Most everyone reading this magazine understands what a battle building a full custom truck can truly be. The constant snowball effect, the nickel and diming of every little part, the late nights and early mornings, the missed birthday parties and family events, and on and on. But none of this comes close to comparing with the real-life battle that the Neeld family was hit with mid-build.
Jimmy Neeld was handed down a passion for custom trucks from his hero: his pops, Jim Neeld. Father and son, Jim and Jimmy, have worked in the garage together ever since Jimmy was old enough to hand his dad a wrench, and that passion blossomed through the years. They have built a couple rides together and hit the road across the country, enjoying shows and family time and sharing this passion.
But one thing Jimmy was not prepared for during their latest build together was the news of prostate cancer. Mid-build, Jim was diagnosed, and this put things on hold as the family pulled together for Jim. For those who haven’t had the pleasure of meeting Jim or Jimmy, the Neeld family is a strong, tight-knit family, and when one battles, they all battle. The family rallied around Jim. Through surgery, treatment and all, Jim fought the hard road and did so with his family by his side.
Battling cancer is probably one of the hardest things a person could ever endure, but ringing that bell and beating this silent killer definitely sheds a different light on things. The little things become that much more important, and spending time with his son Jimmy, building their dreams out of their garage, is something Jim had missed dearly. As soon as he was able, father and son jumped right back into the dually build to see it through. As you’ve seen, the Neelds just don’t quit! So, they tackled the hardest parts of the rebuild first to get them out of the way.
Starting on this beast of a dually bed, they redid the sheetmetal bed floor, cut off the old bent-up roll pan and replaced it with a new smooth one. They also added some old school 1989 Cadillac taillights and welded and smoothed the tailgate. Next, the rear fenders were molded to the bed sides and the rear marker lights were also shaved.
Moving on to the cab, they added a bodyline behind the rear doors, shaved the third brake light, shaved the rain gutters, fixed minor body work, and added a smooth cowl and a cowl induction hood to the mix. Because paint and body are what Jim and Jimmy do, they knew this one had to be extra special. A month-long process to the exterior with a little over 3 pounds of Tropical Glitz Frostbite Flake, laced roof and House of Kolor Tangerine Kandy (roof/side stripe), and she was starting to come together. Interior pieces were color matched with PPG beige, and in the bed Jason Feltham from Feltham Fabrications worked his magic on the custom billet FLO airride tanks. Then Brandon Shirley from Mad House Designs pinstriped everything bringing it all together quite nicely.
After the paint and interior work, the new custom cut 24-inch Alcoas were added to make things that much sweeter. And the custom-built spare tire mount for an additional Alcoa in the bed really finishes things off.
With all of the builds the Neeld family has under their belts, this dually definitely hits home and holds a special place in their hearts. Proof that truly anything is possible, with hard work and a positive outlook on life, miracles can and DO happen! Jimmy and Jim are the type of people the truck industry and scene need more of—good people coming together to spread love and share their passion with others, all the while enjoying and putting their family first. Very proud to call you friends, and can’t wait to see what comes out of the Neeld garage next!
Truck specsJimmy Neeld
1997 GMC C3500
Smith’s Grove, KY
Sunset
24-inch Custom Cut Alcoa’s with 275/25R24 Lexani LX-Thirty tires
Air Lift Performance D2600 ‘bags
Ridetech Strong Arm Uppers & Lowers
FLO Air-ride comps and custom tanks painted by Feltham Fab
Z’d and notched frame for clearance, bed lined frame black
Performed by Jim & Jimmy Neeld
Shaved door handles, antenna, third brake light, roll pan and tailgate
Body Mods: Added bodyline behind rear doors, molded rear fenders, flush mount chopper style fuel cap in the bed rail, 1989 Cadillac taillights, custom spare tire bed mount for an additional 24-inch custom cut Alcoa spare wheel
Bolt-ons: Street Scene smooth wiper cowl panel, front fender flares, billet grille with custom billet grille bumper inserts
Misc.: All clear headlights, turn signals and roof lights, tinted windshield/side/rear glass
Brand and Colors: PPG ambulance white base with 3 pounds of Tropical Glitz Frostbite Flake, PPG black base (lace roof), House of Kolor Tangerine Kandy
Extras: FLO air tanks custom painted by Jason Feltham (Feltham Fabrication), pinstriping by Brandon Shirley of Mad House Designs
Interior color matched PPG beige
Performed by Upholstery by Mike’s Upholstery in Seaman, OH
Seats: Stock seats (front and rear) sectioned and covered in faux alligator and beige vinyl
Dash: Painted PPG tan
We walk you through the 5.3 LS install into Travis’ ’99 Tahoe. This video will explain what parts we used, the main steps we took and the outcome. It is almost like these trucks were made specifically to LS swap as it is fairly easy to do and fit well.
