Shawn Parsons’ 1965 Chevy C10

Photos by Brett Macadam  ome trucks are built to shine. Some are built to drag. And then there are trucks like Yellow Bag that are built to do both but, more importantly, designed to bring back memories. For Shawn Parsons, a general contractor from Creswell, Oregon, this 1965 Chevrolet C10 wasn’t just about horsepower or stance. It was about reconnecting with the kind of truck he grew up around and the kind of truck his grandpa drove. The patina might fool you into thinking it’s just an old farm truck, but the second it lays frame, you realize it’s something much more.

A Nod to the Past

When Shawn was a kid, he remembers his grandpa having a truck just like this. That memory sat in the back of his mind for years until the right opportunity came along. He didn’t want a shiny show truck built with fresh paint and polished billet. He wanted something raw, honest, and true to the era but updated enough to keep up on modern highways. The patina, the stance, and the LS motor under the hood—it all ties back to that childhood memory, only cranked up a notch. The goal was simple: lay it out on the ground and make it reliable. No trailer queen. No over-the-top paint job. Just a truck that could cruise, haul, and still turn heads when aired out.

Six Months to Glory

A lot of custom builds stretch out for years. Parts pile up, life gets in the way, and projects sit unfinished. Not this one. Shawn pulled it together in about six months, which in truck-building time is lightning-fast. He knew what he wanted, lined up the right parts, and stuck to the plan. That’s how you take a dream from bare steel to a rolling, driving reality without burning out halfway through.

Old Paint, Real Patina

The first thing you notice is the skin. The C10 wears its factory light yellow paint, weathered and worn from decades of sun and rain. No faux finish, no fancy clear-over-rust tricks. Just the kind of patina that only Mother Nature can cook up. Every dent and scratch tells a story, and Shawn left it that way on purpose.

Underneath that crusty exterior is a suspension setup that completely changes the game. A Choppin’ Block dropmember up front and a tall step notch with a parallel 4-link out back make sure this truck lays frame with no effort. Air-ride runs the show, with a manual controller and twin Viair compressors handling business. With a push of a button, the truck dumps to the ground, laying pinch welds and giving it that “in the dirt” look every C10 guy loves.

Power That Works

The original 283 that once sat in this C10 is long gone. In its place, Shawn stuffed a 2001 Chevy 5.3L LS V8. It’s not a high-dollar crate motor, but it’s reliable, torquey, and easy to keep on the road. Dirty Dingo mounts and a Holley LS1 oil pan made it fit like it belonged there.

Speed Engineering headers feed into a MagnaFlow exhaust, giving the truck a deep, throaty note without rattling your teeth. Behind the motor is a GM TH350 automatic, freshly rebuilt with a mild shift kit. It’s a simple, bulletproof setup that fits the working-class vibe of the build.

Rolling Low

If stance makes the truck, wheels set the tone. Shawn bolted up a set of Detroit Steel D Town Smoothies—20x8s up front and 20x9s out back wrapped in 245/40 and 275/40 rubber, respectively. They tuck just right under the fenders, adding to that classic laid-out look.

Behind them, CPP disc brakes take care of the front, while factory drums hang on in the rear. It’s not a wild big brake setup, but it’s balanced and works for the kind of cruising Shawn built the truck for. The steering got a big upgrade too with a Mustang rack and pinion. That swap makes a huge difference compared to the sloppy old manual steering box. Now the truck tracks straight and feels modern when Shawn’s out putting miles on it.

Inside the Cab

Open the door and you’ll see the same approach: simple, functional, but with custom touches that make it personal. A Snowden bench seat wrapped in weathered brown faux leather ties perfectly into the patina theme. The interior looks broken in but not broken down, like it belongs in a truck that’s been around for 60 years. The sound system is all modern muscle, though. JL Audio gear pumps out the tunes, with two 10-inch subs tucked behind the seat, mids in the kick panels, and tweeters in the A pillars. It’s the kind of setup that makes long drives feel short.

Out at the Shows

Yellow Bag isn’t hiding in a garage. Shawn has already put it in front of crowds at Dino’s Git Down, C10 Nationals in Las Vegas, and C10 Intervention. Those aren’t small events; they’re where the best of the best show up. And even with its rusty, weathered paint, Shawn’s C10 stands out because it’s real.

Lessons Learned

Like every builder, Shawn learned a few things along the way. He plans to ditch the Panhard bar for a Watts link soon, just to tighten up the rear end. He also admits that patience is the biggest tool you can bring to a project. Parts won’t always fit. Things will break. But if you expect setbacks and accept them, the build gets easier. His advice for anyone starting a project? Plan it out. Stance, wheel specs, and tire sizes are critical. If you miss those, you’ll never be happy with how it sits. And at the end of the day, stance is everything.

Wrapping It Up

Yellow Bag is more than a slammed ’65 Chevy. It’s a connection to family history, a showcase of patience, and a statement that not every custom truck needs fresh paint to make an impact. Shawn Parsons built this truck the way he wanted, in the time he had, and now he’s out enjoying it. With its natural patina, LS heart, and frame-laying stance, Yellow Bag proves that sometimes the best builds aren’t the ones that shine the brightest; they’re the ones that stay true to their story.

Owner

Shawn Parsons
1965 Chevrolet C10
Creswell, OR

Engine & Drivetrain

2001 Chevy 5.3L LS V8
Holley LS1 oil pan
Dirty Dingo mounts
Speed Engineering headers
MagnaFlow exhaust
GM TH350 transmission rebuilt with mild shift kit
Boyd fuel tank

Chassis & Suspension

Stock frame with major mods
Choppin’ Block front dropmember
Tall rear step notch
Parallel 4-link
AccuAir speed controller
Twin Viair compressors
Mustang rack and pinion steering

Wheels, Tires & Brakes

20×8 (front) and 20×9 (rear) Detroit Steel D Town Smoothie wheels
245/40 (front) and 275/40 (rear) tires
CPP front discs
Factory rear drums

Body & Paint

Light yellow paint with natural patina

Interior

Snowden bench seat
Weathered brown faux leather by Chris Snowden
Two JL Audio 10-inch subs behind the seat
Mids in kick panels, tweeters in A pillars