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 Copperhead

Of course the key to doing a project like this is to pick a vehicle that is popular, and has a lot of aftermarket support to help you out. The 67 - 72 GM trucks are without a doubt one of the most popular body styles of truck ever made, and the aftermarket has stepped up to produce almost every piece you can imagine for them, both stock and custom. Copperhead proves that with just a cab, frame and title (what I started with) you can put a killer truck together just the way you've always wanted on a budget you can live with, using nos, reproduction and aftermarket parts. This also gave me the opportunity to show viewers how to plan the direction of their project and follow it through to the end.

A lot of people ask where the name "Copperhead" came from. Well, the answer is in the direction I chose to take this project. The direction of the copperhead buildup was simple - to build a blindingly fast street truck that looked all nice and smooth and slick on the outside, like a show truck.

However, it also needed to be reliable enough to drive every day. And it should give no warning to those around just how lethal it really is under the skin. The actual copperhead snake was my model for this because it looks really cool, it's very dangerous, and it has no rattles to warn you it's about to nail ya! Yeah - we're talking the ultimate sleeper here!

I kept body mods to a minimum, just the drip rails were shaved off the cab because these 67-72 GM trucks have such great lines. A special orange "copperhead metallic" custom color was created, and a lot of chrome and polish was used for the "show" effect. Under the hood is not only lethal, but a piece of history. It's the very first, pre- production, GM Performance ZZ572 crate engine - packin' 620hp. Add to that a 150hp nitrous system, dual exhaust cutouts, overdrive and then hide it all in the console, and you have one sneaky snake!

 Specifications

VEHICLE: 1967 Chevy C10, shortbed, fleetside truck

ENGINE: GM Performance ZZ572 crate engine 620hp - 750ft/lbs #001 first pre-production engine It was a tremendous honor for me to get my hot little hands on this ground-breaking engine from GM Performance, and to be the first one to show it to the hot rod world. From what I understand Chevy got so many calls after the show aired, that it crashed the phone systems at GM! Is that cool or what? Bottle Blown Racing Custom dual nitrous system. One 150HP system hidden under the intake, one 250HP system on top of intake NOS Plumbing and hardware for nitrous system

TRANSMISSION: B&M Turbo 400 w/ 2500 stall torque converter, B&M shifter and linkage

OVERDRIVE: Gear Vendors polished aluminum overdrive w/linkage and hardware

BRAKES: Baer Eradispeed - front disc brake kit Aerospace Components - rear disc brake kit Pure Choice Motorsports - Stainless steel brake lines, Stainless steel hoses, bulkheads, fittings, etc ABS PowerBrake - Master cylinder and electric-hydraulic brake system

EXHAUST: Sanderson - Headers Doug's Headers - Dual electric exhaust cutouts Edelbrock - Stainless steel mufflers Mike's Muffler Shop - Pipe bent and fitted

BODY PARTS: Early Classic Enterprises Bed sides, Tail gate, Head gate, Aluminum bed strips, Bumpers, Fenders, Hood, Grille, Radiator Support, All trim and hardware

BED WOOD: Bed Wood and Part, LLC Exotic canary wood chosen to comliment the color of the truck

GAS TANK: Early Classic Enterprises

WHEELS: Colorado Custom - Lazear Front - 17x8 with 4 1/2" bs Rear - 17x 9.5 with 5" bs

TIRES: Toyo - Proxes ST Front - 255 x 60 R17 Rear - 285 x 60 R 17

DRIVESHAFT: Denny's Driveshaft Service "Nitrous ready" driveshaft & hardware

REAR END: DTS Custom Dana 60 with 35 spline axles 3.73 gears Truetrac posi 5x5 bolt pattern w/ 1/2" studs

FRONT SUSPENSION: Early Classic Enterprises A-arms, bushings, balljoints, 2 1/2" drop spindles, 1" drop coil springs, gas shocks, Heavy duty sway bar

STEERING: Early Classic Enterprises Quick ratio steering box, Tie rod ends Pitman arm, Idler arm

REAR SUSPENSION: Early Classic Enterprises 4" drop springs, Super track bar kit, Gas shocks, Shock re-location kit, Trailing arm bushings, bracing, and u-bolts

INTERIOR: Stylin' Concepts - C-5 Corvette seats Katzkin - Custom Upholstry Rod Doors - "Dano" Interior Panels for 67-72 GM trucks No Limit Engineering - Gauge panel and Glove box door Autometer - Carbon fiber Gauges Painless Performance - Wiring harness Ididit - Polished stainless steel steering column and hardware Colorado Customs - Lazear steering wheel Vintage Air - air conditioning system Lokar - Gas pedal and linkage Early Classic Enterprises - Wipers, switches, knobs, vents, visors, mirror Crow Enterprises - 5-point restraint system Year One - Stereo system, Carpet Heavy's Customs - Custom console by Kevin Lindamood

DOORS: Early Classic Enterprises - Glass, Weatherstripping, One piece window kit, Latches & Hardware Watsons Street Works - Power window kit Billet Specialties - Oval side Mirrors with straight arm

ENGINE ACCESSORIES: Zoops Products - Polished aluminum brackets and pulleys, P/S pump Tuff Stuff Performance - 100 amp Alternator, high performance Starter Pure Choice Motorsports - Plumbing, hoses, hardware for P/S, A/C, heater, Tranny Cooler, Fuel lines Johnsons Rod Shop - Vintage "top Fuel" Air Cleaner Be Cool - Polished aluminum Radiator Old Air Products - Dual electric fans NOS - nitrous system

CHROME PLATING: Advance Plating bumpers, grille, trim, etc.

 Paint Code

Copperhead Metallic

Credit: Custom Color created by Stacey David and Ron Payton of PPG
Source: Paint and bodywork by Kevin Tetz; additional paint and bodywork by Malcolm Pritchett

1 QUART FORUMLA