The decade in which you grew up affects your relationship with CHEVY TRUCKS. Maybe your dad, grandpa or uncle had an older C10 model that was kept somewhat stock or had very minimal modifications made to it. More than likely, the odds of gramp’s truck being in stock condition would be more plausible than your pops keeping his ride free of accessories. Having an old pickup around really influences you as a kid and creates memories that stick around into adulthood.
However, if you were reaching driving age when the fourth generation of full-size Chevy pickups was being unleashed onto the public, right around the very late ’80s, you just might have a naturally stronger attraction to this new wave of truck style. The ’90s were on the horizon, and so was a new style of, well, everything. Aside from the “hip” new fashion and music trends, there was a new type of truck on the streets for cruising around with your friends. The evolution of the modern American truck had arrived.
You know those trucks that are awesome at first glance, and then just keep getting more awesome once you really start staring for a while? This is one of those trucks. In fact, a lot of Scott Waksmacki’s ’93 Chevy C1500 is downright understated and takes a trained eye to truly appreciate. As a woodworker, Scott is accustomed to having to get things just right.
Wanting, according to Scott, “…a simple truck to drive…” turned into much more when he decided to drop off his Chevy at Jeremy Miranda’s Miranda Built in Delray Beach, Florida, for a little bit of customization. The zero-rust, low-mileage ’93 Chevy C1500 had always been kept in a garage and was the perfect candidate for a clean street cruiser.
Jeremy started off by lowering the truck with a 5/7 drop from Belltech (with upgraded Bilstein shocks) before eventually bolting on the Cerakote-covered 19×8 and 20×10-inch Hot Rods by Boyd Amarillo billet aluminum wheels and Michelin Pilot Super Sport XL tires in 245/40 and 275/35 sizing. But that’s just what you can see from the outside. What you can’t readily see is that Jeremy fully restored the chassis and narrowed the rearend 3 inches per side to fit the low-offset rear wheels.
Then there’s the other subtle stuff like, well… everything. You’d think that with mods like shaved handles, a shaved cargo light and shaved everything else (also done by Miranda Built), that all of these things would stand out, but that’s the beauty of Scott’s truck—they all blend in seamlessly, as they should, underneath the flawless paint, which was applied skillfully by Keenan Hailey.
Using Jade Green Metallic, Champagne Silver Metallic and Samoa Orange striping, the Chevy’s perfect color combination definitely gives us the same kind of goose bumps we got when we first laid our eyes on the Troy Trepanier-built Chicayne back in the day. And, as you’ll notice, the paintwork itself is amazing, wrapping in and out throughout the cab and bed. Scott shared with us that the green is a Lincoln color, the champagne is from a Cadillac, and the orange stripe is out of Audi’s swatchbook.
Before putting the truck back together, Scott collected all new original GM glass, rubber and door seals to ensure that the truck was as good as, if not better than, brand new. It would also help preserve the spotless, original interior. The only change to the inside was to install a simple audio system, which uses Alpine and JL Audio components for a clean sound.
The finishing touch on the truck was the custom flush-mount aluminum tonneau cover built by Jeremy, which closely resembles the highly coveted Checkmate FX tonneau covers of long ago. Certainly one of our favorite, long-gone products for these trucks!
It’s interesting to note that the truck didn’t leave Miranda Built until every last piece had been restored or replaced, making this essentially a new truck except for the original interior. And yes, the Chevy grille was swapped out for an NOS GMC Sierra unit, with a T-Rex billet grille added for more classic style points. Scott told us that there’s not really anything he’d want to change on his truck, but then he paused and added, “Maybe an LS swap?” And so the endless cycle continues!
