Blog – Wicked Rods & Customs

1970 Chevy C10

1957 Chevy Pickup

If there’s any car that’s capable of tapping into the passion of someone who grew up in the 1970s, it’s the Chevy Chevelle—including Wicked co-owner Chuck Anderson, who had to get his hands on this classic. The original plan for this “10-footer” (looked pretty good from 10 to 15 feet away) called for making it a daily driver, but it didn’t take long for Anderson to decide on a new paint job. And when a good sanding revealed everything from pounds of Bondo to chicken wire, it was only a matter of time before this one was headed for sand blasting and a complete makeover.

Before

Starting from scratch, Wicked technicians added all new body panels, including new quarters, fenders and doors. Next, they pulled off the impossible by shaving down its drip rails to such perfection that you’d never know they were there to begin with. The front and rear bumpers were cut down and drawn in, along with custom integrated lights and a new front grill, in order to give this car a sleekness that’s both coming and going. (Though, most cars are only going to get a good look at the back end of it and only for a short distance.) In the end, about the only thing that’s original on this car is its roof and floor, which were in surprisingly good shape. Now, everything from the under-carriage to the floorboards look like they just left the factory floor.

Mechanically, the car was in sound shape and ready to be driven, but, “One thing just leads to another,” Anderson says. To go with its sleek, new road-touring appearance, this Chevelle’s 454 engine is bored and stroked out to 496 cubic inches, while being outfitted with new cams and a bigger carburetor to take it from roughly 280 to a whopping 600 horsepower. Meanwhile, a new Tremec five-speed transmission and Detroit Speed road touring suspension make it drive and handle along the lines of a modern Corvette—a far cry from how it handled in the 70s.

The goal was to give this Chevelle a completely unique look and feel, while staying within the parameters of its original makings. At a glance, there’s no mistaking that you’re looking at a 1970 Chevelle. But up close, its uniqueness blew the judges away at Goodguys North Carolina National (2016 in Raleigh), netting it the All-American Award. Meanwhile, Chuck Anderson says don’t be surprised to see fuel injection coming soon, because a Wicked ride isn’t Wicked until it’s truly reached its limits.

After

1955 Chevy 210

Looks can be deceiving. Especially when it comes to what rolls out of Wicked Rods & Customs\’ workshop and this 1955 Chevy 210 proves it. (Though, we use the label ’55 loosely.) Winning a Steel the Show Award at a Goodguys North Carolina National is no small feat, but this car did it.

When the owner found this ’55 hard top, he spotted an opportunity to relive a teenage experience. There was just one issue: Requirements of the modern road and lifestyle have, well, changed a tad since the 1950s. But that’s where Wicked comes in.

Before

After somewhere between 20 to 30 years in a garage, this car was in pretty good shape, but in order to completely redesign it from the ground up, Wicked’s technicians had to strip it down to ground zero. (Because, after all, that’s the only way to do it.) After pulling the body off, they started by adding a brand new Art Morrison frame, pairing it with a pro-touring suspension system—every piece of which is absolutely brand new and hand selected. Next, the old engine was swapped out with a modern LS-3, that just so happens to produce 425 horsepower (a far, far cry from the original) and bolted to a 465e transmission. A new, custom rack-and-pinion steering system and four-wheel disc brakes make this car drive and stop like a modern dream.

This 210 features a fully custom paint tone, but inside and out strictly maintains its original appearance, including whitewall tires and hubcaps, and a stock interior (that’s been heavily updated, however). Traditional old-school, Delray upholstery and a classic Bel Air steering wheel offer slight departures from the original 210 styling, but in a way that even a hard pressed Chevy historian would find difficult to pinpoint. When you turn the key, however, you’ll notice a radical departure from the 1950s. First, it’s been outfitted with modern air conditioning. And while the gauges look traditional, they’re actually Dakota Digital. Meanwhile, original window cranks no longer require any muscle to move, but now serve as tip actuators for full power windows. Lastly, behind the glove box lies a remote stereo system that includes such things as USB ports, Bluetooth technology and every imaginable feature.

This car’s owner turned to Wicked in order to recreate his teenage years with a modern twist. Now, the only addition he’s aiming to make is 300,000 miles to the odometer after he retires.

After

1970 Chevy C10

Nailing the perfect C10 took Wicked two tries, after the first truck turned out to be loaded with plastic, pop rivets and a hodge podge of frames. But boy was the second time a charm. The project fell close to heart for Wicked co-owner Chuck Anderson, as he did it hand-in-hand with (as well as for) his father-in-law, a long-time restoration buddy and car enthusiast.

This C10 rests as low as she can go, with its Custom American Racing wheels tucked neatly into its wheel wells (all of which were fabricated for this exact effect). But when you turn the key to fire up its 400-cubic-inch engine, a Ridetech air suspension lifts this truck to attention.

Before

After removing the body from its frame for a part-by-part restoration, this Chevy received numerous design changes that make it one of the most unique C10s in existence. The tailgate is welded into the body, for a uniform and boxed appearance, while a set of trailer fenders were bent to form the bed floor, then painted and detailed to look like real wood. A burgundy and silver combination give the body a modern finish that’s smooth like candy, while giant swoops along the truck’s side profiles, trimmed out in an air-brushed chrome edging, give it a classic look that’s reminiscent of a 1953 Buick. A custom grille, exhaust tips that follow the outside of the bed, a bed-mounted gas tank and a retractable antenna that motors out from the old gas flap—all of this truck’s details push the concept of customization to its limits.

As if the outside isn’t enough, the interior of this truck is truly stunning. A one-of-a-kind dash was formed from raw metal and welded into place, then paired with a custom middle console that’s designed to match. Gauge chambers were crafted from tail pipe ends and protrude from the dashboard’s unique curve for a look that both draws you in and stares you down. The seats were completely refurbished in burgundy and black leather, then capped off with a kimono-dragon-style pattern that’s duplicated throughout the full interior. Unbelievable.

“Yeah, we went a little too far with it,” Chuck Anderson jokes.

Which means, by Wicked standards, they got it just right.