1984 Chevrolet C10 | Problem Child

Tyler Moss’ Hell Raising ’84 C10

It isn’t uncommon for a custom truck project to outgrow all the limits first put in front of it. For example, Tyler Moss of Liberty, West Virginia, had only planned to build his ’84 C10 to be a run-of-the-mill, classic daily driver, which is totally fine. There’s no reason to have to ask for more, obviously, because who doesn’t enjoy seeing a cool “old” 40-year-old truck still cruising around? Even though that end result is not quite what Tyler got, he kept on working toward achieving a goal that suited his ever-changing vision for his truck—whatever that happened to be.

The idea of a quick restoration job left Tyler fulfilled for a while, but as with a great deal of other truck customizers and builders out there, the desire to take the truck further kept weighing on his subconscious.

“My simple idea of making my C10 a daily driver didn’t last too long,” Tyler admits. “But after attending some Goodguys events and seeing other guys having fun in the autocross track with their C10s, I changed my mind into taking the truck further down that path instead.”

Anyone familiar with autocross style racing knows how much of a blast it is, and while Tyler had some fun working toward gearing his C10 up to hang with the other classic trucks in the mix, he ended up going into a different direction before fully committing to the future of his ’84.

“Eventually, I decided move toward the show truck route,” Tyler says about yet another change of plans. “The truck was starting to come out too nice to drive it too hard, and having a family show piece project didn’t sound like a bad idea.”

So with a plan for the truck now laid in concrete, Tyler began searching out a shop to help continue all the work that had already been started over the years. Instead of a basic static drop kit or coilovers, a full Ridetech air-ride suspension was decided upon, and Hat Creek Customs in Salisbury, North Carolina, was recruited to handle the installation. Ridetech drop components, along with a rear 4-link and MUSCLEbar sway bars were added to the list of parts that would bring the C10 closer to the ground. The factory frame was completely smoothed and coated too for the sake of taking full advantage of the entire chassis being blown apart for reconstructive surgery.

Even though Tyler didn’t follow through with completely autocrossing his C10, he did at least select a set of wheels that that have the track at heart. The 20-inch Forgeline GF3 wheels are fully customized, three-piece beauties that have all the technical features to benefit even the most hardcore track stars. Michelin Pilot Super Sport rubber was also selected for the elements these tires offer in the way of enhanced handling and performance stats. There are still parts of the truck’s autocross history that Tyler wasn’t ready to let go of, which makes this C10 that much more cooler and personalized in the long run.

Another race-ready aspect of the truck that is readily apparent is the 383ci stroker engine that Tyler pulled out of his step mom’s ’73 Z28. Luckily, he didn’t let this gem of a mill go to waste, and to help with the process, Dave Poske’s Performance Shop in Parkersburg, West Virginia, cleaned it up and decked it out with some of the finest go-fast goods on the market. The engine must’ve been built during the time Tyler was looking to race his truck, because the amount of products that was thrown at this engine is downright impressive. We weren’t given any dyno results or anything, but surely this truck is able to put down some serious power to the wheels. What a blast this truck must be to drive!

On the exterior, Tyler was just looking to make his truck look classy and clean—“almost” stock, you could even say. With the exception of the widened and raised front and rear inner fenders, a smoothed firewall and custom bed box, the truck maintains a nostalgic two-tone appearance that is ultra familiar and just easy on the eyes. Perry Propst of Hat Creek Customs worked his magic with PPS Poly Blue and Pure White paint and then buried them underneath layers of matte clear for a softer appearance over a glossy shine. Tyler’s C10 was starting to look like a regular show truck but with an understated tone of aggression that should never be provoked—unless you’re looking for trouble.

Inside the cab, things were kept just as clean as the rest of the truck thus far. A comfortable custom bench seat was whipped up and covered in grey and blue Ultraleather fabric to match the exterior paint. Classic Instrument gauges, a Billet Specialties steering wheel and Lokar pedals, door handles and window cranks were then added to dress the interior up a bit, and a set of Nu-Relics power window regulators, motors and stitches were added for sheer convenience.

With the truck pretty much buttoned up, Tyler has cruised it to some shows and has taken home a few awards, along with a whole lot of compliments, which make him think that he ended up doing the right thing with his Chevrolet C10.

“I love the way everything came out,” he says. “From start to finish, it probably took a solid eight years or so to get to this point, and there’s nothing I would’ve done differently. Nothing was easy though, which is why I ended up naming the truck Problem Child. It has lived up to that name over the years—trust me.”

In the end, Tyler found the path his truck was destined to be on, and with some great memories of some great times with it this far in, there’s definitely no looking back. This ’84 Chevrolet C10 is a well-rounded sport truck through and through with a lot going for it in every category. It has the quality and attention to detail of a seasoned show truck with the elements of an adrenaline-fueled street machine. Tyler ended up running with all the things he likes, and it all worked out fine for him. That’s the way these builds should always go, right?

Build Specs

OWNER

Tyler Moss
Liberty, WV
1984 Chevrolet C10

Engine

Shop: Dave Poske’s Performance Shop, Parkersburg, WV
1983 Chevrolet Z28 383ci Stroker engine
Eagle H-Beam 6-inch connecting rods
JE forged pistons w/ sealed power rings
Isky camshaft #201534
Dart Iron Eagle 200 heads
Edelbrock Performer intake
FAST fuel injection XFI Sportsman EFI
Hedman custom coated headers
Kooks stainless mufflers and 2.5-inch pipe
MSD Pro Billet Distributor w/ 6AL ignition
Flex-A-Lite aluminum radiator w/ dual fans
Stewart Components chromoly pushrods
ARP fasteners
8.5mm Super Conductor ignition wires
Powermaster 9600 Mastertorque starter and alternator
TCI Auto-X 4L60E transmission and torque converter
FAST controller
Lokar shifter
Twist Machine paddle shifters

Chassis

Shop: Hat Creek Customs, Salisbury, NC
Factory frame smoothed and coated
Ridetech air suspension components all around, rear 4-link, MUSCLEbar sway bars
Fox shocks
Ford 9-inch rear
Strange Engineering axles, 3.70:1 ring and pinion
Traction-lok differential

Wheels, Tires & Brakes

20×10 and 20×12 Forgeline GF3 wheels
285/35R20 and 335/30R20 Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires
Wilwood disc brakes front and rear
Hydratech Hydroboost brake booster

Exterior

Shop: Hat Creek Customs (Perry Propst), Salisbury, NC
PPG Poly Blue and Pure White with matte clear
GM stock grille and bumpers
Custom wheel well modifications
Widened/raised front inner fenders, widened rear inner fenders, smoothed firewall, custom bed box

Interior

Shop: Hat Creek Customs
Custom bench seat covered in granite and marine blue UltraLeather
Classis Instruments Auto Cross gauges
Billet Specialties steering wheel
Flaming River column
Pioneer AVH-3500-NEX head unit
Lokar pedals, handles and cranks
Vintage Air A/C