The ’83 Squarebody that Pulled $228k at a Mecum Auction this past January
Editors Note: Shortly after the following story was written, this ’83 Squarebody was sold at a Mecum Auction in January 2023 for a staggering $228,250. Information on the new owner is unknown to Fuel Curve, so the story will remain as written prior to the trucks’ sale.
Chris Rhodes had his first Chevy C10 pickup right when he got his license. It was an ’86 model, similar in design to his ’83 squarebody model seen here that scored a finalist spot for the Goodguys 2022 LMC Truck of the Year Late running during the Lone Star Nationals. Besides being built in the same decade, the two trucks are galaxies apart.
This soothing Pale Adobe/Golden Bronze C10 was originally a collaboration between Jeff Volker of Volker Auto Body and Josh Hart of Hart Fab. Chevy truck fans in the know will recognize those names as well as the truck from other shows or social media. Eventually, the truck came up for sale and Chris was in the right place at the right time and lucky enough to bring it to his home in east Texas.
Josh started with the stock short bed frame, which was shaved and boxed. Porterbuilt suspension components were incorporated front and rear, along with an AccuAir system to achieve the perfect stance over the 22-inch Billet Specialties Turbine wheels. The narrowed 12-bolt rearend houses Moser axles capped with a pair of Wilwood 14-inch rotors and six-piston calipers.
Power comes from a 418c.i. LS3 built by Sam Phillabaum Performance, where the added bore and stroke, combined with a Whipple Supercharger, produces over 650 horsepower. The engine is surrounded by a stunning array of custom panels by Hart Fab starting with a functional air inlet formed over the radiator support ending at the inlet of the Whipple. The firewall and inner fender panels are icing on the cake and the modifications flow to the exterior, where Jeff Volker worked his body talents to perfect every gap and panel along with narrowing and recessing the bumpers, smoothing the tailgate, and finishing the bed before laying down the perfect two-tone hues.
Once Chris got the truck home, he had the interior updated at MTI Designs in College Station. This included custom bucket seats and a console, all wrapped in two-tone brown leather for added cruising comfort and style. The factory dash panel is filled with Dakota Digital instruments and a Vintage Air HVAC system along with an Ididit tilt column. The interior has the feel of a classic C10 yet is totally refined to meet today’s trick truck expectations.
This truck is a long way from Chris’s first Chevy pickup and even the ’66 and ’70 Blazers that followed. Now that the ’83 squarebody is in Texas, we’re sure it’ll see a lot more miles on the open highways and at other events in the coming years.
Photos by John Jackson