The classic movie, “A Streetcar Named Desire,” was recently selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry for being “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.” Lately, it seems that ’88-’98 Chevy trucks are quickly being known to have the same qualities in the truck enthusiast world. GMT400 trucks were on every street corner and car show in the ’90s. With massive production numbers and excellent engineering, these Chevy trucks are still pretty easy to come by and available in many different forms, including shortbed, longbed, quad cab and even two different SUV platforms. Oftentimes, the guy who’s buying and restoring these trucks wanted one in his teen years, and now he’s older, generally successful and more financially stable than when he was 16 years old. These factors also drive custom parts manufacturers to focus on making products for the industry icons and get ahead of the popularity curve.
It’s easy to talk the talk and say you’re a fan of this body style, but it’s far more impactful to walk the walk and own one yourself. So, we took the challenge and jumped into the deep end of desire by picking up a running, driving ’95 Chevy C/K truck from the original owner for a smooth $2,000. Cold A/C and a solid cranking 4.3-liter V-6 gave this truck the appeal, but the full gas tank and a fresh oil change showed us that the previous owner still had love for this 20-plus-year-old family member.
To quickly explain the project’s name: “Stella” is a Latin term meaning “star.” The name popped in our heads after we ordered our 22-inch American Racing Nova wheels. The word “Nova” is a female name of Latin origin that has a definition of both “newness” and “of great energy.” It’s also an astronomical term for a star that suddenly increases in brightness, just like this truck’s future. (Plus, Stella was a pretty stellar character in “A Streetcar Named Desire.”) So, with all that in mind, the name Stella just fits, don’t you think?
Over the next few pages, we’re going to take you through the process of giving this truck new life on the same old roads it’s been cruising down since its inception, first starting with a new suspension, upgraded disc brakes and a new set of wheels and tires. That’s only the beginning, but you have to follow along to see the rest. If this truck doesn’t motivate you to go out and start wrenching on your own OBS project, I’m not sure you picked up the right publication. Now let’s get to the good stuff!
To control our fuel delivery system, we chose to go with Edelbrock’s new Pro-Flo 4 electronic fuel injection. The Pro-Flo 4 is not just a replacement for your carburetor. It’s a complete engineered system that provides the ultimate in performance, drivability and quality. This will result in a smoother idle, faster acceleration, better peak power, improved fuel economy and the ability to control detonation, all in the E-Tuner 4 app.
The key to the improved performance is the fuel injector location, which is at the end of the runner on the intake manifold right before the airflow stream enters the combustion chamber. This location provides a more efficient mixture control that’s unaffected by varying intake manifold runner temperatures and length.
Next to be bolted to the block are our Hedman Hedders designed for the SBC 350ci engine. Hedman Hedders began as a one-man shop in 1954. Bob Hedman, founder of Hedman Hedders, sold his highly sought-after exhaust tubes to fellow racers on the salt flats of the Mojave Desert. But what started out as a way to make a few bucks to pay for Bob’s racing hobby quickly turned into the premier header manufacturer for both the racing and street header marketplaces.
Centerforce is the clutch of choice for our project and recommended by American Powertrain. The Centerforce II Clutch Series utilizes a full facing disc with premium friction materials and a pressure plate with centrifugal weights. It offers superb holding power and maximum clutch life, making this clutch ideal for selected street/strip, off-road and towing applications.
• Patented centrifugal weight design
• Patented ball bearing pressure plate
• High quality friction material
• Light pedal effort
• Increased holding capacity
• Smooth engagement
American Powertrain’s Pro-Fit kits for 88-98 Chevy/GMC C1500 OBS GMT400 trucks come in either 5 or 6-speed. There is no need to cut the floor if your truck is already manual since it fits in the factory location. This kit reuses the original cross-member. It’s actually a very easy install!
Benefits Include:
30-50% increase in fuel economy
Low RPM cruising for greatly reduced driver fatigue and an improved highway driving experience.
Reduced engine wear leading to longer engine life
Cooler engine operating temperature
The 88-98 Chevy kit includes
AP Revolution Shifter Mechanism locates shifter that will fit bench or bucket seats
Seamless DOM Driveshaft Assembly that has been race balanced
Solid U-Joints
A Driveshaft Slip Yoke made from Cryogenically hardened steel
Polyurethane Transmission Mount
Greased and pre-packed pilot bearing with stainless rollers
Reverse Light Harness
Electronic Speedometer Conversion
Shifter Knob and all the Hardware and instructions you need.
