Killer 1978 Chevy C10 Features 740 HP LS7 and Sequential Gearbox
This wicked 1978 Chevy C10 was already built to the max, but it’s latest owner reimagined things with some serious mechanical upgrades.
Given how incredibly popular the Chevy C10 range of pickups has been for many years to this point, it’s no surprise that we continue to see impressive custom examples of that model on a regular basis. Given the quality of C10 builds we’ve come across over the years, it’s getting more and more difficult to stand out from that pack, but skilled builders continue to top themselves, over and over. The latest example of that phenomenon comes to us in the form of this wicked 1978 Chevy C10.
This Chevy C10 was featured in a recent video from the YouTube channel AutotopiaLA, and it was built by the folks at Level 7 Motorsports a few years ago. It was later purchased by the new owner, Brian Crofts, who has since performed a ton of upgrades to the vintage pickup. When reinventing this particular build, Crofts had a few goals in mind – he wanted the perfect shop truck and daily, with a focus on both power and handling.
Underneath the yellow and white exterior of this 1978 Chevy C10, there are boatloads of impressive mechanicals that help it achieve – and perhaps exceed – those goals. The full No Limit Engineering Level 7 spec chassis was custom-widened by Rob at No Limit to accommodate a specific wheel and tire fitment, while also maintaining a low, aggressive stance that the pickup had to begin with, which forms a strong basis for what powers it.
That is a naturally-aspirated 446 cubic-inch LS7 V8 built by Don Hardy, something that Crofts was admittedly looking for in place of some forced-induction unit. He wanted to keep things “all motor,” which is totally understandable, but he isn’t trading off much in terms of output in this case, either. Rather, this special mill churns out an impressive 740 horsepower, which is more than enough to make a vintage truck scoot.
To help get that power to the ground, this Chevy C10 utilizes an independent front suspension on its custom chassis, as well as hydraulic JRI ride-height adjustable shocks to better carve up corners. Other than that, it’s just a super-clean and impressive build, everywhere you look – from those beefy mechanicals to the perfectly shaved engine bay and custom interior – making this one of the coolest C10s we’ve seen in a long time.
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