A Squarebody That’s White, Black, and Cool All Over – Armando Encinas’ 1985 Chevy C10
Mesa is the third largest city in the sweltering state of Arizona. Just east of Phoenix, Armando Encinas and his wife Liz live in the bountiful southwest sunshine with their two children. A construction company owner by trade, Armando has a thing for old squarebody pickups. Although his love of GM trucks is shared by many, his 1985 Chevy C10 is far from ordinary. We caught up with him and his truck at the Griot’s Garage Colorado Nationals and we were intrigued.
Let’s take a look back at the now-legendary square body before we dive in. General Motors’ 1973-87 pickups are a pivotal chapter in the history of American trucks. This era of Chevrolet and GMC hay haulers was a chunky departure from the previous generation’s design. The new models featured a more angular and boxy appearance, hence the squarebody nickname. Their recent rise in popularity was due in part to skyrocketing prices of 1967-72 GM trucks for enthusiasts, and now squarebodies are just as hot. The trucks were known for their durability and versatility, and they sold like hotcakes back in the day. General Motors produced millions of them over the 14-year production run.
“My dad had a 1987 Silverado, and I loved it,” Armado tells us. “As I got older. I turned my love into an active pursuit of one I could call my own. One of my employees told me he had a 1985 Chevy C10 square body for sale. It was rough but I saw the potential. It was a relatively rust-free Arizona truck, and I scooped it up.” The truck was a roller when Armando bought it, essentially a blank slate and a solid foundation for the build of his dreams.
From there, Armando and Black Wolves Garage transformed this C10 into a black, gray, and white strobe light beauty. GM made some funky trim packages back in the day with monikers like Scottsdale, Silverado, and Cheyenne sporting two-tone paint and colorful tape stripes. Armando’s truck pays homage to that old-school cool with a gradient, colorblind tribute.
The truck rides on a modified factory frame with GSI front and rear suspension clips and was modified to lay on the ground. To help further with the low-down look, the truck is running Airlift air ride to really dial it down into the weeds. Along with the modern suspension, the truck has rack-and-pinion steering, plus sticky Wilwood disc brakes. Armando chose big U.S. Mags all the way around, 22x9s up front and 22x12s in the back.
Under the hood is a 6.0-liter LS V8 built by Arizona High Test belting out 520hp. The mill is running a Holley Sniper EFI, Ultimate headers, and a Borla stainless steel exhaust. An eight-speed 8L60 sends the ample twist of the mighty LS to the rear wheels.
With a sturdy foundation in place, the truck went to the automotive equivalent of charm school. The crew at Black Wolves Garage worked their magic and smoothed the firewall, cowl, and bumpers. The bed was raised, the gas filler was relocated behind a taillight, and a flush windshield and rear glass were installed. Last but not least, custom inner fenders were installed, and the tailgate was lathered up and shaved smooth.
With the metalwork on the 1985 Chevy C10 squared away, Armando was tasked with choosing a color scheme. “I spent so many hours looking at color wheels and paint chips,” he says. “I darn near went crazy.” The result was a two-tone black and white scheme with a tri-tone strip for delineation. The charcoal wheels and grille tie it all together, and the horizontal black and white paint bisecting the truck visually lowers it as well.
Inside the once-workaday interior, almost every surface has been touched with premium materials. Fesler USA provided unfinished seats and door panels which were then stitched up in Apex material by Medina Interior Designs. The dash is covered in leather with Dakota Digital gauges and Vintage Air. The custom console houses air ride controls, cup holders, and a Lokar shifter. We especially like the geometric designs on the door panels and seat inserts, and the way the interior plays off the exterior.
“I have fond memories of my dad’s old Silverado, and it was a real highlight to take him for a ride in the new truck,” Armando says, “this time with him in the passenger seat.”
The truck causes a ruckus wherever it goes and for now, Armando and Liz are living the dream cruising their 1985 Chevy C10 around the Grand Canyon State. Be sure and keep your eyes peeled at Southwest Goodguys shows for a peek at Armando’s black-and-white wonder.
Photos by Terry Lysak and Todd Ryden