Reader’s Rig: Sterling Diesel’s Duramax-Powered C10

C10

Photos provided by Dustin Sterling courtesy of The Rolling Good Company.

There is no denying the popularity of Chevrolet’s C10 trucks. They are everywhere, and found in many different styles of build and restoration. One such fan of the little hauler is Splendora, Texas’, Dustin Sterling. But Dustin is not your average enthusiast, he owns a diesel repair shop, Sterling Diesel Performance & Off-Road.

There are many makes and models of trucks and cars that come in and out of their doors, but every once in a while they get some free time to work on something of their own. This time, they’ve taken the ordinary 1972 Chevrolet C10 pickup and transformed it into an all-wheel-drive diesel beast that will make any car enthusiast drool.

The truck’s engine bay is a masterpiece, featuring a 7.1-liter Duramax stroker engine built in-house by Sterling Diesel. The rotating assembly was put together by SoCal Diesel and features a Wagler Competition Products intake manifold.  The Dakota Digital Inc. cluster provided clear and concise data on the truck’s performance, while the Vintage Air system kept the cabin cool in the scorching heat. The Corbeau racing seats and MTI Acoustics system provided both comfort and entertainment, while the MoTeC standalone ECU system ensured optimal performance. The interior was finished with high-quality leather and door skins, leaving no corners cut.

C10

For a truck that is targeting a 5.90 index class, this is absolute insanity. Something this perfect inside and isn’t expected to be that fast.

The fuel system was equally impressive, with S&S Diesel Motorsport providing 250-percent injectors and a 14mm injection pump. The FASS Fuel System and Corbeau harness provided additional reliability, while the nitrous system from Nitrous Express with four hits of nitrous gave the truck a significant boost in power.

Just when you thought the outside was perfect, the hood goes up. There it is, it is perfect, too. An absolutely spotless engine bay makes a perfect home for this wild 7.1-liter Duramax engine ready to destroy these Mickey Thompson tires.

The wheels are custom-made 18×10 bead locks, wrapped in Mickey Thompson ET Street SS 275/45/18 tires. The symmetrical twin Garrett turbochargers provided the necessary power, with Vibrant Performance clamps and fittings ensuring a tight seal. The transmission was built by Batson Diesel Performance‘s Danny Byar and Sterling Diesel with the help of a Suncoast Performance billet intermediate shaft, Santjer Performance Development input shaft, and Suncoast triple disc torque converter. This is all handled by a Precision Performance Products shifter and a Suncoast PCS controller valvebody with a transbrake to complete the package.

C10

As if this wasn’t a piece of art already, the late Ken Block put his stamp of approval on this beaut.

The exterior of the C10 was painted by Impact Collision. The suspension was handled with a Moser Engineering rear axle, M26 Engineering front axle, QA1 shocks, Kryptonite Products ball joints, and One Up Off Road traction bars providing additional support. Truck Source Diesel‘s Nathaniel Oku and the team at Sterling Diesel & Offroad built a truck that was both powerful and aesthetically pleasing. From the ground up, this truck was a work of art, showcasing the best in diesel engine technology and fabrication. This truck was not built just as a means of transportation. It is a testament to the power of human ingenuity and a tribute to the craftsmanship that goes into building such a machine.

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About the author

Artie Maupin

Artie Maupin is from Southeast Missouri and has an extreme passion for anything diesel. He loves drag racing of all kinds, as well as sled pulling competitions.
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