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There is something special when a project turns the corner from a pile of greasy, rusty parts and begins showing signs of potentially becoming a real vehicle. The 1972 Chevy C10 truck being built by the students at the Hawkeye Community College (HCC) has just crossed that threshold, at least so far as the chassis is concerned.
The HCC students, led by Auto Collision Technologies instructor, Terry Van Dyke, have crossed another milestone in making their class-project C10 Chevy truck into one cool street cruiser. The Hawkeye students have successfully dismantled the entire truck, completed a majority of bodywork, and now, have converted a greasy, rusty web of framerails and chassis components into a super-cool, rolling chassis that any enthusiast would love to have under their ride.
Of course, an engine upgrade was always part of the plan for the project. A Tin Works Fabrication LS-swap kit was used to meld the modern muscle to a disco-era chassis. Everything was assembled to ensure fit, before everything was disassembled, in preparation for its trip to the powder coater.
We highlighted the group of students as they disassembled the entire truck, and then re-assembled the chassis to ensure that all the new components would fit properly once the shiny layer of powder coating was applied. Then, everything was again, blown apart, so all the parts, both old and new, could be given the semi-shiny powder treatment.
All the frame modifications are complete, including new openings for the exhaust. Once everything was removed from the frame, components such as the rear axle assembly were disassembled further in preparation for powder coating.
Building The Hawkeye C10 Chassis
The purpose of building this C10 is an educational project for the HCC students. Terry’s goal is to instruct his students on the proper way to carry out a project such as a complete vehicle build. Doing so includes more than simply assembling the shiny bits. In addition to that, Terry’s students are learning the entire process, from planning to wrenching, and careful final assembly.
The chassis shows the level of detail students are putting into the build. Rust is a distant memory at this point and the new chassis not only looks great, but will perform at a much higher level, thanks to the LS power, QA1 suspension, and Borgeson power steering box.
The frame was modified with many bolt-on components to upgrade the truck’s performance. A Tin Works Fabrication LS-swap kit now holds the engine snugly between the framerails while the QA1 coilover suspension keeps the perfect ride height. To make sure this old truck doesn’t handle like one, the students also installed a Borgeson power-steering box with a more street-friendly 12.7:1 steering ratio.
All the parts arrived back from powder coating and were ready to be reassembled.
Now, the students must unbolt all of those extras from the frame one more time, so everything can get powder coated. Each component must be broken down into the smallest bits to do that properly. In doing so, students are also learning how to document each part throughout the process, so nothing comes up missing during the powder coating process.
The team focused on the rear portion of the frame and you can see how disassembling everything pays dividends once re-assembled. The chassis looks incredible and the contrast of colors highlights the cool bits and gives definition to the entire chassis.
Once everything returned with a fresh, shiny finish, it was time to put all the chassis parts together for the last time. That means all the necessary seals, gaskets, and clearances must be correct. This takes time to do properly, and it is all too easy to get impatient and cut corners. Terry’s job is to teach his students the importance of doing it right, so they don’t have to do it over. Looking at the finished Hawkeye C10 chassis, you’ll agree that the HCC students are quick learners.
And now, things start to get fun! Wheels and tires are the finishing touch to the chassis and are MUCH cooler than the steelies the truck rolled in with when the project began.
A benefit of doing a project such as this at the Hawkeye Community College‘s Auto Collision area is that while the chassis was coming together, students were also able to continue working on restoring the cab and bed of the truck. Work continues while the engine is being assembled and dynoed at Performance Auto, a local speed shop in Waterloo, Iowa.
The final step to make this one cool-looking, rolling chassis, the HCC students opted for American Racing rims to frame those Wilwood brakes at each corner of their ’72 Chevy C10. The wheels are wrapped with a set of Goodyear sneakers – 275/35-20 up front and 315/35-20 in the rear.
With the chassis back on the ground, you get a glimpse of how cool the Hawkeye C10 truck will be when complete and the high standard they have for the project.
As work progresses, the students in the Auto Collision area continue to learn valuable skills that will help them going forward in their careers. We’ll keep bringing you updates as the project continues and can’t wait to see it once the body and bed are finally in place. It’s a shame though, as it will cover up such a great-looking rolling chassis.
