Sometimes it's the stance of a truck that gets your attention, sometimes it's the body mods, and other times it's clearly the paint. Chris Torosian of Clovis, California, owns a truck with all three, and it's turning heads everywhere it goes.
The '03 GMC Sierra on these pages started off like most every other truck out there: brand-new on a dealership lot with no idea of what was in store for it. Like most builds, it started with the suspension. A stop at 559 Customs in Fresno put the frame on the ground with Slam Specialties 'bags and a parallel four-link out back. With the truck laid out on 22-inch Intro Vista Twisteds, Chris really wanted to get his Sierra to stand out from the pack.
It took a lot of thought, but eventually Chris came up with a plan. He took the truck to The Hot Rod Shop in Reedley, California, for a little bodyworking magic. First, off came the door handles, stake pockets, and third brake light. The rear end was then completely shaved clean and a pair of LED taillights was thrown into the mix. The truck was repainted the factory blue, but it still needed more-time for some graphics.
We see flame jobs all the time, but not many of them go bumper to bumper and have as much detail as this truck's does. It starts with a set of tribal flames based in the stock blue with a custom House of Kolor Baby Blue mix airbrushed over it to provide more depth. Then comes the House of Kolor Limetime Green traditional flames, which go all the way back and across the tailgate. Those flames are filled with shaded highlights too, adding even more to the custom appearance. Once the licks were pinstriped in 1 Shot Orange, the finishing touch was painted on the notch cover: a freehand airbrushed skull complete with a gold tooth done by the master, Kool Hand Luke.
Were you to pull apart this truck and look at it as merely a list of modifications, it wouldn't seem as if much has been done to it. It's not body-dropped, it's not tucking half of a 24-inch wheel, and it doesn't have an ear-splitting stereo. What it does have is a clean look and a style that really makes it appealing without being too flashy or gaudy. It's a truck for the ages and something Chris can be proud of having built.
The 411
Owner/Hometown:
Chris Torosian / Clovis, California
Year/Make/Model:
'03 GMC Sierra
Engine/Drivetrain:
4.8L V-8 / K&N intake / custom exhaust with MagnaFlow muffler / Optima YellowTop battery / K&N oil filter
By: Owner
Rims:
Front & Rear: 22x8.5 Intro Vista Twisted with 6 inches of backspacing
Tires:
Front & Rear: 265/35R22 Hankook Ventus ST
Suspension:
Front: DJM upper and lower control arms / Slam Specialties RE-7 airbags / Monroe shocks
Rear: Slam Specialties RE-8 airbags mounted over the axle / Monroe shocks / parallel four-link with Panhard bar
Accessories: Engine-driven compressor / 3/4-inch Parker valves / two 6-gallon reserve air tanks welded to frame / 3/4-inch hydraulic line
Chassis: Bridged rear framerails
By: John Banda, 559 Customs, Fresno, California
Body Mods:
Shaved door handles, cab seams, third brake light, taillights, stake pockets, and gas door / smoothed front bumper / molded tailgate and Sir Michaels roll pan to close bed / two 12-inch clear LED taillights / smooth wiper cowl / billet grille, antenna, and wiper caps / Denali headlights / Street Scene Equipment mirrors / relocated gas filler to bed / color-matched Line-X by Clovis Line-X / painted notch cover
By: The Hot Rod Shop, Reedley, California
Custom Paint:
Stock blue basecoat / House of Kolor Limetime Green traditional flames with Purple Pearl / House of Kolor Baby Blue mix for tribal flames / 1 Shot Orange pinstriping on flames / 1 Shot Peacock Blue on tribal flames / airbrushed skull on notch cover
By: Kool Hand Luke / The Hot Rod Shop
Interior:
Sanded and painted dashboard and plastic pieces
By: The Hot Rod Shop
Special Thanks:
His parents, Kool Hand Luke, The Hot Rod Shop, Jay Martinez and Walter Pena at Jay's Autobody, 559 Customs, Slam Specialties, Intro Wheels, K&N, Optima Batteries, Clovis Line-X, and everyone in Aftermath