Howard Smith Wanted a Simple, Clean, and Cool 1967 GMC – and He Got It
Growing up right down the street from the famous US30 Dragway in York, Pennsylvania, Howard Smith was introduced to the world of hot rodding at an early age. In fact, he and his friends were caught sneaking into the track so many times that they were eventually put to work during the digs, which gave them an up-close and behind-the-scenes perspective as dragsters, Funny Cars, and Gassers blasted down the former airstrip.
Over the years Howard has had a number of cool cars, including a ’46 Pontiac, ’64 Stude and a ’48 Anglia. From hardcore racing through the wild street machine and show circuits, he’s been there and seen that, so when it came time for his 1967 GMC project, he thought he’d dial it back a little bit. His plan was to lean on simplicity blended with vintage truck appeal.
To handle the build, Howard reached out to his friend at Jon Schuchart Customs. The two men discussed the project and how Howard wanted it to be free of bling yet still have some modern nuances, while Jon envisioned the right stance with subtle details that would enhance the factory styling. They were on the same page from the beginning and Jon got busy by stripping the truck down to the frame.
The stock chassis was retained but accented with a FatMan Fabrications front suspension and efficient rack-and-pinion steering. Out back, a set of parallel leaf springs was used to secure a new 9-inch rearend filled with Moser axles and 3.50:1 gears. Favoring the less-is-more mantra, drum brakes were retained in the rear with a set of sensibly sized discs added to the front.
With the majority of freshly built C10s these days, one expects to see an LS series engine under the hood. That just wasn’t in Howard’s plan. The EFI is present but it’s in the form of a RamJet 350, a popular gen-2 small-block from Chevrolet Performance. The cast aluminum intake harkens back to the early mechanical injection systems of the late-’50s, except this engine produces a stout 350 horsepower and plenty of torque. It’s coupled to a TCI-prepped 200-R4 overdrive transmission that keeps the rpms low on the highway.
In keeping with his goal of vintage simplicity, the engine block was painted classic Chevy orange and a set of script valve covers were installed. TruRam exhaust manifolds were sourced from Speedway Motors and direct the fumes through a 2.25-inch stainless exhaust with Porter mufflers providing a subtle, smooth note. A March serpentine accessory drive was used to help ease steering effort and to spin the Vintage Air compressor. The engine bay was completely smoothed and detailed before being sprayed in Cessna Green PPG paint, which also covers the entire body of the truck.
The interior is also a textbook example of simplicity, but that doesn’t mean giving up modern luxuries. The dash was smoothed over, yet the stock radio position, vents and HVAC controls were retained (though there’s a hidden Custom Autosound audio system). The ignition and light switches were put into hiding, yet sharp eyes will notice the power window switches to control the one-piece side glass. A set of Classic Instruments are housed in a custom dash assembly that was built from an old glovebox door and a tilt-equipped Flaming River column is topped with a ’70s-era steering wheel. Howard retained the original seat and had it finished with a vintage brown houndstooth fabric.
The understated color of the truck fools you into thinking that the exterior is pretty much stock, so you might miss the filled cowl vents and bed stake mounts. The 1967 GMC grille was also treated to a smoothing as well as the bolt-free, tucked-in bumpers, which were painted an off-white shade known as Fort Knox Safe Company White to match the top of the cab. The only chrome flair on this classic truck are the stock door handles and GMC center caps mounted to the 17-inch artillery wheels from Wheelsmith.
Sometimes simplicity trumps over-the-top, which is exactly what Howard planned – and accomplished!
Photos by John Jackson & Todd Ryden