With the engine fully assembled, Trey can slide the engine into the bay and start prepping the cooling system. We used a set of factory V-8 motor mounts to bolt it to the frame and Mishimoto radiators and electric fans. This is a 6.2-liter (383ci) diesel cooling system that Trey recommended for additional cooling. To make it all work correctly, Trey installed a factory OEM diesel coolant reservoir and made a trick aluminum coolant transfer pipe.
Project Sources
American Powertrain
americanpowertrain.com
American Racing
www.americanracing.com
Autometal Direct
www.autometaldirect.com
Automotive Touchup Paint
www.automotivetouchup.com
AVS on the Web
www.avsontheweb.com
AZ Pro Performance
azproperformance.com
Blueprint Engines
blueprintengines.com
Centerforce Clutch
www.centerforce.com
Classic Industries
www.classicindustries.com
Dakota Digital
www.dakotadigital.com
Dynomax Exhaust
www.dynomax.com
Edelbrock
www.edelbrock.com
Forever Sharp
fssteeringwheels.com
Full Pen Fabrication
www.fullpenfab.com
Hedman Performance Group
www.hedman.com
LMC Truck
www.lmctruck.com
Lokar
www.lokar.com
Mishimoto
www.mishimoto.com
MrTailLight
www.mrtaillight.com
Nitto Tire
www.nittotire.com
Optima Batteries
www.optimabatteries.com/en-us
Overpower Customs
overpowercustoms.com
Red Line Oil
www.redlineoil.com
RideTech Suspension
www.ridetech.com
TMI Interiors
www.tmiproducts.com
Vintage Air
www.vintageair.com
We owe a lot to the pioneers of this passion of ours. There was a time when trucks, though useful, were boring. As folks eventually started to customize and personalize them, they began looking awesome, especially when lowered. The only problem was the ride quality was often severely lacking. Some people still hold that decades-old belief, saying things like, “I had a lowered truck in the ’70s and it rode like crap, always hitting the bumpstops.”
Well, that was then, and this is now. And the now wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for companies like Belltech, which paved the way with innovations like drop spindles, shackles and axle flip kits. When the ’88 Chevy and GMC ½-ton pickups debuted in late 1987, the custom truck world changed forever and the sport truck world as we know it was born.
From seemingly out of nowhere, bright custom trucks became the hottest things on the streets, eclipsing popular mini-trucks almost overnight and becoming a staple in magazines.
Mark Oja knows this era firsthand, as he was a young Canadian hot rod builder who had his finger on the pulse of all the latest automotive trends in the late ’80s and early ’90s. Like many of us, he was immediately drawn to these new trucks, especially after seeing a certain Belltech ad in a magazine. Mark began dropping trucks on billet wheels and giving them awesome paintjobs, both for himself and his customers, and hasn’t looked back since! He would eventually move his family to the States and open up California Speed and Custom, not to mention become the build manager for Overhaulin’.
Fast forward to last year, and Mark’s wife Pattie was looking for a new daily driver. Mark, coincidentally, wanted to put together a cool truck for SEMA, and Pattie had her eye on one of the C1500s in their stash at the shop. The question now was, how to build it?
Pattie and Mark had been digging through old magazines to get some inspiration, and soon realized that a full-on retro build was in order. Specifically, a tribute to one of the trucks that started it all, the original Belltech poster/ad truck. Designed by Thom Taylor and painted by Pete Santini, the truck would come to define what a sport truck should look like.
For a bit of background, we got in touch with Thom and Pete, who shared their experiences with the legendary truck.
“I was friends with the owner of Belltech and Super Bell, Jim Ewing,” recalls Thom. “Jim Morris was handling their marketing and we came up with the idea to use digital graphics after seeing the GMC Truck Motorsports Syclone at Bonneville. It had these graphics that looked like salt was getting kicked up, but they didn’t just look like traditional taped-off graphics. I created the rendering and went to Pete Santini and asked him if he wanted to get involved, and he said yes. We just wanted to do something different than the heartbeat graphics that were being done at the time.
