Mike Steele’s 1968 C10 Longbed Hauler
When Mike Steele sought the right shop to build his ’68 Chevy C10 longbed pickup, he looked just 50 miles north of his home in Holly Springs, North Carolina to the town of Prospect Hill and L&S Customs, a relatively small shop that turns out big builds.
L&S owner Scott Sheets started working on cars as a 13 year old. After years spent developing a successful auto repair business in Raleigh, he and his wife Laura decided in 2017 to open a shop that would build high-end customs and restorations. Mike’s pickup is a mix of both goals.
In addition to restoring stock sheet metal on the longbed truck, Scott’s team provided an array of custom tweaks that make the Chevy stand out in a crowd. Starting with custom drip rails and deleted wing vents, the work moved to the engine compartment with a smoothed firewall and inner fender panels and a hand-formed engine cover. The pickup’s bed received a wooden floor and a reworked tailgate that includes a custom latch system. Both the front and rear bumpers were smoothed before re-chroming. L&S applied the PPG Atomic Silver paint, as well as the custom-mix brown and white accents.
Power for the vintage C10 longbed hauler comes from a 376c.i. Chevrolet Performance LS3 V8 that produces 435 horsepower. A Billet Specialties accessory drive system and a Be Cool radiator keep the engine cool, while exhaust waste is sent through a pair of Ultimate headers and a Borla stainless exhaust system. A Tremec T-56 manual transmission controlled by a Hurst shifter moves the power to a GM 12-bolt rear end housing 3.73 gears.
The modified chassis features CPP coil-over suspension parts front and rear as well as CPP steering. Six-piston, 14-inch Wilwood disc brakes are mounted on all four corners behind Billet Specialties 20×8- and 22×10-inch wheels wrapped in Pirelli 245/40/20 and 285/40/22 tires.
The interior is a far cry from the basic-but-functional components originally installed back in 1968. Tan leather highlights the upholstery work performed by Pharr’s Custom Auto Trim Shop in Lincolnton, North Carolina. Classic Instruments reside in a stock dash and a Billet Specialties steering wheel tops an Ididit tilt column. An American Autowire system controls the electrical needs and Ringbrothers door handles and pedals add cool finishing touches.
The end result is a cool updated hauler for Mike, and a major award winner for L&S Customs – the shop returned from the Nashville Nationals as a finalist for the Chevrolet Performance GM Iron Builder of the Year award!
Photos by Jason Lubken
