HOT ROD Features John McLeod's DSE-Equipped Inline-Six C10
Photos by Kevin DiOssi/Courtesy HOT ROD MagazineOur friends over at HOT ROD Magazine recently gave some love to Detroit Speed's own John McLeod, highlighting his Detroit Speed-suspended 1967 C10 pickup.
John wasn't after another cookie-cutter LS-swapped C10 with his project. When he found this ’67 shortbed sitting on a farm in Northern Michigan, he saw something more interesting. As the founder of Classic Instruments and now a key player at Detroit Speed, McLeod’s been around enough shiny, overbuilt trucks to know he wanted something useful, something with personality. So he built a shop truck powered by a 250ci inline-six. Not because it was trendy, but because it wasn’t.
The goal was to build a truck you could drive hard, park anywhere, and lend to a buddy without flinching. That said, it didn’t stay simple for long. With help from drag racing engine builder and world champion Jason Line, the straight-six was overhauled with custom internals, Elston headers, a hand-massaged cylinder head, and a one-off Quadrajet carb. It makes over 300 horsepower and runs through a five-speed pulled from an S-10 police auction special. The rearend? A Detroit Speed FN988 with a posi and 3.55s. Nothing exotic—just well-thought-out pieces that work.
Underneath, it’s all Detroit Speed: SpeedMax up front, Quadralink out back, JRi coilovers, and Baer brakes on all four corners. It rides like a modern truck but keeps its classic feel. The paint, a stealthy satin black laid down by Bobby Alloway gives it just the right amount of attitude. Inside, it’s equal parts function and flair: custom bench, Classic Instruments gauges, Vintage Air, and hardware that looks sharp without screaming.
It’s been used to haul deer, chase parts, and do everything a truck should. And that’s the best part. It's a showpiece, bt it's really a nod to good friends, good parts, and doing things your own way.