“I went to a vinyl sign place in Irvine and asked them if they could cut large sections of their vinyl masking material, and they said they could,” Thom says. “They cut the graphics I brought to them and weeded out the graphic part. From there, we applied the masking material to the truck and Pete painted the graphics on. It kinda caught on and I ended up drawing up more graphics for a series of trucks that they would use to dominate the magazine ads.”
Pete shared what was involved on the technical side of things.
“They used something called Gerber paper, which is low tack,” he says. “The regular stuff they were using at the time was too strong and would lift paint. And you had to do it right so you wouldn’t have to use a lot of paint. It had to be thin so I wouldn’t end up with a thick tape line, and it was really interesting to register the drop shadows to get it just right. When we took the truck to SEMA, it was amazing how many people tried to pick the graphics off with their fingers—they thought it was vinyl!”
So Mark quickly gathered the parts necessary to build Pattie’s truck in just two weeks. But, as a skilled painter, he wanted to tackle the color himself! After checking in and getting some advice from Pete, Mark took off with the project and had the digital graphics recreated by Dave, Ryan, and Ryno and Coast Airbrush in Anaheim, California, then delivered the artwork to Mack Signs in Lake Havasu City, Arizona, to have the reverse digital mask cut. Finally, Mark called on his friends at House of Kolor to send some its Tropical Turquoise, an undisclosed shade of magenta paint and Show Klear.
Before laying down the color, though, Mark had some work to do on the body. The flipped tailgate handle was pretty standard fare, but one clever trick Mark employed was to reshape the lower rear quarters to better match the contours of the steel roll pan (which awesomely looks like a vintage fiberglass pan!). And then there’s the lower grille filler and front fender extensions below the Carriage Works grille, which were molded in just like the old days. Once the cab and bed were tidied up, the famous paint scheme was carefully masked off and sprayed in the same manner in which it was done 30 years ago.
The rest of the truck came along pretty easily in comparison, with an authentic, period-correct 4/6 Belltech drop kit and a C-notch bringing the Chevy down to the perfect static height. Now, Pattie did want to bring the truck into the 21st century a bit, so 15-inch wheels weren’t going to cut it this time around. Instead, she went with 19×9 and 20×11 Budnik Argon billets with Toyo Pro XES Sport 245/40R19 and 295/30R20 rubber, but not before having Mark install Baer 14- and 12-inch brake rotors with 6-piston and 4-piston Baer calipers.
As was typical of the era, nothing under the hood was touched, save for the addition of a 2.5-inch Borla exhaust. The same can be said for the interior, which received a simple Pioneer head unit and single-amp setup with four Pioneer speakers and a single 10-inch subwoofer.
Finished just in time for SEMA 2019, Pattie’s truck made plenty of attendees do a double take. In fact, Thom Taylor was admittedly caught by surprise, as he had no idea the tribute was in the works.
“I saw the photos of it at SEMA,” Thom says. “And I didn’t know if it was the original truck or a copy!”
It was only after speaking with Pete Santini that he found out that Mark had built this truck to honor the work of those who created the original “street truck.”
OBS refers to Chevy C/K trucks that were manufactured by General Motors between the years 1988 and 1998. Marketed under the Chevrolet and GMC brands, the C/K series included a wide range of vehicles including a truck and two SUV models. While most commonly associated with pickup trucks, the model line also included medium-duty and heavy-duty trucks. The “C” denoted a two-wheel drive; “K” denoted four-wheel drive.
General Motors released eight different versions of the C/K line for 1988: Fleetside Single Cab, Fleetside Extended Cab, Fleetside Crew Cab and Stepside Single Cab models, each in either 2WD or 4WD drivelines. Three trim levels were available for these trucks, including Cheyenne, Scottsdale and Silverado.
GMT400/480 ’88–’00 Chevrolet C/K – GMC Sierra
GMT410 ’92–’99 Chevrolet Suburban
GMT415 ’92–’94 Chevrolet Full-Size Blazer
GMT420 ’95–’00 Chevrolet Tahoe
GMT425 ’92–’99 GMC Suburban
GMT430 ’92–’00 GMC Yukon
In 1989, a Sport Equipment Package was available on either C/K 1500 Fleetside shortbed single cab model. The package featured a black grille with red outlined bow-tie emblem, black moldings outlined in red, body color front and rear bumpers, black mirrors and “SPORT” identification decals on the box and on the tailgate. There were no suspension or engine upgrades provided with any of the sport packages as this was an appearance only option.
