By Rob Fortier – Photography by John Jackson
I’ve always admired the use of carbon fiber—from F1 racing to motorcycle accessories and even smartphone covers. But, when I’d heard rumors of and subsequently saw images on social media of an “all-carbon” C10, well … I wasn’t sure what to think. That is, until I finally saw “Z10” in person.
As the subtitle suggests, “stunning” is the first word that came to mind when I finally laid eyes on Rod Parsons’ hand-laid fiber work of art, a team collaboration between Zach Ingram’s Zrodz and Customs and his and Rod’s side biz, composite specialists, Fiber Forged (in Knoxville, Indiana). First and foremost, it was kinda hard to wrap my head (no pun intended) around the fact that there was no actual C10 sheetmetal beneath the carbon-fiber body—it’s all composite artistry!
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Take that in and let it percolate for a moment. While molds were indeed made for the larger components (bed, cab, doors, and so on) to lay the carbon fiber, other items were 3-D scanned and CAD-assisted to create the composite parts. While Fiber Forged may not have built the Z10 from scratch, per se, the amount of hours all told in creating the all-carbon body from start (design) to finish (installation and fitment) is beyond comprehension—especially when I can buy new sheetmetal and have it assembled in a single day! (Insert emoji gritting its teeth …)
Now, Zrodz didn’t just have the intention to build the fully composite-bodied Z10 simply for the looks and “wow” factor … no siree. The ’67 was purpose-built, and by that, I mean it’s a fierce competitor meant to give any/all street machines a serious run for its money (quite possibly why Goodguys categorized it in the Street Machine of the Year running in Columbus this past summer!)—hence the actual downforce accessories, such as the front spoiler and rear adjustable wing.
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Initially, Rod’s Z10 was shown/raced in a full fiber exterior, however, some questionable judging followed by a few hard laps shortly after its debut dictated the addition of the candy burgundy accenting, which, in my humble opinion, makes a huge aesthetic difference. Billet Specialties B-Forged (225 series) five-spokes—wearing 30-series Continental rubber—revealing the large Baer Brakes binders add to the performance-touring aesthetic nature. Meanwhile, under the composite hood lies a Dart LS Next–based, Moran Motorsports–built, 434-inch powerplant backed by a SADEV racing transmission controlled by a (carbon, of course) paddle shift–equipped Sabelt steering wheel (atop a Level 7 column). The chassis, which Zrodz custom built, incorporates Detroit Speed suspension components front and rear, obviously for that track-handling aspect, but also to ensure the truck’s a smooth rider on the open road! Speaking of smooth riding, while the ’67 is adorned with plenty of carbon fiber on the inside (surrounding a full rollcage system), Ingram and Rod enlisted Riggs Upholstery to add a nice suede touch to the MOMO bucket seats and custom, carbon-inlaid door panels! And believe it or not, they did manage to outfit the truck with Vintage Air A/C!
Hopefully the images do Z10 justice but, I will be honest, this is a truck that absolutely has to be seen (and heard) in person!
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