Brad Hutchison's Rare 1970 C-10 4x4 & Devinci Spartan

The classic Chevy C-10 with hard to find 4x4 is a looker.

Brad hasn't named his C-10 yet.

The original badge lets collectors know this isn't the more commonly seen two-wheel-drive C-10.

It drives on a set of 15 x 8 Ralley wheels from an early 80's Chevy Blazer. Brad's wrapped them in a set of 33" BFGoodrich All-Terrain tires.

The old beast has a solid front axle, stock. Brad says it's not the smoothest ride and can be challenging to handle at times.

Brad's kept his focus on the engine and the exterior finish was done by the previous owner. The chrome accents show some wear but the body is in amazing shape.

There's something about the simple boxy lines of the classic C-10 that look so good to me. Simple but compelling. His headlights need some work because he's having issues with fuses blowing.

The finish of the body is excellent and Brad will take it off the road for the winter. He stores it at his uncle's property in the Fraser Valley and it's usually there by the time we got together for this shoot. But the unusually nice autumn conditions saw Brad keep it out for longer this year.

The original gas tank is still in the cab behind the bench seat but Brad's installed a new tank under the box. The rubber gasket around the intake shows its age.

The cab has a solid rear window and thankfully manually adjusted vents under the dash add some fresh air flow.

The classic Chevrolet tailgate. This design has taken off again in recent years with manufacturers including Toyota, Ford, Dodge and Chevy embossing the sheet metal of the rear panel, but without the paint accent.

Moving inside the cab, everything is original with the exception of the updated radio, which disguises itself well.

The aftermarket radio has an auxiliary in port on the back but is designed to retain the original look to maintain its collector status.

I actually thought it was original and couldn't believe it wasn't when Brad first told me it was an aftermarket update. It fits in well.

Instructions for how to set the truck into 4x4 are kept in plain sight on the glovebox.

The simplicity and finish of the old style dash cluster are great. It reminds me of aa vintage aviation instrument panel.

The odometer read 37,929 miles when we shot but Brad says it's quite possibly rolled over once or twice.

The lights are turned on by pulling on this button. Brad says that driving at night often means a decision in headlights to see where he's going or tail lights so others can see him. A quirk that is on the fix it list for next summer.

The small metal 'button' on the floor is the high-beam switch. It's something I wish current vehicles still used, allowing us to keep our hands on the wheel and just tap away with the foot,

Brad says he'd like to update the steering and suspension because it's "kinda scary driving a 450-500 HP truck with original steering and rock hard leaf spring suspension." As with almost everything in the cab, the steering wheel is original – cracks and all.

The engine that holds a special place for Brad. It's an LS Swap which Brad informed me compared to the old 350 small block Chevy that was in the truck, is stronger, smarter, and more powerful. He says it's the current trend for V8 engine swaps in the custom car world. Different variations of LS engines are found in 2001 and newer GM/Cadillac trucks, SUVs, Camaro's, Corvettes and many other GM models.

Stronger and smarter because of this. The 1970 C-10 now has a computer running the engine. Brad said people get these LS engines at junk yards and they're great platforms for making huge amounts of power. He told me people are putting these engines in anything from Lamborghinis to Nissan 240sx sports cars.

We had a chuckle about how good this hood hinge system is and that the current versions – our shitty prop rods on most modern vehicles – don't reflect 50 years of progress.

Brad's Devinci Spartan isn't as shiny and it doesn't have the heritage of his truck but it's still a beauty.

Brad's not fussy about his mountain bike setup and as long as it runs, he's happy. His Maxxis tires allow him to do this and he's opted for a DHR II tire out front.

He runs the High Roller II in the rear. Being a wear item, the tires are among the only parts on the bike that he's updated since purchasing.

The well-received Kona Wah-Wah 2 pedal were an update to the bike.

Brad's friend Nick, the original owner, upgraded the drivetrain to Shimano XT. Brad's had no issues with it since owning the bike.

The derailleur hasn't had the easiest life but it continues to soldier on.

The Shimano XT brakes were also upgraded before Brad bought the bike and stop fine for him to enjoy the North Shore, occasional Squamish, Whistler and Okanagan trips that he does each year.

Brad's not a particularly big guy but he likes the ODI Rogue grips.

The 160mm RockShox Pike RC balances the Spartan's front end with…

The 165mm rear wheel travel that uses the RockShox Monarch Plus RC3 rear damper. Brad doesn't worry too much about setup so details on his setup weren't available.

The RaceFace cockpit was stock with the bike and works for what Brad needs – which is something he doesn't need to worry about but can have a good time on.

The bike is dark and muted in every way, components included.

He's using the stock 150mm RockShox Reverb that came on the bike and hasn't had any problems with it so far.

Clear tape keeps some of the frame clear of scuffs. Brad says he'll probably look for a replacement toward the end of the next riding season.

Thanks to the Squamish Nation for giving us access to the property beneath the Iron Workers Memorial Bridge.