Throttle body (TBI) fuel injection was used on ’88-’95 gas engines.
Central point injection (CPI) was used on the ’96-’00 4.3L V-6, 5.0L V-8 and 5.7L V-8.
The Work Truck (W/T) was introduced in 1988, which featured a single cab longbed with Cheyenne trim and a new grille with black bumpers.
In 1990, Chevrolet introduced a high-performance variant of the GMT400 under the Super Sport emblem called the 454 SS. It was available only as a 2WD half-ton regular cab short box in Onyx Black with a garnet red interior. Unique exterior features included a front air dam with fog lights, special rims, decals displaying “454 SS” on the bed sides, red trim emblems, and black painted grille, bumpers and mirrors.
The MSRP of the 1990 model was $18,295. A total of 16,953 units were sold over the four years the 454 SS was in production; 13,748 units were sold in 1990 alone.
The 454 SS was powered by a 454ci (7.4L) V-8 producing 230hp. A Turbo Hydra-Matic 400, 3-speed automatic transmission and 3.73 rear axle ratio added to the truck’s performance. The axle itself is unique, being a 14-bolt semi-floating unit that uses standard Chevrolet 5 on 5-inch wheels—the only factory-produced 14-bolt axle with such a wheel bolt pattern.
In 1991, the 4L80-E automatic transmission was added for three-quarter and one-ton trucks.
In 1991, California introduced a standard called OBD-I in order to curb vehicle emissions. All cars had to be equipped with a system that could detect engine issues and report trouble codes. Unlike the later OBD-II standard, however, OBD-I wasn’t standardized across manufacturers.
This means that an OBD-I scan tool will often work for only one make of car. In addition, the codes themselves aren’t standardized, so a Ford with the same engine issue as a Toyota might give a totally different trouble code.
In 1993 General Motors re-introduced the Sport branded trucks along with the 454 SS. The 454 SS was discontinued after the 1994 model year.
In 1993, the 700-R4/4L60 transmission was revised with electronic controls, becoming the 4L60-E.
The 1994 models received a new front fascia, federally mandated center high-mount stop lamp, many new exterior colors including a new two-tone option on the rocker panels, and new tire and wheel combinations.
All 1995 models received a new interior that included a new steering wheel with the 1500s containing a driver’s-side airbag, a new dashboard containing a more centrally mounted radio, dial-operated HVAC system, and an improved gauge cluster. New front door panels and new seats were also included.
In 1996, OBD-II became a nationwide standard and it has been used ever since. Unlike OBD-I, OBD-II equipped cars all support the same type of scanner. The trouble codes themselves have also been standardized across all manufacturers.
For 1996, a passenger-side-mounted third door became optional on extended cab models.
C/K 1500 models received a passenger-side airbag for 1997 to comply with new federal regulations for light trucks.
1997 was to be the last year the C/K Silverado would display “CHEVROLET” on the tailgate.
In 1999, the Chevrolet Silverado became the divisional replacement for the C/K.
The Chevrolet Tahoe is a full-size SUV from General Motors. Chevrolet and GMC sold two different-sized SUVs under their Blazer/Jimmy model names through the early 1990s. This situation changed when GMC rebadged the full-size Jimmy as the Yukon in 1991. All were two-door models through 1994.
The Chevrolet K5 Blazer name was discontinued after the 1994 model year, and the Chevrolet Tahoe was introduced in 1995 with the addition of an all-new four-door version.
The Tahoe has regularly been the bestselling full-size SUV in the United States, frequently outselling its competition by 2 to 1.
Both two-door and four-door models were produced in rear- and four-wheel drive. The two-door weighs roughly 4,500 pounds while the four-door weighs approximately 5,500 pounds. The two-door has a 6-inch shorter wheelbase than the four-door.
The standard engine was Chevrolet’s 5.7L (350ci) small-block V-8, while a turbocharged 6.5L (395ci) Detroit Diesel V-8 was available beginning in 1994.
The GMT400-based Suburbans were introduced in December 1991 for the 1992 model year even though the similar pickup truck models had switched to the newer platforms in the 1988. Both 2WD and 4WD models, designated “C” and “K”, were offered, as well as half ton and three-quarter ton versions.
