Simpson Blackmon, a commercial HVAC technician in Bakersfield, is the youngest of four brothers. They all own Chevrolet C-10 trucks, but his custom Chevy C-10 stands out from the bunch. “I wanted to be different,” he said.
Blackmon’s truck already looked sharp with its impeccable Destroyer Gray paint and American Racing rims. But what makes the all-American pickup something really different is the driver’s position—on the right side.
Blackmon showed off his 1972 C-10 at the 2022 Holley LS Fest West, presented by eBay Motors.
An Easy Shift to the Right
Swapping the truck to a right-hand drive comes naturally to Blackmon. He has converted nearly 50 Honda Civics and other imports into right-hand-drive cars. He likes to take Civics produced for the US and mimic the look of the JDM cars you’d see in the Asian market.
Blackmon said:
The C-10 was an easy swap to a right-hand drive, with no fitment issues.
When Blackmon acquired the truck 15 years ago, it was just a frame and a cab. He restored it, painted it white, and took it to shows. Then, in 2016, Blackmon took the truck apart and started over.
He measured where the steering emerged from the firewall on the left side and transferred those measurements to the right, ensuring that it led to the powerful LS engine under the hood. Blackmon didn’t need to recess the firewall or make other modifications.
The Holley LS Fest West show is only the second time Blackmon showed his revised C-10 to the public.
Boosted to 950 HP
The position of the driver’s seat gets your attention, but the LS2 engine under the hood is equally impressive. He stroked the motor to 403 cubic inches and added a Holley Hi-Ram intake. You immediately notice the twin turbos—BorgWarner S360s—bolted to the engine.
Blackmon credits his friends at New Era Performance, in Agoura Hills, Calif., for the tune that produces 936 horsepower at the rear wheels. With 20 pounds of boost, the needle now exceeds 950 horsepower.
Blackmon engineered a custom grille to keep the engine bay cool. He bought the turbos—and Cipher AR-9 Revo racing seats—on eBay Motors. The brakes and fuel lines were also purchased on eBay.
Blackmon said:
I’m on a first-name basis with my UPS delivery guy.
A Disneyland for Auto Enthusiasts
As an HVAC specialist, Blackmon knew the importance of air conditioning. He considered a rack-and-pinion system for the C-10 but realized he would have to eliminate air conditioning to make it fit. Instead, he used a Blazer’s steering box mounted on the frame on the right-hand side. The new AC comes from a Restomod Air unit.
The list of mods includes:
- A 4L80 automatic transmission with a Stage 5 shift kit
- QA1 coilovers
- Dakota Digital gauges
- A roll bar positioned against the cab roofline
- A three-inch exhaust popping out in front of the rear wheels
Blackmon’s hard work got noticed at Holley LS Fest West. He took home two awards for his custom Chevy C-10 —Best Classic Truck and Best Engine.
Blackmon said:
The best part of the show was the variety of activities—autocross, drifting, drag strips, the dirt course. It’s like a Disneyland for auto enthusiasts. Picture a sign saying ‘Welcome to Holleyland’ with a huge LS Hi-Ram intake on top.
