LS swapped ’71 GMC Cheyenne

Jon Hansen . June 27, 2022 . C10 Builders Guide

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Marty Green’s Super Cheyenne Pulls All the Stops

Sometimes childhood memories stick with us and affect us more than we even realize, especially as we grow older. From things as large as trips and experiences growing up, to even just a brief sight or even a specific toy, sometimes the smallest things can shape who you are and what you want as you grow older. In this case, for our friend Marty Green, it was the memory of a work truck his father drove when he was a child.

Marty is no newbie to custom cars and trucks and has built some incredible machines through the years, but he was admittedly new to the C10 scene and itching to jump right into the deep end.

“My father had a truck like this brand new when I was young that he used for his propane business,” says Green, and that memory definitely had a lasting impact on Marty as we see all these years later.

More Power

Marty is no newbie to custom cars and trucks and has built some incredible machines through the years, but he was admittedly new to the C10 scene and itching to jump right into the deep end. After hunting and looking around for the right fit for a while, the opportunity came at the Goodguys show in Charlotte. Marty came across a spotless, all original big block truck and knew he had to have it as his own. He and the owner of the truck came to an agreement, and the pickup came back to Ohio with Marty, now the proud owner.

The super clean look and feel of Marty’s build is further complemented by the retro-styled bedwood floor with No Limit billet gas cap addition.

On his way home with the truck, he made a pit stop and see his friend Chris Porter of Porter’s Toy Barn. Marty originally only stopped by to show his friend the Chevy and have him fix a few small details on the truck – but we all know how this goes, right? One thing led to another, and Marty ended up riding in a LSA-powered C10 build, and it kinda ruins the whole “big block thing” for him permanently. To put it in the words of Tim Taylor from “Home Improvement,” Marty needed “More Power” *cue three grunts*. With that, Marty and his friend Chris Porter were off to the races, figuratively at least.

Pro-Touring Prepped

Now there are plenty of you reading this right now who are outraged that someone would remove a flawless big block from an all original C10, but hey, turns out it’s not your truck. From the beginning, what started as a “let’s fix a few small details and just do an LS swap” for Marty’s 1971 Cheyenne, ended up snowballing into a full-on custom build, chassis and all. It took some time and plenty of planning, but the two buddies agreed that a Pro-Touring driving yet stock-looking build was the direction they would take the truck.

A staggered set of Budnik 20-inch wheels with the stopping power of a full set of Wilwood brakes on all four corners behind them ensured that Marty would be able to have full control of all that power that he would be putting to the ground.

Not exactly sure what a Pro-Touring style truck consists of? Well, let me tell you. First, a built-up high performance ZL1 Camaro Supercharged 6.2L LSA V-8 in the bay, sitting on a No Limit Engineering frame set up for coilovers and a 4-link rear end. Set up and tuned for auto-crossing, everything about this Cheyenne was built to be driven, and driven hard. A staggered set of Budnik 20-inch wheels with the stopping power of a full set of Wilwood brakes on all four corners behind them ensured that Marty would be able to have full control of all that power that he would be putting to the ground.

Now imagine how ideal this setup is with a spotless original body bolted back on top of it all, with a simple yet gorgeous red leather interior to enjoy it from… even the purists cannot be mad at this one. Well done Marty and team, well done indeed!

Build Specs

OWNER

Marty Green

1971 Chevrolet C10 Cheyenne Super
Malvern, Ohio

Chassis/Suspension

No Limit Engineering frame
Complete Pro-Tech coilover chassis
Ridetech coilovers
No Limit Engineering splined sway bar
4-link rear
No Limit Engineering rack and pinion
Wiring harness hidden in frame
No Limit Engineering fuel tank
Powdercoated in satin black
Set up for auto-cross competition
Moser 9-inch
3:55 Tru Loc Posi
Rear assembly built by Vickers Transmissions in Akron, Ohio
Shop build by Porter’s Toy Barn

Engine/Trans

2012 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 6.2L V-8 LSA Supercharged
Circle D billet torque converter
2,600 stall speed
Derale transmission cooler w/ 10 inch with fan under bed
3.5-inch steel drive shaft with 1350 U-joints (built by Janis Transmissions Akron, Ohio)
Speartech LSX engine harness
Griffin LS radiator
Aeromotive A1000 in-tank pump with 8an lines
LS9 camshafts
Machined LSA lid
Fast 90 injectors
Speed and Performance headers
Billet Specialties hidden coil valve cover adapters
Holley Vintage valve covers
Wegner Motorsports accessories
Engine and blower smoothed and painted
Zl1 intercooler
Built By Porter’s Toy Barn & Kovalyk Motorsports
2.5” Stainless Exhaust with Borla proXS Mufflers from Street Machinery