The GMT400 series introduced independent front suspension. The 2WD models used coil springs and 4WD models used torsion bars in the front suspension. All models used a live axle and leaf springs in the rear.
For a 1995 Suburban, 0–60 mph times were around 9.3 seconds at best. The top speed of a 1995 Suburban was governed on the engine for economy and a maximum of 98 mph could be obtained with a fuel economy of 13 mpg.
Taking a truck from modified daily driver to something show worthy can be a hard transition for vehicle owners. Committing to take that build as a whole to the next level is usually never the issue—it’s more like remembering to take it at bit easier on the truck to maintain that pristine condition every show vehicle aims to be.
Will Meadors of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, however, decided that was precisely what he wanted to do: spend more time than ever driving this truck once it was completed. After owning the truck since 2010, Will attended SEMA in 2016 and made the choice that he needed to step it up. From there, the rest is history.
You can catch this beautiful truck at shows in Oklahoma and all across the Midwest.
First thing on the laundry list of upgrades Will wanted to make was suspension. On his suspension and frame setup at that time, he wasn’t able to run deep dish wheels, and that was a must. Let us be clear: It was not a want; it was a need. Knowing the amount of work it would take to completely change his as-is setup, Will decided to make the jump from a decked out extended cab to a single cab. Why cut the cord on all that work? Because body-drop, that’s why. With that, he sold off the old cab and built a new chassis, using all the previously worked up body panels, dash, etc. Now that is commitment. He enlisted a handful of friends and got to work. Between the parts lists from Stone Fab, Air Lift and Belltech it is easy to guess how well this truck lays out after the framework was complete.
Every fresh suspension setup needs a fresh pair of wheels. Wanting the deep dish that started all of this, Will chose a staggered set of 22-inch Intros Twisted Vista 2. Packing a full 22×12-inch wheel in the back, that aggressive set of shoes gave an entirely new look to laying out the 90s GMC.
To better turn those massive new wheels, next in line for the Short Stack was motor work. Why not put down more power than ever when debuting a new look, right? To accomplish that, almost the entire Comp Cams motor catalog was used from camshaft to springs and lifters, then topped off with Billet Specialties valve covers. Throw in the matching air cleaner to those valve covers, then tuck it all neatly between the perfect-fitting Slosh Tubz fender tubs and firewall panels. The engine bay was ready to shut down shows just as quick as the exterior.
Last but not least came the paint and interior work to complete the one-of-a-kind single cab. Will enlisted Albert Stem from Stemco Body Works to knock out the paint work on the freshly installed single cab to match the previous extended-cab paint work, which Will had done himself. Like a true pro, Stem absolutely nailed it. Seeing the paint and bodywork on this truck in person, it looks seamless as if it were all done at once. In addition to that, Brandon McCoy of Gooch Pinstriping laid out the incredible ghost lace on the roof as well as the insane graphics on the Slosh Tubz in the engine bay, setting off the purple and black theme with a pop all its own.
Finishing up its extreme makeover Sierra edition, the GMC went to Cody at Code Zero Customs for interior. The combo of the custom black leather bucket seats with purple stitching mixed with the iPad mini and JL Audio setup make any drive you take in the Short Stack a comfortable time.
With more details left to discuss than we have space for, we recommend you find this beauty in person! You can catch this beautiful truck at shows in Oklahoma and all across the Midwest.
Will wants to give a huge thank you to a few people who helped his dream become a reality on this build: “First and foremost, thank you to my wife Jamie, of course; Mike Losh of Slosh Tubz; also Seth Curry, Cody Landis of Code Zero Customs; the King Covers crew, Mike Hall, Eric Banks, Albert Stem; and Brandon ‘Gooch’ McCoy. Finally, thank you to anyone else who ever played a part in this truck taking shape.”
[divider] TRUCK Specs [/divider]
OWNER
Will Meadors (Billy Bob)
1992 GMC Sierra
Hometown: Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
Age: 33
Build Time: 4 to 5 years
Estimated Cost: $25k
Reason for building: Love old body style trucks, had one in high school
Name of truck: Short Stack
CHASSIS
FRONT SUSPENSION:
REAR SUSPENSION:
ENGINE:
TRANSMISSION:
EXHAUST:
WHEELS:
BODY:
PAINT:
INTERIOR:
STEREO:
