Don’t judge a book by it’s cover is the simple lesson to be learned by this custom truck. We discovered this youtube video from New England Classic Car during a search for vintage trucks. Intrigued by the vintage look of the truck, we were stunned to find out that everything under the sheet metal was a Chevy S-10, which proves that you can’t tell which way the train runs by looking at the tracks.

Described on the video as a “Rat Rod,” this custom truck was built on a budget and is simply vintage sheet metal wrapped around a Chevy S-10 chassis and drivetrain. Yet… we like it.

The exterior is clearly a post war Chevy Advance Design truck with the down turn door handles, vented windows in the doors and the two-piece windshield with center divided strip in the middle. It’s a look that caused us to stop and check this beauty out. 

Under the one-piece tilt nose where a straight 6-cylinder Chevrolet engine once laid is now a 4.3-liter (262cid) 90-degree V6 that was common during the S-10 production run. The video states that the transmission is an automatic which leads us to believe that it is probably a T700R4/4L60/4L60E type that also was common in the first gen Chevy S10 trucks.

Designed to be a budget build with a unique vintage look, this S10 convert is easy to maintain because the modern drivetrain components are readily available at the local parts store. The truck has all the creature comforts that we typically take for granted. Power steering, power brakes and even heating and air conditioning are so common now that we don’t remember a time when they weren’t available in automobiles.

This Frankenstein Chevy has endeared itself to us because of the blend of modern conveniences and economy with ultra cool vintage looks. For all of the enthusiasts that don’t like vehicles that blur the lines of factor and custom builds, we simply say; “lighten up and and have some fun.” This is a fun vehicle and that is what it was designed to be.