Every now and then, a project comes along that reminds all of us why we love this industry.
We often talk about how our Kwik Performance brackets and serpentine kits are perfect for everyday garage builds, weekend cruisers, and affordable swaps. But make no mistake: our gear is also right at home on the highest-end, show-stopping, elite-level builds in the country.
Case in point? A spectacular 1971 Chevy C10 nicknamed "Brown Shuga." If that name sounds familiar, you might have spotted it under the bright lights of the 2019 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, where it took center stage at the Hifonics / Maxxsonics audio booth.
Well, this absolute masterpiece of a truck recently surfaced again in our world, featured prominently in an online newsletter from the folks at Classic Truck Performance magazine. Seeing it again brought back some awesome memories, and we couldn't resist digging a little deeper into where this truck is today.
Saved from the Crusher
"Brown Shuga" was built by custom builder Ryan “Ryno” Lieberman of Ryno Built Rod & Custom, based right here in our home state of Missouri. The crazy part of the story? This gorgeous truck almost didn't exist. In 2018, it was a sad, stripped-down, derelict farm truck listed on Facebook for $200 with a warning that it was heading to the crusher the very next morning if no one bought it.
A friend of Ryno stepped in, saved it from the scrap heap, and in less than a year, Ryno had transformed it into a jaw-dropping Restomod masterpiece.
Under the Hood
To get that low, mean, aggressive stance, Ryno went all out with a boxed frame, Porterbuilt drop member, Airlift Performance air ride, and massive 22-inch U.S. Mags wheels tucked inside Slosh Tubz inner fenders.
But you know us—we’re always drawn straight to the engine bay. Ryno went with a classic, ultra-clean approach: a Blueprint Engines 355 CI small-block Chevy V-8 topped with a FiTech Tri-Power fuel injection setup. To keep the front of that beautiful SBC looking as sharp and performing as reliably as the rest of the truck, Ryno utilized a Kwik Performance Serpentine System for a small block Chevy.
Seeing our sleek, precision-engineered bracket kit bolted up to a SEMA-floor engine bay with polished and painted finishes is exactly why we do what we do. It proved once again that you don't need to spend an absolute fortune on overly complicated, over-hyped front-end setups to get show-quality looks and bulletproof reliability.
Where Is It Now?
After stealing the show at SEMA 2019 alongside Hifonics, "Brown Shuga" continued to grab headlines, landing a major feature article in the print and digital issues of Classic Truck Performance magazine.
Eventually, this elite C10 crossed the prestigious Mecum Auto Auction block at Monterey. The final hammer price? A staggering $126,500! Talk about an incredible return on investment for a truck that was one night away from being recycled into tin cans.
We love seeing the amazing creations our customers put together, and we're incredibly proud to have played a small part in a build of this caliber. It goes to show that whether you're building a reliable daily driver in your driveway or an elite six-figure showstopper destined for the SEMA floor, Kwik Performance has the brackets and serpentine systems to get you there.
Want to see the full, detailed story of the build and look at the gorgeous photography? Grab a coffee and check out the digital article in Classic Truck Performance right here:
https://digital.classictruckperformance.com/issue/february-2021ls/from-trash-to-treasure/
Here’s the Mecum auction listing:
https://www.mecum.com/lots/520683/1971-chevrolet-c10-custom-pickup/
And here’s what the truck looked like at the SEMA show:
https://hifonics.com/brown-shuga/
What are you working on in your shop? Drop us a line or tag us in your build photos—we’d love to see what you're bringing to life.
