Motorsport Concepts’ ’96 Sierra Sleeper

It is supremely cool to see a custom truck built today that could be dropped nearly 30 years in the past and blend right in with the style of that time period. The best part of seeing the GM OBS platform gain popularity again is the many examples of “classic” trucks being built with elevated throwback swagger like this ’96 GMC Sierra.

As a general rule of thumb, shop owners are usually the last ones to have time to work on an extensive personal project, but that all changed for Jarod once he scored his Sierra.

Jarod Swantkoski of Brighton, Colorado, has owned and operated Motorsport Concepts in Denver for over 20 years. He has personally witnessed the first wave of the ’88-’98 sport truck craze that has finally come full circle in today’s current truck scene. Motorsport Concepts specializes in collision repair, but Jarod and his crew also have a large custom clientele that keeps them just as busy. As a general rule of thumb, shop owners are usually the last ones to have time to work on an extensive personal project, but that all changed for Jarod once he scored his Sierra. The truck came in looking as bland as could be—but in a good way. It was largely in clean, unmodified factory condition, which is exactly what he was hoping to find.

SIERRA SIGHTS SET

Before even getting too deep into the disassembly process, Jarod already had a crystal clear vision of how he wanted to see the truck built. He also had a handful of brands that he was ready to work with that had all the right products he was looking forward to using throughout the build.

The first major phase of the project was to free up the frame and pluck it clean of all the old factory components before sending it out to Heavy Metal Powdercoating for a much-needed refresh. AZ Pro Performance was ready to supply Jarod with a fresh set of 2-inch React drop spindles and a full Ridetech coilover package to majorly upgrade the truck’s agility and overall ride quality.

With a much lower and capable chassis system in place, it was time to choose a set of wheels that would not only look great on the truck but also serve as a beacon of rich retro styling. Jarod’s search came to a halt once he spotted Hot Rods by Boyd’s 20-inch Retro Series Gotcha 2 units that deliver true ’90s sport truck styling cues. To balance out the throwback looks of the rolling frame, the latest in braking components was then assembled in the form of Pro Performance upgrade kits at both ends, a Wilwood master cylinder, as well as front rack-and-pinion steering from Elevated Concepts.

LS3 CRATE ENGINE PLUS

Under the hood, Jarod planned on installing nothing less than pure high performance machinery. To get that ball rolling, he reached out to Blueprint to order a brand new GM LS3 crate engine.

While the LS alone was a major upgrade, Jarod doubled down by also including a Magnuson TVS 2300 supercharger, Speed Engineering mid-length headers, a custom 3-inch exhaust system, and an air intake from Wicked Welds. This setup might throw bystanders off as some might have expected to see a souped up Vortec mill, but the LS3 was a definite game-changer for the future of this ’96.

EXTERIOR ACCOUTREMENTS

Jarod then started gearing up to spend time with his Motorsport Concepts crew to dial in the Sierra’s exterior before it was sealed up with paint. Resident body technician Brian Theriault performed all the slick bodywork, from the narrowed and tucked factory front bumper, welded-in Grant Fab rear roll pan, and the shaved body seam on the cab to the stake pockets on the bed, the wiper cowl, and tailgate handle.

Nick Blanco then loaded up and sprayed the PPG Envirobase BMW Yas Marina Blue Pearl paint that helps maintain a vintage demeanor while being a rather obscure, non-GM color selection. From there, a few bolt-in additions such as the T-Rex 30-bar billet grille, LED taillights from RZ Lightz, and fresh headlight and turn signal housings help in cleaning up the truck’s outward appearance.

Moving to the bed, Nick McDonald at Wicked Welds Custom Shop stepped up in to create custom paneling for the walls and flipside of the tailgate. A BedWood flooring kit was then tinted blue and assembled to create a cool, unique change of pace inside the box. All in all, Jarod’s Sierra was looking great with a full in-cab rehab mission slated to begin shortly after the dust settled from the exterior work.

AZ Pro Performance was ready to supply Jarod with a fresh set of 2-inch React drop spindles and a full Ridetech coilover package to majorly upgrade the truck’s agility and overall ride quality.

PLUSH INTERIOR

The first thing most onlookers will notice when taking a peek inside the interior is the plush, distressed gray leather bench seat from Snowden. The matching wrap on the dash, pillars, and door panels also come together to make a lasting first impression. Auto Weave Upholstery in Denver is responsible for the expert stitch work, as well as for laying down the new German square-weave carpeting.

Jarod’s search came to a halt once he spotted Hot Rods by Boyd’s 20-inch Retro Series Gotcha 2 units that deliver true ’90s sport truck styling cues.

Randy Gustafson assisted in painting some accessory parts and pieces inside of the cab to further clean up the interior landscape. Next, Spare Time Fab billet accessories were installed, Dakota Digital gauges were wired in, and a Colorado Customs steering wheel that matches the Boyd wheels was put into position to create an all-around timeless interior space. The final inclusions into the cab were a custom speaker enclosure that houses dual 8-inch Rockford Fosgate Punch subs, along with fresh a Kenwood receiver in the dash.

…he reached out to Blueprint to order a brand new GM LS3 crate engine.

In just 24 months, Jarod was able to wrap up the project just in time to debut at Dino’s 2022 Git Down. While this ’96 Sierra may seem to be rather simple and straightforward at a distance, this OBS is a prime example of a well-balanced modernized slice of nostalgia.

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TRUCK SPECS

OWNER

Jarod Swantkoski
1996 GMC Sierra
Brighton, CO
Negative Camber

ENGINE/POWERTRAIN

• 2022 GM LS3 from Blueprint Engines
• Magnuson TVS 2300 supercharger installed by J&S Performance and Tuning, Arvada, CO
• Dirty Dingo LS Mounts
• Entropy Radiator
• Holley Terminator X engine management
• Custom wiring by Sinister Performance
• Roller cam
• Speed Engineering mid-length headers
• Wicked Welds custom 3-inch exhaust system, one-off air intake and panels
• 2022 B&M 4L80E transmission

CHASSIS/SUSPENSION

• Factory 1996 chassis
• Full Ridetech coilover kit
• 2-inch React drop spindles
• Chassis powdercoated by Heavy Metal Powdercoating
• Elevated Concepts rack-and-pinion
• Sinister Performance and wiring

WHEELS, TIRES & BRAKES

• 20×8.5 and 20×11 Hot Rods by Boyd Retro G2 wheels
• 245/40/20 and 315/35/20 Nitto NT450 tires
• Pro Performance 14-inch front, 13-inch rear brake kits
• Wilwood master cylinder
• Custom brake lines

EXTERIOR/PAINT

• Shop: Motorsport Concepts, Denver
• Body mods by Brian Theriault @ Motorsport Concepts
• PPG Envirobase BMW Yas Marina Blue Pearl by Nick Blanco @ Motorsports Concepts
• Custom BedWood bed and engine panels by Nick McDonald @ Wicked Welds Custom Shop, Fort Collins, CO
• Full paint detail by DenCo Speed Co
• T-Rex billet grille
• Grant Fab roll pan welded in
• RZ Lightz LED taillights

INTERIOR/SOUND

• Shop: Auto Weave Upholstery, Denver
• Snowden bench seat w/ distressed gray leather
• Dakota Digital gauges
• Colorado Customs 14-inch steering wheel
• German square weave carpet
• Custom painted interior parts by Randy Gustafson
• Billet interior parts by Spare Time Fab
• Kenwood receiver, 8-inch subs, custom enclosure by Dave Akard

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