BendPak Unveils ‘Valor C10’ Custom Truck Built To Honor US Armed Forces

Car lift and garage equipment manufacturer BendPak Inc. unveiled its inaugural custom-built vehicle at the 2026 SEMA Show, the “Valor C10.” A handcrafted 1970 Chevrolet C10 pickup, the truck was built as a rolling tribute to the sacrifice, courage and commitment of the U.S. armed forces, company officials said in a press release.

“We call this build the ‘Valor C10’—it was created to honor the brave men and women who have served and continue to serve in our armed forces, especially those who gave their lives in defense of our nation,” said BendPak president and CEO Jeff Kritzer. “BendPak proudly supports the military community. This serves as our way of saying thank you and reminding everyone that freedom isn’t free.”

The “Valor C10” salute carries deep personal meaning for BendPak’s leadership and team, the release noted. U.S. Army veteran Don Henthorn founded BendPak in 1965. Kritzer spent three years of active-duty service as a U.S. Air Force C-130 loadmaster before transitioning to the Air National Guard, retaining his flight status and loadmaster duties while launching his full-time career at BendPak, a dual commitment he maintained for three years. He is the son of a senior master sergeant and fellow loadmaster whose entire life was devoted to military service. Kritzer’s son, Devin, served with distinction in the U.S. Army, including deployments to the Gulf region and Bangladesh.

With its fusion of modern performance and timeless design, the “Valor C10” embodies American strength, ingenuity and resilience—values shared by both BendPak and the U.S. military, the company said.

Nostalgia Hot Rods Leads the Custom Fabrication

The team at Nostalgia Hot Rods, led by Dustin Hacker, was tapped to build the “Valor C10.”

“We’ve worked with Dustin for several years, supplying his shops with BendPak lifts and equipment, as well as showcasing many of his amazing builds in our SEMA Show booths,” said Sean Price, BendPak director of product development. “We knew he had the passion and craftsmanship to bring our vision for the ‘Valor C10’ to life.”

Hacker started with a vintage C10, and by the time the build was complete, the closest thing left to stock was a heavily modified cab.

“Most of the sheet metal is custom-fabricated, including the roof, hood, drip rails, floors, bumpers, engine bay and bed,” Hacker explained. “Under the hood, there’s a 376-cubic-inch V-8 with a 2.9-liter Whipple supercharger. This thing will make 750 horsepower and drive like a dream.”

Despite its slammed stance, the body-dropped C10 retains more than 4.5 inches of usable ground clearance with Hacker’s chassis setup. It’s finished in a metallic blue with red accents, including a body stripe, brake calipers and engine. The color scheme is a nod to the U.S. flag, in which blue stands for vigilance, perseverance and justice, while red symbolizes hardiness, sacrifice and the valor that gives the truck its name, officials noted. Custom “Valor C10” badges designed by the BendPak creative team highlight both doors.

The interior features a classic bench seat upholstered in two-tone gray Alcantara with blue stitching. The door panels and headliner are also bespoke.

Valor C10 Build Sheet: Powertrain, Chassis & Electronics

Highlights of the “Valor C10” build sheet include:

• BTR Gen V Stage 2 supercharged camshaft
• Custom 3.5-inch aluminum driveshaft
• MagnaFlow 3-inch mufflers
• Holley Terminator X Max engine management system
• Gearstar GM 6L80E 6-speed automatic transmission
• Custom Eddie Motorsports serpentine system
• Speedtech Extreme G chassis
• QA1 4-way adjustable coil-overs with cantilever rear suspension
• Forgeline custom wheels
• JL Audio C7 components
• Kenwood 6.8-inch head unit
• PCS electronic gear shift module with wireless paddle shifter
• Dapper Lighting custom headlights and taillights with custom billet housings
• Nu-Relics power windows