Jarrod Chesser’s Ultimate Work Truck

Photos by Emma Sauve

When you start your own business, the first thing you want to do is land on your brand. What’s the identity? How can it apply to the services you’ll offer? For Jarrod Chesser, he took his love of restomods and paired it with damn near one of the catchiest business names I’ve ever heard of for a plumbing company—SO GOOD!

Stumbling upon this “work truck” out at Lone Star Throwdown was the perfect venue to take in all that Jarrod accomplished. For me, heading to Texas from Detroit at the end of February usually means shorts and a thick layer of sunscreen, but this was the year I was scooping up swag and sweatshirts at every stop to get some circulation back into my gloveless camera hands. It goes without saying that it’s the people and their rides that are the heart of the show, and no amount of rain, sleet or snow hits the brakes on the love we all have for this industry.

Jarrod and his buddies went through the whole thing frame-up,  fixing the utility bed and  getting it ready to rep his plumbing company—In 2 Deep. 

There we all were, chilled to the bone and selling out the hot chocolate stand, mooching off anyone with a space heater and taking cover in the pavilion. I’m sitting in the back of somebody’s truck bed, getting the slow roll of the grounds, and bearing the blistering cold because I’m a hard ass here to get a job done and by golly I’m gonna have fun while I do it. We’re coming around the bend from the right side of the entrance and pass by Jarrod and his truck, pre-wrap, spotting my beloved Detroit Steel Wheels. Treating my chauffeur as a hop-on, hop-off bus, I jump out and get to work.

Jarrod scored an outrageously sweet deal scooping this truck up. Don’t get too jealous, but he found it on the side of the road for just $800 after it was repo’d. It wasn’t in too bad of shape, but obviously needed some work. He and his buddies went through the whole thing frame-up, fixing the utility bed and getting it ready to rep his plumbing company—In 2 Deep.

The truck is running control arms with a wishbone kit from Nfamous Metal for that super tucked stance that is adjusted by an AVS air-ride kit. The slammed frame lays around 20- and 22-inch Detroit Steel D-Town wheels to capture a classic appearance. Cooling off the Texas heat is a  Classic Auto Air A/C system, which is an absolute must for this climate.

Jarrod also cleaned up the small block and the interior, added a Rockford Fosgate audio system, and polished it off with his blood, sweat, and tears.

Jump from 2022 to the bliss that was a temperate 2023 LST where I saw Jarrod scraping through the show with the new wrap—a rolling advertisement for all those in need for a cool-guy plumber. Every year at the show he’s posted up with his Nefarious truck club—the crew that helped him get this truck where it needed to be. We scooted across the grounds to my fave photoshoot location and got everything set up. One of his buddies came along just to throw him through the wringer for getting his pics done in front of the truck. That’s camaraderie!

Every time I run into Jarrod, it’s a genuine pleasure. I joked with him about his “yes ma’ams” “no ma’ams” and “thank you ma’ams” being a true testament to that Abilene, Texas, Southern charm. As with all the clubs I hang out with at LST, his crew greets me with open arms and whatever is cooking on the grill, one of my little oases  in the Montgomery County Fairgrounds.

As I write this, the 2024 show is right around the corner, and I’m hoping Jarrod will be there again so we can hang out and celebrate what he, his friends, and his family have built. It’s never just about a truck or a car, we all know what really goes into these builds. In the end, yea, we have something cool to roll around in, but the memories, the bonds, the struggles—that’s what we reflect on the most. For Jarrod, he’s got a lot to be thankful for with the people he’s surrounded with. For him to take it a step further and have his ’81 represent his company is an extension of the character and work ethic that was put into it. Besides a dope wrap that says “In 2 Deep”, the effort alone stands as a great representation for a business owner that can recognize the struggle and opportunities in getting a job done and doing it well.

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BUILD SPECS

Owner 

• Jarrod Chesser
• Nefarious Truck Club
• 1981 Chevy Utility

Engine & Drivetrain

• Cleaned up 350 and engine bay
• Edelbrock chrome air cleaner
• Highamp alternator

Body & Paint

• Bought with utility bed conversion
• Cleaned up exterior, bumpers, and new badges

Chassis & Suspension

• Factory frame modified
• Nfamous Metal control arms and wishbone setup
• AVS air suspension management

Wheels and Tires

• 20 and 22inch DTown Detroit Steel Wheels
• Nitto tires front and rear

Interior / Stereo

• Cleaned up factory interior
• Wrapped bench seat
• Billet steering wheel
• Rockford Fosgate bumps

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