HOME TOWN HERO | CALVIN ANDREW’S C4-INSPIRED C-10

There’s nothing wrong with buying a brand-new truck and immediately modifying it into a show truck; just like there’s nothing wrong with buying a project someone else started and finishing it. But there is a feeling that can’t be recreated when you own something for most of your life and develop it to its highest potential over time. That’s exactly what Calvin Andrews of Ohio has done with his beautiful blue C-10.

Calvin was only 15 when he bought the truck from his dad’s coworker. It had been stripped down to a rolling frame with just the cab and straight-six bolted up. Several trailer loads of parts were left for Calvin and his father to pick up before they had the “complete” truck. Once the truck was reassembled, Calvin drove it throughout high school and beyond. It went through a few different looks as he got older and as his tastes changed, but none of the changes affected the truck as much as those that began in fall 2011.

Calvin decided to tear the truck down to replace the cab corners and rocker panels. It was that relatively minor change that sparked his biggest truck project to date. Calvin’s grandfather donated a Corvette C4 suspension, Calvin enlisted the help of James at Ames Fabrication, and the build was on. The crew began by building a full round-tube chassis. The chassis was a monumental undertaking demanding endless hours of measuring, cutting and welding before it was complete. Next, they shortened the bed and raised the bed floor to accommodate the new stance and equipment he wanted to run.

Having already used so many C4 Corvette parts, why even consider doing anything other than an LS swap? So Calvin didn’t and went with a 2005 LS2 with home-built custom valve covers. He wanted to go beyond the “average LS swap bay,” so Calvin had the firewall and trans-tunnel recessed, resulting in a gorgeous and unusual tuck effect on the back of the block. To retain the classic C-10 look he went with a set of 18-inch Raceline Burst 5 billets with staggered tire sizes in the front and back, staying away from the large-diameter wheel many builds lean towards these days. After the bumpers were tucked and fitted, the bed was shortened, the homemade 18-gallon aluminum gas tank was installed and all of the panel gaps were narrowed 1⁄8 inch. Then the truck was ready for the final touches.

After much deliberation and help from Don and Ben at DJ’s Auto Upholstery, Calvin decided that he wanted a subtle, classy interior to coincide with the exterior paint. He chose bone white leather with diamond-stitched stone-colored suede centers. After building matching door panels, custom curly maple was used for the center console, top of the console and the truck bed flooring. Steve Newell at H & H Auto Body put the cherry on top with Mediterranean Blue metallic paint laid down smoother than the sea itself. The truck left the booth looking better than it did when it rolled off the production line.

After 13 years of ownership, Calvin never dreamed his truck could look so classy, but he couldn’t be happier. He’d like to send a special thank you to James Ames for the fabrication, chassis, bodywork and endless hours of garage time; Steve Newell for the paint and polish; Jake, KJ and Clay Andrews for endless parts runs; and everyone else who has helped him along the way.