C10’s Young Owner Vying For SEMA 2017 Battle Of The Builders Winner

C10

While the C10 is one cool hauler, Preston’s version is over the top cool.

Preston Folkestad, 22, is a graduate of Iowa State University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Arts with an emphasis in graphic design. He put that course of study to good use when he designed and built Buck, his ’73 C10 Chevy.

Growing up in an automotive-centered family, Preston developed a never-ending passion for anything that included an engine. For instance, he learned to ride a motorcycle when he was a mere 3-years-old. What makes that unusual, is that he couldn’t ride a bicycle without training wheels until roughly a year later. Preston eventually learned how to drive a vehicle with four wheels for the first time at the Bonneville Salt Flats, while his father set land speed records in a Ford Ranger dubbed “The Rocket Ranger.” The son of Bob Folkestad, a well-known engineer and sales professional in the aftermarket industry, and owner of Creative Werks, Inc.

In June of 2017, Preston embarked on the arduous task of rebuilding the 1973 Chevrolet C10 he inherited from his great-grandfather, Maurice “Buck” Heckart. The C10, aptly named “Buck” the Truck in memory of Preston’s great-grandfather, was purchased new by Buck in 1973. A World War II veteran who served in the 707 Tank division and was a motorcycle messenger and medic, Buck was a major influence in Preston’s life. The C10 truck was used primarily on Buck’s farm in rural Iowa. Preston drove the C10 as his personal ride through high school, as well as during his years at Iowa State.

While in high school, Preston and Bob cut the truck’s frame to transform it from a long bed to a short bed, the pair added a small-block engine, and painted it flat black.

That was then, for the SEMA Show, however, Preston had a vision of creating a masterpiece, so he could enter the truck into the Young Gun competition while honoring Buck’s memory. To do this, Preston decided to rebuild the truck as a street-ready, track day-capable vehicle.

“I really want to honor my great-grandpa and make my dad proud. My dad would be pretty happy if I placed well. This is my first SEMA Show, and I’ve been looking at some of the great builds already entered in the Young Guns portion of the competition. I hope Buck the Truck can make it into the top 10,” Preston said.

Preston spent more than 80 hours correcting gaps and fitting the doors and fenders. Rust spots were fixed, and rockers, cab corners and cab supports were replaced. The exterior was covered with a custom paint job by Chris Cope, using paint from House of Kolors. The C10 has a Kandy Orange color over an Orion Silver base. It is two-toned and has an airbrushed carbon fiber pinstriped graphic.

C10

Check out those custom door panels.

Preston elected to use a RideTech Street Grip rear suspension, No Limit Engineering front crossmember with tubular control arms, RideTech coilovers, and rack-and-pinion steering. Wilwood brakes bring the hauler to a stop, and a 700R4 transmission with a B&M 2,600-stall converter was built by Ed Slivka and put into service.

The small-block uses aluminum heads from Automotive Machine Shop Services, a Comp Cams roller camshaft and, a single-plane intake manifold and scorpion shaft rocker arms. Finally, an All-American Billet front drive spins the accessories.

C10

Preston took the time to personally design the interior of the truck. From custom door panels, a hand-sculpted bench seat, an Alpine stereo system and more customization, no part of the truck was overlooked. Vintage Air performance air conditioning and Dakota Digital Instruments were also added to the interior for a modern touch.

“Being able to design something from start to finish and work through every step of the build allowed me the opportunity to take my time and have a no compromise attitude toward building “Buck.” We spent numerous hours trying to perfect everything from the stance to the overall design. My dad taught me everything I know, but this truck is a tribute to my great-grandfather, and I wanted to build this truck knowing he would be proud of it,” Preston said.

Now 22-years-old, Preston knows that the 2017 SEMA Show will be the first he attends, but it will be just the first of many years to come.

About the author

Randy Bolig

Randy Bolig has been working on cars and has been involved in the hobby ever since he bought his first car when he was only 14 years old. His passion for performance got him noticed by many locals, and he began helping them modify their vehicles.
Read My Articles

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