- 1970 C20 pickup hides a modern Silverado V8 and chassis under original bodywork.
- Icon 4×4 blended 1970 design with new internals for a sleeper-style truck build
- Retains worn exterior and period-correct cabin while integrating stealthy tech updates.
This 1970 Chevrolet C20 is hiding a big secret. Looking at it, you’d assume it was just like any other and has endured a hard life, which would explain all the paint issues and the huge areas of rust across the body. However, this Chevy has actually been overhauled with the modern underpinnings of a Silverado. As it turns out, you can have your pie and eat it too.
Classic Looks, Modern Backbone
Built by Icon 4×4, this special C20, known as the Derelict (no prizes for those who guess why), retains its original shell but now sits on the underpinnings of a new Silverado. The company hasn’t detailed the process of mating these two very different pickup trucks together, but it couldn’t have been easy.
Read: Mercedes 300 SEL “Derelict” By Icon Combines Worn Paint With An LS9 Supercharged V8
Power comes courtesy of one of the Silverado’s available V8 engines, presumably mated up to the same transmission you’ll find in a 2025 model. Without looking under the hood, it’s virtually impossible to tell that this C20 is any different from another. It’s about as close to a workman’s sleeper as you can get.
It’s not unusual to see old cars being fitted with new powertrains, but more often than not, the cabins are also overhauled to bring them into the modern age. What’s cool about Icon 4×4’s creation is that most of the cabin looks like a standard C20, and the upgrades made throughout have been added without interfering with the original design.
The central stack is a good example. It features buttons, dials, and a small infotainment screen from a new Chevy, but instead of ripping up the dash, Icon crafted a custom panel that fits right into the old one. Even the updated gauges are mounted in the factory openings, keeping the look authentic.
Other tweaks include new leather and fabric on the seats and door panels, along with a classic two-spoke steering wheel that still holds its place front and center. It’s clear Icon wanted to preserve the original C20’s spirit, only smoother and with fewer rattles.
Icon 4×4 hasn’t released pricing for this specific build, but given its track record, it won’t be cheap. The shop has turned out several other Derelict projects in recent years, including transformations based on a 1949 Mercury Coupe, a 1954 Desoto Wagon, and even a 1958 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud. The C20 joins that list as another example of how to make something old feel new again, without ruining what made it cool in the first place.
