OK, so this red '96 Chevy Silverado has nothing to do with a Cold-War submarine. But you can sink it the same way you sink a sub - let the air out of the reservoirs! That's how Bill Watson of Horn Lake, Mississippi, lays the frame of his Chevy. Bill knew he wanted to customize his truck and hang out in the show scene. He took the truck to Clyde at Silver Star Customs, where the rear leaves and front bumpstops were removed to make room for almost 12 inches of frame-laying suspension drop. From there, Bill set forth to fit an Escalade front clip, handles, and an '02 Deville third brake light to the truck. Katrina (Bill's wife) was patient for the two years it took to complete the build. We're not sure if she knows how much it cost to build the truck, but when asked, Bill says $50,000 dollars is what it would take to build a duplicate.
Bill was almost done with the truck when he decided to set his sights on the Relaxed Atmosphere show in September 2004. As the show date neared, Bill realized he probably wouldn't make it. He called his friend Shane Pecock, whom he knew had a cool center console. When Shane arrived, Bill got Shane really drunk and convinced him to pull his console out and strip it down so Bill could paint and reupholster it to make the show. It took only 13-1/2 hours to complete the entire interior.
Shane and Bill worked hand in hand to fab and fit the new interior to the truck. Buster's in Bartlett, Tennessee, shaved off the stake holes in the bed, prepped the interior, and finished the Slim Top tonneau for paint. After shooting the truck DuPont Victory Red, the tribal flames were laid out. With the tape in place, the spray gun was filled with House of Kolor's Kandy Tangerine Orange and the tape was filled with the heavy-flake-filled paint.
Bill explains that his son was a major inspiration for building the custom hauler. He wanted to involve his family with the fun to be had at shows and in the custom truck seen. It's a clean build that deserves respect. Good job, Bill, we'll see you at the next show.
Silver Star Customs in Horn Lake, Mississippi, makes a two-link and solid Panhard rod kit for the fullsize that gets the truck to lay frame. Firestone 'bags and Belltech shocks give the hauler a smooth ride quality. | 
Updating the front end on the '96 truck was done with an Escalade front clip. Accenting the front clip are the Escalade handles fitted to the doors. |
The engine bay was cleaned, prepped, and shot for a clean start. Chrome goods dress up the engine compartment, and the K&N cold-air intake provides a custom appeal. | |
Special Thanks
Wife Katrina: For not tearing Bill's head off because he didn't do his share of the family duties during the build
Shane Pecock: For the long hours helping to customize the interior
Pizza-Pizza (aka Fat Greg): For keeping the crew well-fed during the course of the build
Clyde at Silver Star Customs: For all the tech help
Big Ronny, Lil' Joey, and Medium Mike: For all their efforts
Jeff at Memphis Auto: For helping put together a rockin' sound system
Son Bryan Mitchell: For inspiring Bill to do the job right
Buster's Autobody shot the DuPont Victory Red base and laid tribal flames over it in House of Kolor's Kandy Tangerine Orange. | 
The scratch-built center console was sprayed and upholstered in the same color scheme as the rest of the truck. Even though it was temporally borrowed from a friend's truck to make the show, it was completely redone to fit the truck. |
The dash was smoothed, sprayed, and accented with billet accessories. | 
A set of Driv Plague 22x9.5-inch wheels wrapped in Goodyear 285/30/22s fills the wheelwells of the truck. Two VIAIR 405C compressors, two 3-gallon tanks, and one 5-gallon tank provide the truck with plenty of compressed air for the altitude adjustment. |
Some people think the third brake light on most vehicles looks like an afterthought. But Bill's Cadillac Deville third brake light was smoothed to the cab, giving it a cool look. | 
The rear of the cab was fit with a custom-built bass wall. It houses the three 12-inch 'woofers and amps needed to power the system. |