zzdcar
Home
/
Reviews
/
Trucks
/
This Shop Will Build You A Modernized 650-HP Chevy Square Body Truck
This Shop Will Build You A Modernized 650-HP Chevy Square Body Truck-November 2024
2024-02-19 EST 22:13:06

Image for article titled This Shop Will Build You A Modernized 650-HP Chevy Square Body Truck

We’re living in a time when pickup trucks are hitting unbelievable power numbers, tow ratings, and . But you know what modern trucks are? Too soft. Or at least, that’s what Roadster Shop wants you to think as a turn-key resto-modded Chevy square body truck.

is best known for custom builds and restorations of classic cars. Based in Mundelein, Illinois, I’ve seen the work the team does and it’s pretty solid, so I was extra excited to see them taking their magic a step further. The shop’s latest incarnation is what they call the . The Legends Series trucks are old square body Chevy pickup bodies modernized with the components of current GM pickups and backed by a 650 horsepower supercharged LT4 engine.

Image for article titled This Shop Will Build You A Modernized 650-HP Chevy Square Body Truck

The end result is a 1973-1980 Chevy C10 or K5 Blazer that looks and feels old but has modern tech and reliability.

These trucks have so much in them that I cannot even begin to list everything that is happening under the vintage sheet metal. That 650 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque goes through a GM 8L90-E eight-speed automatic transmission and a heavy-duty transfer case. Four-wheel-drive works with just a twist of a dial. These trucks are a monster mash of off-the-shelf GM parts, a vintage donor vehicle, and custom chassis work by Roadster Shop.

Image for article titled This Shop Will Build You A Modernized 650-HP Chevy Square Body Truck

All of this is wrapped in a period-correct cab and bed. The owners of the shop described it as getting all of the sweet looks and feel of an old truck, but with the driving dynamics and tech of a new truck.

Image for article titled This Shop Will Build You A Modernized 650-HP Chevy Square Body Truck

Where do these trucks come from? Roadster Shop hopes the customer will provide a donor truck for the process, but the team will be able to source one as well. The customer could either go for a full restoration for that true new-old truck feel or a partial restore, basically locking the truck into a sort of time capsule state.

Image for article titled This Shop Will Build You A Modernized 650-HP Chevy Square Body Truck

I was curious about the inspiration for a truck series like this. Roadster Shop’s YouTube channel explains it all in one of its videos detailing a road trip the shop took its vehicles on.

The owners of the shop drive modern pickups and felt that the technology — specifically technology to help backing up trailers — made them too soft. So they sought to build a “man’s truck”.

I must say I wasn’t expecting that explanation. I think it’s pretty silly to equate masculinity to how much technology a truck has. But I can sort of forgive the bad marketing that’s stuck in the past because being able to buy a brand new old truck is a dream.

As for price? Buckle up.

The owners say forget a Ford Raptor and buy one of their Legends trucks, but you could buy a fleet of Raptors for just one of these. A Legends build that doesn’t fully restore the truck like the one featured here should run $150,000-$200,000. If you want that truck to look like it just rolled off of the showroom floor? Expect to pay $250,000 or more. Roadster Shop says the price will heavily depend on the condition of the donor truck and the options chosen.

Image for article titled This Shop Will Build You A Modernized 650-HP Chevy Square Body Truck

These trucks are super cool and I love that they exist, but I think the crew could do with some better marketing.

Comments
Welcome to zzdcar comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Trucks
Somebody Built A Lifted Nissan 240SX Truck
Somebody Built A Lifted Nissan 240SX Truck
Is there anything a Nissan 240SX can’t do? No. No there is not. This is one of the more ambitious cartrucks/trars I’ve ever seen. It’s on Craigslist now in Greenville, and the seller claims that it’s all Nissan under there: 1995 240sx car that has been modified into a truck,...
Nov 22, 2025
Enjoy This Mega Gallery Of The Jeep Wrangler's Baby Pictures On Jeep's 75th Birthday
Enjoy This Mega Gallery Of The Jeep Wrangler's Baby Pictures On Jeep's 75th Birthday
June 15th, 2016 is considered Jeep’s 75th anniversary because on this day in 1941, the first official order was placed for the Willys-Overland military buggy we would come to recognize as a “jeep.” In honor of that, check out this amazing album of Wranglers and their forerunners! Now obviously not...
Nov 22, 2025
Jeep Is Building A Badass WW2-Themed Concept Wrangler Right Now For Its 75th Birthday (Updated)
Jeep Is Building A Badass WW2-Themed Concept Wrangler Right Now For Its 75th Birthday (Updated)
Right now in Toledo, a badass World War Two-themed Wrangler is making its way down the assembly line as the Jeep brand celebrates its 75th anniversary today. Unfortunately, it’s just a concept, but that’s probably a good thing, because otherwise I’d be out about $35 grand. The new one-off Wrangler...
Nov 22, 2025
Watch Me Drive Some Classic Jeeps Right Now
Watch Me Drive Some Classic Jeeps Right Now
Omix-ADA—the biggest aftermarket Jeep parts supplier— has kindly invited me to its headquarters in Atlanta to check out its operations, and to let me drive Jeeps from its historical collection. We’re doing the second one right now, so come watch! Omix-ADA is an enabler. The company sells Jeep parts so...
Nov 22, 2025
Discover The True Wackiness Of This Forgotten 4x4 (And Why They're All Rusty Now)
Discover The True Wackiness Of This Forgotten 4x4 (And Why They're All Rusty Now)
The , farm buggy-turned-people-mover, is considered one of the first “SUVs.” The brand lasted just two decades and is pretty much only remembered by fans. But thanks to two guys’ work over 17 months, we now have a full-color look at this weird truck’s elusive history. Automotive historian Jim Allen...
Nov 22, 2025
Some Depraved Imagination Put A Land Rover Defender In NASCAR
Some Depraved Imagination Put A Land Rover Defender In NASCAR
“Now I’ve seen everything,” you can probably say. Behold: the NASCAR Land Rover, the unholiest and most hilarious of automotive unions I’ve ever seen dreamed up. As you can see this NASCAR-racing Land Rover Defender is not “real,” thankfully or disappointedly depending on which side of the sanity spectrum you’re...
Nov 22, 2025
Copyright 2023-2025 - www.zzdcar.com All Rights Reserved