The Coolest Father and Son Project Truck Award
Who: Wrangler Hammond
Where: Grandbury, TX
What: '64 Chevy Pickup
Suspension: Chassis Tech airbag kit, front and rear
Engine: Rebuilt 283 Chevy engine / Muncie four-speed
Wheels/tires: 17-inch ICE wheels / 275/60R17 Chaparral SUV HP tires
INTERIOR: Restored dash and painted to match / black leather seats and door panels
Audio/video: Dual CD player / two Pioneer 6x6-inch door speakers / two Pioneer 6x9-inch speakers in custom-made kick panels / JBL Audio three-channel 600-watt amp / American Legacy 240-watt amp / three 10-inch R10 and S10 Alpine subwoofers behind seats
Body Mods: Tinted windows / sprayed on bedliner / roll pan / shaved tailgate chains, doors, and mirrors
We Say: Even though Mr. Hammond named his son after a brand name of blue jeans, he really knows how to restore a truck with his son. The two of them took this truck from its rusty beginnings to rebuild it from the ground up. The truck looks cleaner than the day it was new, and now Wrangler is the coolest kid in his high school with this classic Chevy.
The Mail Order Buyer's Award
Who: Raymond George
Where: Baltimore, MD
What: '00 Chevy Silverado Country Caddy
Suspension: Smooth factory ride
Engine: GM combustion engine / Flowmaster exhaust with dual tips
Wheels/tires: 20x8.5-inch Marantz Miano / 285/50R20 Goodyear Eagles
INTERIOR: By the looks of the outside, it probably has seat covers and a dash kit
Audio/video: Good question, do they sell audio equipment in catalogs?
Body Mods: Cowl-induction hood / steel air dam / Puttco big-mouth grille / clear corners / projector headlights / running boards / tonneau cover complete with grab bars / old-school Buick fender vents
We Say: Take a good look at this thing. It is tricked out with accessories. Our guess is that Raymond is a real big fan of mail-ordering parts from catalogs. He has just about every bolt-on part, with the exception of a bug deflector or grilleguard. This thing belongs on the cover of a catalog, someone please use it on a catalog cover.
The "Wish I Had a Lincoln MarkVIII But I Still Have a Truck" Award
Who: Butch Sheresh
Where: Chula Vista, CA
What: '95 Ford F-150
Suspension: Looks lowered but may not be / Lincoln Mark VIII rear air springs
Engine: 4.6L V-8 from Lincoln Mark VIII / four-speed automatic
Wheels/tires: 17-inch Boyd Coddingtons / Goodyear Eagle GSCs
INTERIOR: Seats, console, dash, wiring components, and steering from Lincoln Mark VIII
Audio/video: Probably from a Lincoln Mark VII as well
Body Mods: SnugTop lid
We Say: From what we figure, Butch wanted a Lincoln Mark VIII but already had this F-150. The next best thing was to replace everything, except the frame, suspension, and cab with the equipment from a Lincoln. Even though this truck is a Frankenstein, it was put together very cleanly.
The "Hey, I'm Writing About a Totally Different Subject But Here's a Photo of My Grandma's Truck " Award
Who: The Grandma of Troy Erickson
Where: Bemidiji, MN
What: '55 F-100
Suspension: Who knows? But, it's low enough for a daily
Engine: Old and still works
Wheels/tires: Eight-spoke with dish / Grand Am Radial GT
INTERIOR: '55 F-100 creature comforts
Audio/video: Hopefully replaced because we're sure the old ones don't work anymore
Body Mods: Restored paint / wood bed sides
We Say: Troy is a first time reader and was so stoked by our mag that he sent us a check for a subscription. Though he wrote to us about a Laramie edition Dodge, he decided to send along a photo of his grandma's hauler. We guess he made the best use of his postage by sending two things at once.
The Most Inspiring Home Fabricator Award
Who: Jeremy R. Hill
Where: Tifton, GA
What: '00 Chevy Crew Cab with long bed
Suspension: (Front) removed all IFS components / 14-bolt front axle with Dana 60 kingpin knuckles / 4:88 gears / Moser inner and 35-spline outer shafts / 10-inch leaf springs with custom-made shackles / 7100 remote Bilstein shocks / custom driveshaft / (Rear) 12-inch leaf springs / 4-inch blocks / 7100 remote Bilstein shocks / custom driveshaft
Engine: 454 big-block / manual five-speed trans / manual transfer case / Banks exhaust system with stainless steel headers and muffler
Wheels/tires: 20x12-inch Weld Evo Renegade / 40-inch Pro-Comp X-terrain
INTERIOR: Stock, if you can get high enough to see it
Audio/video: Pioneer Avic-N1 CD/DVD navigation unit / Sony speakers / 12-inch JL Audio W6 subwoofers
Body Mods: Billet grille / drop hitch / Goodmark cowl hood / brushguard / painted inner fenders / spray-on bedliner
We Say: Jeremy is a true lover of the '88-'98 Chevy trucks. When he realized that the body style was going to be retired, he decided to buy this longbed crew cab brand-spankin'-new. From there, he took it upon himself to remove all the IFS and made everything to lift the truck 15 inches over 40-inch-tall tires. He did all the work himself, and it works. And even though it only gets 11 mpg, he drives it everyday.
The Most Mods Done for Less Than $200 Award
Who: Chad Stewart
Where: Bedford, TX
What: '99 Ford Ranger 4x4
Suspension: For the amount of money spent, there wasn't enough in the budget for alterations
Engine: It has one
Wheels/tires: It looks decent for stock 15-inchers / pretty beefy looking, most likely have a good ride
INTERIOR: Looks gray from the photo
Audio/video: 700-watt 10W6 JL Audio subwoofer
Body Mods: Clear corners / carbon-fiber taillights
We Say: Chad was on a serious budget for this truck. That would explain why there are only a few mods. It's a 4x4 that's named "Afraid of the Dirt."