A Second Chance Yields a Major Payoff

COMING UP WITH TITLES FOR FEATURES CAN BE DAUNTING. Sometimes we luck out and the owner already has an awesome name for their truck, and sometimes the perfect title just pops out at you.

Most often, though, there’s something about the truck’s story that lays the foundation for a title. We’d like to think that we hit the mark more often than not, and at the very least we hope that we are giving proper respect to all of the hard work that builders put into their trucks. While at first glance the title of this feature might seem religious, it’s not, but it is accurate.

BRAD WAS DETERMINED TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT. THE NEXT TIME MIKE SAW HIS TRUCK, HE WAS IN AWE OF ITS PERFECTION. EVERY PANEL WAS GLASS STRAIGHT; EVERY GAP WAS TIGHT AND EVEN.”

Mike Amborn of Vancouver, Washington, had big dreams for a ’63 Chevy C-10 he came across in 2012. It was a forgotten shop truck that some would have passed on, but Mike could see the potential and ended up striking a deal for what was left of it. After collecting body parts and rebuilding a Chevy small-block and 700R4, Mike was equipped to begin the project, much of which he tackled on his own. Mike did as much as he could in his own garage, including ’bagging the truck. When the first round of mods was completed in early 2013, he sent it off to a friend’s body shop for the second phase of the build.

That’s where Mike’s story took an unfortunate turn. Without getting into specifics, we’ll just say that large sums of money were spent, some promises were broken, and the truck actually ended up in worse shape than before in many ways. To top it off, it was missing a bunch of parts when Mike finally decided to pull it out of the shop almost two years later. It sucks losing a friend, but sometimes it’s best to cut your losses and move on.

While many would have simply abandoned the project, Mike was determined to start over. After all of that wasted time in the shop, he had a few ideas. A built LS1 sure sounded like nice consolation for everything he’d been through. Hmm, how about a 4L60E to add even more modern reliability?

Mike went in search of someone reputable to continue where he’d left off a couple of years earlier. After months of searching, he wasn’t having any luck finding someone local who was willing to take on the project. Mike actually did know the perfect person to take the reins, but the builder was in Canada. Long story short, Mike shipped his C-10 north (on an actual friggin’ ship, no less), so that his buddy, Brad McKinnon, at Boyd Autobody could take over and get Mike’s truck back on track.

With the proper tools and tons of sympathy for Mike’s previous bad experience, Brad was determined to make things right. The next time Mike saw his truck, he was in awe of its perfection. Every panel was glass straight; every gap was tight and even.

But, Mike had some bad news for Brad. With more time to think while his C-10 was under the knife, Mike decided to drop some coin on a complete Porterbuilt suspension setup to replace the original ’bag setup he’d already installed. That meant tearing the truck apart again—perfect gaps, fresh paint and all—to install the Porterbuilt components and Intro Smoothie wheels.

FROM START TO FINISH, THROUGH GOOD TIMES AND BAD, MIKE’S TRUCK TOOK ABOUT FOUR YEARS TO COMPLETE. HIS ORIGINAL GOAL WAS TO BUILD SOMETHING TO TAKE PRIDE IN, AND WE THINK HE’S ACCOMPLISHED THAT IN SPADES.”

But hey, at least he spared his buddy Cody at Scotti’s Upholstery some grief by running all of the AccuAir wiring first, and having the folks at Stereo King plan the Kenwood-based system before letting him loose on the interior. Using a 1988-98 C/K bench as the centerpiece, the seating was wrapped with a factory-style pattern in suede and leather for a classy, understated look. A Flaming River column topped with a 1955 Bel-Air-style wheel sitting in front of a Dakota Digital VHX gauge cluster and Lokar pedals completes the interior.

From start to finish, through good times and bad, Mike’s truck took about four years to complete. His original goal was to build something to take pride in, and we think he’s accomplished that in spades. As a proud member of Relaxed Atmosphere, Mike can finally take his C-10 out to shows to represent what the Northwest truck scene is all about.

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TRUCK SPECS

OWNER

Mike Amborn
Vancouver, WA
1963 Chevy C-10
Relaxed Atmosphere

ENGINE & TRANSMISSION

• Work performed by Powell Machine
• Tuned by Wong’s Performance
• 5.7L GM LS1 engine
• PSI LS swap harness
• Deburred block
• Bored to 3.905
• Wiseco pistons
• Ported 243-casting cylinder heads
• LS7 lifters
• Trick Flow pushrods
• PAC 1218 valve springs
• Holley valve covers
• LS3 water pump
• Holley LS6 ported intake manifold
• Potz Speed ported and polished 85mm throttle body
• Holley front drive pulley kit
• Hooker cast exhaust manifolds
• Magnaflow 3-inch mufflers with custom piping by Exhaust Specialties
• Champion three-core aluminum radiator
• SPAL 16-inch cooling fan
• Ledfoot Racing fan shroud
• 4L60E transmission built by Pure Addiction Diesel
• HD2 shift kit
• Lokar shift cable conversion

CHASSIS & SUSPENSION

• Porterbuilt Dropmembers front and rear
• Porterbuilt upper and lower control arms
• Air Lift 2,600 airbags
• AccuAir E-Level with dual VIAIR 444cc compressors
• KYB Monomax shocks
• McGaughy’s drop spindles
• McGaughy’s 13-inch front disc brake kit
• CPP 9-inch brake booster with Wilwood master cylinder
• Rear axle housing narrowed 6 inches with Dutchman axles
• Captain Fab rear disc brake conversion
• Boyd Welding EFI fuel tank with 340 fuel pump

WHEELS & TIRES

• 22×10 Intro Smoothie billet wheels, centers painted white with 1964-66 C-10 hubcaps
• 255/30ZR22 Capitol tires

BODY & PAINT

• Work performed by Brad McKinnon, Boyd Autobody
• Shaved gas filler
• Shaved tailgate chains
• Bed floor raised 8 inches
• Red oak wood bed floor with modified chrome strips
• United Pacific LED taillights and turn signals
• Hella H4 LED headlight conversion
• Tartan Turquoise paint with white roof and center trim
• Pinstriping by Dave Bradley

INTERIOR & STEREO

• Work performed by Cody at Scotti’s Upholstery and Stereo King
• OBS Chevy seat covered with 1963 Chevy pattern, leather and suede
• Fatmat Rattletrap sound deadening material
• 80/20-pile carpet
• Flaming River steering column
• 1955 Bel-Air-style 15-inch steering wheel
• Lokar pedal assemblies
• Dakota Digital gauges
• Vintage Air climate control system
• Kenwood double-DIN head unit
• JL Audio TwK 88 sound processor
• Kicker wiring
• Hentz separates in custom kick panels
• Two Kicker subwoofers in ported box
• JL Audio HD 600.4 and HD 750.1 amplifiers

SPECIAL THANKS FROM THE OWNER: “Thanks to Nicole for helping out and putting up with the build, and to Ron Perkins for the help and guidance.”

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