Losh 1967 Chevy C10
From Dakota Digital

I’ve always dreamt of my grandparents owning a cool car or truck, and eventually passing this hallowed vehicle down to me. Unfortunately a string of Luminas and Nissans have stifled that dream for me, but Mike Losh was considerably more auspicious. Back in 1978, his grandfather picked up this ’67 C10 with the rare Panoramic View option and used it for commuting as well as daily beatings on the farm. Knowing an opportunity when he sees it, a young Mike fell in love with the big-windowed short box hauler at age four and never stopped dreaming. Nine years ago, shortly after his grandmother passed away, Grandpa Losh finally sold Mike the truck with the agreement that it be rebuilt to a new level of glory.
Typically when we consider a build team for a high-level rod, 10- and 80-year olds aren’t at the top of the list, though Mike wouldn’t have it any other way. His grandpa was right there by his side tearing into the beloved truck, running parts and offering fabrication advice throughout the build. The littlest Losh is growing up the right way, by all accounts, already versed in metal fabrication. An equal-opportunity build, Mike’s wife and daughter are the acting design team, and rightfully take credit for the excellent color combo and the unique interior, but more on that later.
It seems like everyone you ask that’s screwing together a vehicle, regardless of the make, model or year, has the same plan: “classic and modern.” Aptly named ‘Cloud 9’ hits the nail on the head with its perfect execution of this indefinable build style; check the mega-detailed GEN I small block and the original brightwork in concert with the Accu-Air suspension and big billet rollers. None of the parts or modifications clash with anything else; the entire truck is a joy to look at, and it’s easy to be mesmerized looking it over. Every bit of the truck was put together with plenty of foresight and planning. Take the notch cover for example: typically bagged trucks sprout a gigantic growth in the bed floor to cover the suspension. The Losh crew instead took a ’67 Chevy hood and bent up their own hinged cover. The result is one of those mods that makes you stop and ponder just how they did it, and why you didn’t do it first. Another impossibly slick detail on Mike’s truck is the raised bed floor. It’s a neat trick on its own, but the downside is the awkward ‘step’ just inside the tailgate when you’re looking at the vertical edge. In an incredible stroke of genius, Mike used the inner skin from another ’67 Chevy tailgate as the vertical plane of the raised bed floor. The gate and bed floor-step fit together absolutely perfect! My mind was blown when Mike explained his tricks, and I absolutely love that the casual onlooker would miss these details.
The engine compartment of Cloud 9 is where the Losh family really spent some time. The smoothed firewall, intensely detailed engine, gorgeous handmade fan shroud and radiator hold-down make this among the cleanest workrooms ever. Laying your truck low over huge rollers usually spells the end of wheel wells and therefore any chance of a clean engine bay. With no compromise on cleanliness on the table and no suitable solution short of trailer fenders in sight, the Losh bunch made their own inner fenders. Cavernous to hug big wheels and round in all the right places keeping the area clean is one of the first sets of ‘Slosh Tubz’ inner wheel wells. Oh yes, that’s right, in the process of coming up with the best solution for his truck, Mike Losh managed to start his own company selling these beauties to other bagged C10 owners! Bolting to the stock points, Slosh Tubz are now available for 1967-87 Chevy trucks, and ’60-66 C10s are next on the list.
The cabin has a look all its own, thanks to Mike’s interest in the VW scene. Not many hot rodders look to plaid for their interiors, but matched up with the supple tan leather and tasteful topstitching, the Losh ladies knocked it out of the park. A billet steering wheel wrapped in the matching tan leather sets off the beautifully detailed dashboard. Again, the mix of old and new is seamless, with billet pedals and Dakota Digital VHX instruments taking residence right next to the stock radio and heater controls.
Cloud 9 is the kind of build that we love to be a part of; Mike is a genuinely nice guy that loves his truck dearly. It’s not a checkbook machine owned strictly for profiling, it’s a labor of love that brought his entire family closer together, it is the catalyst for a new business, and it’s among the best ways to make new friends. After getting to check out the C10 in person at the 2012 SEMA Show in Vegas, we absolutely can’t wait to see how their ‘Square Peg’ Blazer turns out!











Slosh Tubz inner fenders for laid-out C10s.