Howie Kendrick’s ’65 C10 “Ruth” is a Grand Slam
During a 15-year career in Major League Baseball, Howard “Howie” Kendrick hit 127 home runs, including one grand-slam bomb that lifted his team – the Washington Nationals – to a playoff victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers. That hit put his team in the National League Championship Series.
As a player, Howie Kendrick spent time catching ground balls, pop flies, and line drives. Now that he’s been retired a few years, he’s caught the custom truck bug. And as you might expect, he’s hit another grand slam with his ’65 Chevy pickup. Howard turned to Jason Noel of Fat Fender Garage in Gilbert, Arizona, to create this stunning blue Chevy C10, and the crew there delivered an all-star custom build.
The truck’s foundation is a full chassis and suspension from GSI Machine and Fabrication. The all-new frame includes a contemporary IFS, four-bar rear suspension, air springs front and rear, and 14-inch Wilwood disc brakes on all four corners. Custom carbon fiber wheels from Avant Garde Luxury Wheels are wrapped in Pirelli rubber.
The body received the requisite smoothing, including shaved emblems and precision gaps before the custom-blend blue metallic paint was applied at Fat Fender Garage. The tucked bumpers, grille, door handles, and trim were all finished in satin gray to contrast the glossy blue body. The wood bed floor was raised to accommodate the rear suspension.
This Chevy has a powerful swing thanks to a supercharged crate LSA 6.2-liter V8 that cranks out 750 horsepower. A GM 6L80 automatic transmission handles the gear-changing tasks, guiding power to the 3.70 gears in the rear axle. Ultimate Headers and a Magnaflow exhaust system steer the exhaust gases. A Concept 1 accessory drive system and a Wizard cooling system complete the power package. Fat Fender’s craftsmen created the custom engine cover as well as the custom inner fender panels surrounding the engine.
The interior is also the work of Fat Fender Garage’s team and wears yards of orange Hydes leather to contrast the blue exterior. The diamond-stitched upholstery covers a modified original bench seat and custom side panels. A custom dash pad tops the massaged dash that houses Dakota Digital RTX gauges and a flat-screen monitor to control the Restomod Air-conditioning system and other electronic needs. A Sparc Industries steering wheel sits on a Flaming River tilt column. Coach Controls provided the wiring components, and the 58-year-old truck now features a new-school keyless ignition.
According to the Fat Fender crew, Howie calls the truck Ruth after his grandmother who helped raise him. She obviously did a great job, and the truck is a fitting tribute to her in addition to being a home-run custom.
Photos by Steven Bunker
