The body modifications were integrated into the truck so the larger tires look like they belong there instead of looking like an afterthought. There is extensive fabrication throughout the truck, including a heavily reworked engine bay and a custom-fabricated bed that ties the entire build together.
Inside, we wanted the same level of craftsmanship as the chassis. The cab received a full custom interior finished in Apex Leather, with Dakota Digital gauges bringing modern functionality to the vintage dash and Vintage Air keeping the truck comfortable. Every part of the interior was designed to complement the rest of the truck instead of simply making it look like an old truck with a few modern parts added.
The finished C40 is exactly what we set out to build—a classic heavy-duty Chevrolet with the soul of the original truck and the capability, engineering, and craftsmanship of a modern custom. From the modified factory frame and trophy-truck-inspired suspension to the LSA power, Dynatrac axles, Fox shocks, 40-inch Nittos, and completely custom interior, this truck was built from the ground up around one vision.
