The first time we saw this '98 GMC Sonoma, we were in our hotel room at a show in the middle of Tennessee, looking out of the window and waiting on everyone else to finish getting ready to leave. Parked directly below our room window was this blue S-series with nothing in it but a dash and seats, with interior parts scattered all around the truck. Across the parking lot, in the middle of applying some spray glue to the interior panels, was the truck's owner, Josh Threatt. Since Josh is a car audio installer by trade in Inman, South Carolina, he was used to reworking interior panels, even in a parking lot. By the time everyone in our room was ready to leave, Josh had transformed the stock plastic panels of his truck into a sea of blue suede.
Four months later, at another show, we came across this truck again. It took us a few minutes to realize where we had seen the truck before, but after seeing Josh's face it all came back. By now, he had the past four months to finish the details that were still lacking the first time we had seen it, so we lined up a time to meet and to finally give this truck the camera time it had deserved. We were drawn to this truck the second time we saw it because of the 20-inch wheels tucked so nicely, the body-draggin' stance, and the lack of any interior accessories such as gauges or headlight controls. We were wondering how Josh still drove it and kept an eye on his speed, fuel level, and so on. Josh was quick to reply that he still had the factory gauge cluster and had extended the wire harness so it could still be plugged in, fit onto the custom-made center console, and easily removed for shows.
After four years of driving this truck on a daily basis and seeing what all the other show trucks had, Josh decided to tear it apart, cut it, 'bag it, and primer it as part of the transition period. A year and a half later, the results were amazing, as he achieved magazine feature status and started to take home trophies every time he went to a show. Although Josh did most of the work himself, his truck still wouldn't be finished without the help of Benji Mullimax, Warren Douglas, Taz at C&C Thunder, his mom and dad for the paint booth, and of course, all of his fellow club members from Outkast Kustoms. He didn't want to leave out his wife, Love, for putting up with all the work and money spent on the completion of this blue-suede Sonoma. It just goes to show that all you need is Love.
The 411
Owner/hometown:
Josh Threatt / Inman, South Carolina
Year/make/model:
'98 GMC Sonoma
Engine/drivetrain:
4.3L Vortec V-6 / Flowmaster exhaust / electric fans
By: GM / Josh Threatt
Rims:
Front & Rear: 20-inch Boss 312
Tires:
Front & Rear: 245/35R20 Ventus
Suspension:
Front: Belltech drop spindles / #3600 airbags
Rear: Two-link / #3600 airbags
Accessories: 3/8-inch SMC valves / Corvette brake master cylinder / relocated battery
Chassis: Step notch and bridged rear frame section / Z'd front framehorns to lower radiator and hood mounts for body drop
By: Josh Threatt
Body Mods:
3-1/4-inch body drop / shaved door handles, gas door, antenna, tailgate handle / FBI smooth tailgate skin / GMC Envoy front clip / front bumper sectioned 1-1/4 inches / smoothed inner bed sheetmetal / custom wheeltubs / fuel filler relocated to the inside of bed / 35x42-inch sliding ragtop / billet grille
By: Josh Threatt / Benji Mullimax
Custom Paint:
'04 Chevy Silverado Arrival Blue / Honda Civic Del Sol Green / Porsche Silver flames
By: Warren Douglas / Josh Threatt / Taz at C&C Thunder in Spartanburg, South Carolina (for ghost dollar signs)
Interior:
Custom dashboard / cut-down Honda Accord bucket seats / custom center console / blue suede upholstery / green and silver flamed stitching
By: Josh Threatt / Pro Stitch in Spartanburg, South Carolina (seats)
Audio/Video:
N/A
Club:
Outkast Kustoms
Special Thanks:
His wife, Love, Benji Mullimax, Warren Douglas, Taz at C&C Thunder, his mom and dad for the paint booth, and his fellow club members from Outkast Kustoms