Dr. Steinbrecher’s Wild Ride

THERE’S NO DOUBT about it, this ’67 C-10 is on a level of its own. Not only does it look mean, but it also has a full custom chassis, supercharged engine pumping out 850-hp/835-tq and a host of other details to back it up. The surprising part is that this truck was built in a garage, not in a big-name shop. Another astonishing fact is that owner Eric Steinbrecher is a dentist by day and builder by night. Lastly, and most importantly, this truck was built as a bit of a memorial to his mother who passed away a few months after it was completed.

Eric is no stranger to custom vehicles. His father has been in the hot rod scene for quite some time and has even competed alongside some of the biggest names in the industry. When Eric was old enough, he followed in his father’s footsteps. When he was in dental school, Eric built a high-powered Subaru WRX STi and had great success with it. Fast forward a few years and Eric switched to working on C-10s. His first one was a ’67 named Second Chance, and it graced the July 2010 cover of sister publication Street Trucks magazine.

This truck was built as a bit of a memorial to his mother who passed away a few months after it was completed.

Eric continued building C-10s, when sadly, just before getting this truck, his mom was diagnosed with cancer. He purchased the truck in bone-stock shape from Tony Ortega and got to work on it immediately as a way to take his mind off of the difficult situation. Eric wanted the truck to sit low, so he made a call to Nathan Porter of Porterbuilt Fab. Nathan got to work making a full tube chassis with a one-off version of the Dropmember up front. In the rear, a custom Porterbuilt 3-link was installed, and the whole system rides on a set of RideTech Shockwave airbag struts.

The suspension was upgraded with quite a few parts to improve looks and drivability. Between the Porterbuilt control arms is a pair of Classic Performance Products (CPP) Modular spindles. A Unisteer rack-and-pinion unit controlled by an ididit column was added. The rear axle was swapped out for a Winter’s Performance quick- change rearend with an Eaton Trutrac posi and 3.73:1 gears. A set of Willwood disc brakes powered by a matching booster and master cylinder stops this beast, and everything was all topped off with a set of Intro Wheels Flagstaff 22s.

After purchasing the truck, Eric sold off everything but the body and built this thing from the ground up.

Not only is this a wicked-looking truck, but it also packs a big punch under the hood. This was made possible with a custom Texas Speed 408-ci based off of GM’s LQ9 engine block with ported LS3 heads. Feeding the engine is a Magnuson TVS 2300 supercharger with a custom intake and 102mm throttle body. On the other end resides a custom set of headers that flows into a custom exhaust with Borla mufflers that spit gases out through the bed sides. Power is transferred from the engine to the rearend via a rebuilt 4L60E transmission with a 2,900- stall 10 ½-inch billet torque converter.

On the outside, the body was kept relatively simple, and just a few items like the old fuel filler and stake bed pockets were shaved. Under the hood, Mario Novelli of Novelli Rod and Custom made a custom firewall, inner fenders and a radiator shroud. In the bed, Eric made a custom floor with a sapele wood center section that opens up to reveal the suspension. A polished 15-gallon Mooneyes gas tank rests in front of the center section. The truck was painted at Novelli in Dupont Toner Orange with a healthy coating of clear. Eric’s father called his mother “Tootsie,” and to honor her, Eric had Mike Cline of Cline’s Line add custom signage designed by Travis Frasier and Carter Hickman to the doors.

With help from Seat Works and Marquez Design & Fabrication, the interior was transformed to look like a luxury car. For starters, the original bench seat was reinforced with fiberglass on the back, and the springs were replaced with foam. A custom headliner, door panels and center console were made to upgrade the truck’s appearance. A Budnik steering wheel, Dakota Digital VHX gauges and Billet Specialties pedals make driving the truck a cinch. Finally, Seatworks covered everything in leather, and Folsom Car Audio installed an ARC Audio sound system.

This truck may have been a great way for Eric to deal with disheartening life matters, but the results are astounding. This truck has made a few rounds at shows, and Eric’s mother was even able to see the finished product before she passed. Last year, the C-10 was a finalist in Goodguys LMC Truck of the Year Late. Though it didn’t win, Eric and his father are on a quest to get the award. They are currently working with Scott’s Hotrods ‘N Customs on a ’58 Ford F-100. Be on the lookout for it soon; the mods on it are already looking good.

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BUILD SPECS

OWNER

Eric Steinbrecher
1967 Chevrolet C-10
Orangevale, CA
C/10 Club

ENGINE

• 850-hp and 835-tq Texas Speed 408-ci engine based off a GM LQ9
• PRC stage 2.5 LS3 cylinder heads with custom valve covers
• Comp Cams camshaft
• Magnuson 18-psi TVS 2300 supercharger and intake manifold
• 102mm throttle body
• Custom cold air intake
• Wegner serpentine system
• Champion radiator
• SPAL dual 12-inch electric fans
• Speartech wiring harness
• Custom headers and exhaust built by Brendon Thompson and Mario Novelli
• Borla mufflers
• 4L60E transmission built by ATO Performance Transmission
• 2,900-stall 10 ½-inch billet torque converter
• B&M Quicksilver shifter
• Custom steel driveshaft by Inland Empire Driveline
• Winter’s quick-change rearend
• Eaton Trutrac posi
• 3.73:1 gear ratio
• Mooneyes 15-gallon polished aluminum gas tank

SUSPENSION/CHASSIS

• Shop: Porterbuilt Fab
• Custom tube chassis with gussets
• One-off Porterbuilt Dropmember with control arms
• CPP Modular spindles
• Porterbuilt 3-link
• Unisteer rack-and-pinion
• RideTech Shockwave airbag struts
• Willwood 14-inch front and 13.5-inch rear disc brakes with six-piston front and fourpiston rear calipers
• Willwood brake booster and master cylinder
• Viair compressors
• AccuAir management system
• Polished stainless steel hard lines

WHEELS & TIRES

• 22×8.5 and 22×12 Intro Wheels Flagstaff with painted and polished finish
• 265/35R22 and 305/40R22 Wanli

BODY & PAINT

• Performed by: Owner/Mario Novelli, Bill Novelli and Stacey Rowe of Novelli Rod and Custom
• Detailing by: Larson Detailing
• Shaved firewall, front markers, fuel filler and stake bed pockets
• Custom front inner fender wells and radiator shroud
• Custom bed floor with opening sapele wood center section
• Billet exhaust bezels on the bed sides
• Marquez Design Fabrication taillights
• Painted Dupont toner orange with clearcoat
• Signage by Mike Cline of Clines Lines
• “Tootsie’s” door logo designed by Travis Frasier and Carter Hickman

INTERIOR/STERIO

• Shop: Seat Works/Marquez Design Fabrication/Folsom Car Audio
• Original seat with fiberglass back and foam to replace springs
• Leather upholstery
• Ididit 30-inch steering column
• Budnik steering wheel
• Dakota Digital VHX gauges
• Vintage Air Gen II Mini universal climate control system
• Billet Specialties pedals
• Marquez Design Fabrication switches and knobs
• Custom center console, door panels and headliner by Marquez Design Fabrication
• ARC Audio sound system powered by an iPad
• Optima battery
• Stereo by: Owner

SPECIAL THANKS FROM OWNER: I would like to thank my dad Bill Steinbrecher, Jimmy Miller, my wife Shawna Steinbrecher and my three children Eve, Ezra and Eidan. I would also like to thank Travis Frazier, Bill Folsom Car Audio, Don from Motor Machine, Tony Ortega and all my sponsors. I could have never built this truck without you.

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