Wally’s World | 1968 Chevy C-10 Utility

Chris Hamilton . March 04, 2020 . C10 Builders Guide

Save ArticleLogin to save it

Do you ever wake up some mornings wondering, “How did that truck end up in my driveway?” We can imagine that might have happened to Keith Stephens, who went from casually window-shopping on 67-72chevytrucks.com to picking up this ’68 Chevy C-10 service truck located halfway across the country.

It’s not like most people go looking for a service truck (of all things) to ’bag, but sometimes you just see something that screams, “Build me!” Before you know it, you’re on the phone talking to some guy from Walla Walla, Washington, and figuring out the logistics of getting your new toy to your house. Equipped with the factory 307 and four-speed, Keith left well enough alone for the time being and just drove the truck while he got busy collecting the parts he’d need to bring his vision to life.

Now, if that ’68 on the car hauler looks familiar, it might be because it was featured in the October 2015 issue of Street Trucks. Keith learned a lot from building that and previous trucks, so he incorporated some tried-and-true methods on his utility truck. He kept things tame compared to previous builds, choosing to retain the factory front cross member (with ’bags and drop spindles, of course) and added a Porterbuilt Level 1 rear air suspension kit with 2-inch lowering blocks.

Having had stellar experiences with Accuair in the past, he installed a full Accuair air management system on Wally this time as well. (Yes, the truck is named Wally after the town of Walla Walla from which it came.) Keith wanted something modern yet understated for rolling stock, so he ordered a set of off-white Mobsteel smoothies—20 inches in size—with Nitto tires adding grip to the ground. The wheels still needed something to set them off just right, so he found some utilitarian-looking 1954 Chevy dog dish caps and snapped them on for the perfect finishing touch.

Everything might look nice and stock, but you might be surprised. The bench seat has been lowered for more room, and the gauges are actually aftermarket electronic units from Dakota Digital. That steering wheel, although GM in origin, is actually from a 1969 Camaro, making for a period-perfect mod that looks great and complements the Lokar shifter.

That whole time the ol’ 307 was still doing its thing, just as it had been for 47 years. But, as you might expect, the old dog (and its loyal four-speed companion) was tired and needed to rest. After cleaning up and detailing the greasy engine bay, a 5.3L Vortec engine and 4L60E automatic were dropped in between the fender wells. Keith added some goodies to the new power plant, like Camaro LS3 headers, a custom air intake tube and a custom Magnaflow exhaust, while the tranny got a floor-mounted Lokar shifter. James Krager from LSTuner then stepped in for a bit and tuned the engine and trans for optimum power and performance while maintaining reliability.

Keith really went the extra mile under the hood, making sure everything was spotless before swapping in the 5.3L engine that uses Dirty Dingo engine mounts for an easy transition from old to new.

Since Keith would be spending most of his time with Wally behind the wheel, he wanted things to be as comfortable and simple as possible inside the cab. A lowered factory bench seat provides ample cushion, and a 1969 Camaro steering wheel provides a classy, yet sporty factory upgrade in front of the Dakota Digital VHX gauge setup. Best of all is the Vintage Air climate control unit, which keeps Keith comfortable year round.

Now, that’s a unique place for an Accuair air management system. Of course, most trucks we feature don’t have shelves, but we can’t think of a better or more accessible spot.

Keith really did plan to use the C-10 as a work truck, so he left the exterior pretty much as is, except for a fresh chrome front bumper. The truck still wears its original code 503 Light Green paint, proudly demonstrating a long history of service.

Now that Wally is back on the road, its seeing a fair amount of towing duty, pulling Keith’s other ’68, Tiffany, to shows across Texas, but it can also be found just putting around the neighborhood running errands. If we were Keith, we’d be driving it full-time anywhere we had the chance. Grocery store? Check. Dropping off the kids at school? Check. Late night fast food run? Double check. After all, how often do you see a

‘bagged utility truck rolling around?

Build Specs

Keith Stephens
1968 Chevy C-10 Utility
Rowlett, TX
Relaxed Atmosphere

Engine & Transmission:
2005 5.3L GM Vortec
Dirty Dingo Slider LS engine swap mounts

Engine painted Rally Silver

Custom air intake tube with K&N filter

2010 Camaro LS3 headers

Custom stainless Magnaflow exhaust

PSI wiring kit

LSTuner engine and transmission tune

Custom aluminum radiator

4L60E automatic transmission