Greg Doak had a vision, a vision that was spawned from years of hanging around his old man Jim, owner of JD Motorsports, in Saginaw, Michigan. Growing up-and now as an adult-he watched his father do his magic as an engine builder and as a hot-rod fabricator. Five years ago, Greg took those insights to Jim, with the hope of putting them to work in building one of the slickest V-8 S-10 trucks that Michigan has ever seen. It took an initial $250 investment, which Greg used to purchase the '85 Chevy S-10 pickup. Now years later, Greg's vision has come to life. "Greg's truck was frame-off. It was a bare frame that we blasted, painted, and customized from the ground up," Jim said. "Everything on the truck is brand-new. There is only one original panel left on the truck that Greg bought." Jim isn't a newcomer to building custom rides. This is the eighth V-8 S-10 truck JD Motorsports has built. The other trucks Jim did in the past were special, but this one was extra special because it was a project that allowed the father and son team to wrench side by side.
Jim always wanted to put a V-8 into an S-10, and when a neighbor mentioned he wanted one in his truck, Jim didn't hesitate stuffing a 327ci motor under the hood. Once he finished the first one, he looked at things and asked himself what he could do to make things better. Knowing there were only a few companies that manufacture engine swap kits for the S-10, he ended up taking the parts out the kits he liked and building better replacement parts for the ones he didn't like. It made a lot neater assembly, so when a person would open up the hood it looked like the motor belonged there. Jim would later build a V-8 S-10 of his own, which he sold. But, it was that specific truck that made his son Greg need one of his own. Each time Jim took on a new project, he found that he'd learned more from what he'd already done and was ready to raise the bar with Greg's truck.
"This truck is mad-fast. It has so much power, and the overall look is second to none. Everyone who worked on this truck did such a great job. I couldn't be happier." -Jim Doak
Jim and Greg wanted to take this truck to new heights. They wanted to make a machine that had the looks, the performance, and the attitude that would make it an award-winner. When Jim and Greg finally decided on what they wanted for the truck, they chose something that would be no contest against others when it hit the street, a 400ci small-block that has the muscle and performance the duo were looking for in a motor. Once completed, the motor dyno'd at 640 hp. The horsepower turned heads and even surprised Jim and Greg. So, when asked if this was too much motor for the truck, Jim replied by saying, "Not in this truck. The truck runs a 10:30 at 130 mph. It definitely has the power we were looking for." With the motor complete, Jim and Greg wanted to add their own style and flair to this hot-rod-lover's dream. The dashboard was a project, which they wanted to be hands on with. They didn't want the truck with the dash the way it was, so they went to Hot Rod Fabrication, in Freeland, Michigan, and talked with owner Bob Kjorli. They told Kjorli what they wanted for the dash, and Kjorli made cardboard templates for the aluminum dash. The dash was fitted for all of the gauges, turn signals, and high-beam indicator. "The dash is about as cool as you can get," Greg said.
The truck's color is Prowler Purple, which not only highlights the body lines perfectly, but it makes the truck stand out from the crowd. The truck has already got a few trophies under its belt, winning the Best in Class and Best Engine at the '03 Autorama. When your peers vote you as one of the best is when you know it's a job well done. "The Autorama award was a surprise to us when it happened, but that just shows you how hard everyone worked on this truck," Jim said. From the high-powered Flowmasters to the state-of-the-art cooling system, Greg's S-10 is one that won't be duplicated. Greg said, "I can't tell you how proud I am of this truck. We had an idea in our heads, and the finished product is exactly what we planned. I wouldn't change a thing."
The 411
Owner/hometown: Greg Doak / Saginaw, Michigan
Year/make/model: '85 Chevy S-10
Engine/drivetrain: 412ci small-block Chevy / 4.155 bore / 3.800 stroker Winberg Ultralight crankshaft / ATI Super-damper / Eagle 6-inch rods / Wiseco Pro-Lite pistons / Splayed Caps / Comp Cams 0.555/0.555 solid bumpstick / Pro Magnum rockers / Comp Stud girdle / CNC-ported Dart aluminum Pro 1 215 heads / Ferrea 2.08/1.60 stainless valves / 750 Holley HP carb / Dart Kool Kan intake / Hedman coated full-length headers / 3-inch Flowmasters / MSD Pro Billet distributor / MSD Blaster 3 coil / MSD 6AL box / MSD wires / 140-amp alternator / Mallory fuel pump / RCI polished aluminum fuel cell / 1/2-inch braided stainless lines / Be Cool radiator fitted with twin SPAL fans / Weiand Team G water pump / turbo 400 transmission / TCI 3,200- to 3,800-stall converter / Chassisworks fab 9-inch / 4:11 gears / Detroit Locker / 35-spline axles / rollcage fabrication done by Greg Doak
Wheels/tires: Center Line Convo Pro, 15x6 (front), 15x8.5 (rear) / 205/70R15 BFG (front), 275/60R15 BFG Drag Radials (rear)
Suspension: (Front) 2-inch Belltech drop spindles / (Rear) 3-inch solid blocks / South Side Machine lift bars / Energy Suspension bushings / Corvette steering box
Fabricator: Greg Doak
Bodywork: Harwood fiberglass cowl hood / Gaylord's tonneau cover with a carpeted underside
Custom Paint: Prowler Purple by Classic Body and Paint
Interior: Custom aluminum dash (fabrication done by Bob Kjorli) / Auto Meter Ultralite gauges / B&M truck mega shifter
Upholsterer: General top and trim
Audio/video: Pioneer head unit / undisclosed door speakers