Over the last several weeks, Eric Conner and his crew at SoCal Suspension have been working to put the finishing touches on the newest addition to their stable of creations–a 1966 Chevy C10. Eric’s ‘66 will double as both shop truck and an exhibition of his businesses’ skills as a regional leader in suspension and chassis work.

According to Eric, “The truck was originally a project started for a customer. After he’d lost some interest I’d purchased it from him and quickly got to work. The ‘66 was primarily built during after hours by the shop crew and myself.”

The pervading theme of this truck is to showcase and bring focus to the engineering that went into the project, which is oftentimes overshadowed by aesthetics, such as a bold paint job. Because of this, Eric compromised and found a way to deliver a build that was still aesthetically pleasing, but didn’t detract from appreciating the quality of suspension and frame modification.

“We sanded down the glassy-red finish in some areas, added a matte clear for protection, and topped the doors off with vintage-inspired shop logos. The inside of the bed, cab, and engine bay all remain glossy. I did this to draw a viewer’s attention to the details found, not only on the exterior of the truck, but the interior and chassis as well,” Eric explained. He continued, “My past builds have always been known for their astounding show-quality paint jobs. This, being a true work truck driven by me and my guys, we opted to go a different route by preserving its weathered features.”

To expand on this Eric confessed, “I’m just tired of people’s appreciation stopping at the paint job of a vehicle. Being a shop that prides itself on being a leader in suspension and framework, we wanted to stray away from that. I wanted to build something that would draw people’s focus on the performance and structure of the truck; the passion and detail that often gets tucked away, covered, or goes unnoticed.”

The ’66 features a solid array of performance upgrades that give it both style and stout-functionality. Front suspension includes a custom drop member, tubular upper control arms, drop spindles, a disc brake conversion, and custom heim steering. Rear suspension features a custom triangulated 4-link, step notch, fuel cell, and shaved and smoothed frame rails. A tried and true 350 ci small-block Chevy paired with a 700R4 keep things moving and leave the guys at SoCal Suspension assured that they’re driving a vehicle that will get the job done.

The interior of the ’66, performed by Armando of Lindy’s Upholstery, features a black and red double weave carpet. The seat, kick panels, and door panels are all wrapped in black leather. The dashboard was fabricated out of sheet metal and features a clean set of AutoMeter white face gauges.

Eric closed by saying, “I wanted to display the work and ability of my shop and have people respect the truck for more than just a vehicle with an eye-catching paint job. Instead, I tried using the paint to direct the eye towards the ingenuity and engineering that often gets overlooked.”