1968 Chevrolet C-10 Pickup - Big Red

We think it's safe to point out that nearly all of us have completed (or are in the process of completing) at least a few steps of an early pickup resto/rodstoration project. And though we've all turned a wrench or two, tweaking this, replacing that, and generally making a few modifications here and there, there's a large percentage of us that for any number of reasons have never attempted a complete ground-up rebuild.

Well, we all know that someday we will have the opportunity, the ready cash, and the willingness to start a ground-up rebuild. So, to prepare ourselves for just such an event, we contacted the experts at Early Classic Enterprises to see if they'd be willing to give us the lowdown on how to approach a project of this magnitude correctly. The guys had picked a one-owner, all-original, big block-powered '68 Chevy CST short-bed as their subject. It's a relatively rare piece and certainly deserved a complete makeover, and we thought it'd be a perfect truck to follow from start to finish.

So, as you're well aware, we followed the buildup for a hair over a year (starting in the Dec. '00 issue) and got rave reviews and thousands of requests for back issues (from those that for some reason haven't gotten around to subscribing). Well the wait's over and the finished product is here before your eyes. Dave Clark and his crew of classic truck aficionados went out of their way to showcase the correct way to "rodstore" an early Chevy using nearly every component in their huge inventory and the guys certainly hit a homerun. Big Red is one of the finest examples of the rodstoration art you'll ever see, and since the buildup was followed nearly step by step we'll refer you to the series for all the details. Meanwhile, feast your eyes on the finished product, and take heart--your classic pickup has the potential to be just as nice. So get to work!