From Storage to Stardom

The true art of customization is being able to take virtually any vehicle and making it something unique and special. Even more substantial is being able to take something that someone gave up on and bringing it back to life. Paul Wasserman of Conroe, Texas runs a business called Wasserman Motorsports, which specializes in car and truck customization. Obviously, his knowledge is exponential. Paul’s friends David Bryant and Jim Dozier had a ’96 Chevy Tahoe sitting in a warehouse they were using to paint golf carts but they decided it was time to make more room for their business. They offered the deserted truck to Paul for a very low price, knowing that he was the one person with the capability to bring her back from the dead.

Paul already knew the history behind the Chevy. Bill Carlton from Ekstensive started building the Tahoe years back, and then it changed hands for several years before landing in a storage bay. Unfortunately, the windows had been left down during its stay in the paint facility, and overspray was seemingly everywhere inside and out. The engine was seized due to its years of sitting, so Paul and his father Robert went straight to work flushing the gas lines and rebuilding the carburetor. A new fuel pump and battery were added, which helped get the Tahoe fired up.

BodySlammed was rebuilt with family values intact and a strong support system in place.

The next step was getting the air-ride system working again, and the Wasserman’s did just that. The front suspension was completely falling out and every bag had holes in it. After every piece was replaced, the Tahoe was able to be brought up off the ground. For safety, the entire brake system had to be reworked and the spindles had to be re-drilled.

With the Tahoe ready to move, Paul’s focus turned to its aesthetics. Paul’s father Robert completely gutted the interior, removing everything inside the cabin. With nothing seeming to work, each piece was dissected and corrected including the gauges and all electronics. The console and panels had to be fixed and the paint overspray was removed. While Robert was tackling the interior, Paul brought the truck to Lake Charles, Louisiana, to have Briley’s Paint and Body correct the paint that Patrick Reid from Madd Concepts had originally perfected. The entire Tahoe was disassembled and each panel was brought back to life.

Once the paint and body were looking like new, Robert and Paul began the reassembly process. The interior was put back together with working electronics and clean suede upholstery. A full JL Audio stereo setup with a Kenwood head unit at the helm was mounted inside the Tahoe. The final step was pulling the wheels off and hand polishing them. With the help of Jane from NTB, the Bonspeed wheels were then wrapped in Nitto tires, making them ready for the road once again.

Paul wishes to thank David Bryant and Jim Dozier for seeing the potential and talents that he and his father had for saving the Tahoe. Wasserman Motorsports was started when Paul was only seventeen years old when he brought his El Camino to Autorama. His father told the staff he was with “Wasserman Motorsports” just to get a better parking spot. The name stuck, and Paul and Robert have actually grown a business from that moment. BodySlammed was rebuilt with family values intact and a strong support system in place.

TRUCK SPECS

Engine & Drivetrain

5.7L Chevy GM Performance small-block crate engine
GM Performance heads
Edelbrock mild cam, 750 CFM carburetor
Accel HEI ignition
Billet Specialties serpentine system, valve covers, and breather
Polished intake manifold
Be Cool upper and lower radiator hoses, remote power steering reservoir
Vintage Air A/C system
Four-row GM radiator
Two 14-inch electric fans custom painted
700R4 transmission with upgraded valve body
Converted electronic speed generator
Chevy S-10 housing, 3:55 gears

Chassis & Suspension

Tubular upper and lower control arms
Slam Specialties bags
AIM lowered spindles
Mevotech TTX ball joints
Custom Z’d square tube frame by Ekstensive Metal Works, Houston, TX
Long arm system with Panhard bar
Two Viair 480 compressors
Two custom spun aluminum 12-gallon air tanks plumbed through rear cargo door

Wheels, Tires & Brakes

22×8 and 22×11 Bonspeed billet wheels
True Spike blue anodized lug nuts
235/30R22 and 295/30R22 Nitto NT420 tires
Disc brakes, NAPA Adaptive ONE brake pads

Body & Paint

’96 Dodge Viper Blue paint with Freeze Green graphics done by Patrick Reid at Madd Concepts
Paint correction by Dusty Briley of Briley’s Paint and Body, Lake Charles, LA
Upgraded front clip, hood cut and sectioned from ’96 to ’06 front end, body lines on doors and rear adjusted to ’06 style, barn door hinges relocated to inside, rear lights filled, welded, and relocated to rear pillar
Wiper cowl, door handles, and roll pan shaved
Sport mirrors painted to match
Escalade roof with power sunroof
Billet grille

Interior

Originally designed by Madd Concepts
Fiberglass dashboard and center waterfall console
MDF-covered fiberglass door panels
Billet gauge pod and door handles
B&M shifter
Ididit tilt steering column
Bonspeed billet steering wheel
Seats wrapped in suede
Headrests removed
Kenwood KDC-X798 multimedia receiver
JL Audio components, two 12-inch subwoofers, and amplifier

Special Thanks

“Thank you mom and dad for always having my side in everything we do, and my wife Becky for the time and money spent—she supports all my crazy ideas and hobbies. Thanks to my youngest daughter Addison Wasserman, my oldest daughter Danielle and her husband Sam Posas as they always get roped into the chaos at the shows or on the race track, and Phil Gordon for making me famous.”