The Best Interior Trim Made From Leftover Tool Cases by a Guy With Two First Names Award
Who: Bob Carl
Where: Mount Zion, IL
What: '92 Chevy Silverado C1500
Suspension: (Front) 2-inch Belltech drop spindles / (Rear) 2-inch Belltech drop shackles
Engine: 350-cid V-8 / five-speed manual tranny / headers / after-cat exhaust / computer chip / K&N filtercharger / Flex-a-lite electric fan / 300 estimated horsepower
Wheels/tires: 20-inch American Racing wheels / no mention of tires
Interior: Hurst shifter / two-tone blue and black upholstery / bucket seats / homemade center console with light-up skull / accent lighting / billet mirror and pedals
Audio/video: None
Body Mods: Projector headlights / clear corner and parking light lenses / Stylin' Concepts LED taillights / Street Scene mirrors / chrome diff cover / SS-350 emblems / fiberglass tonneau cover
We Say: 58-year-old grandfather of four, Bob said there's more than 500 countersunk screws in the aluminum interior trim, giving the truck an "industrial look." We wonder how many of those electrician's toolboxes he cut up to make all that trim?
The He Gets the Picture Award
Who: Jayden Drager
Where: Queen Creek, AZ
What: '99-and-later Chevy Silverado
Suspension: AIM Industries 2/4 drop kit
Engine: 4.8L V-8 / Vortec supercharger / dual exhaust / Volant ram-air kit / Superchips programmer / Yukon 4.10 rear gears / 460 estimated horsepower
Wheels/tires: 20-inch Boss 303 / General Grabber
Audio/video: 7-inch LCD monitor / DVD / PlayStation 2 / two 1,000-watt BD Rockford Fosgate amps / two 1-farad capacitors / four 10-inch Rockford subs
Body Mods: Custom front bumper / roll pan / billet grilles / black carbon-fiber-style lights
We Say: Mr. Drager has several things working in his favor; first off, he sent us the largest photo submission of any reader's ride this year (an 8x10), plus his truck is supercharged, and if you added an extra letter "G" to his last name, it would be "Dragger," which means that he's super-cool. Rock on!
The Smoothest Dodge Award
Who: Gabriel Avila
Where: Dallas, TX
What: '04 Dodge Ram 1500
Suspension: (Front) DJM 2-inch drop control arms / (Rear) DJM 4-inch axle flip kit / Toxic shocks all around
Engine: 5.7L Hemi / AIRAID intake system / Flowmaster exhaust / Optima YellowTop battery
Wheels/tires: Factory Dubs
Audio/video: Pioneer head unit / 10-inch JL Audio subs / Kicker 6x9-inchers and 6-1/2-inch component speakers
Body Mods: Shaved handles / fiberglass tonneau cover / Street Scene bumper cover / Roadmax grille / bodywork by Esparanza Body Shop / painted DuPont Candy Blue
We Say: It's clean, it's straight, and those side step bars not only hide the framerails but give little people an easy way into the truck whenever Gabriel hits the local cruise spot.
The Flattery Will Get You Everywhere Award
Who: Tom Hartzell.
Where: Nazareth, PA
What: '02 Ford F-150 Supercab
Suspension: RCD 5-inch suspension lift
Wheels/tires: 16-inch American Racing wheels / W/LT305/70R16 BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain T/As
Body Mods: 3-inch body lift / VentShade vent visors / Extang full-tilt tonneau cover / Manik tube steps / Reflexxion Cobra-style cowl-induction hood / Putco stainless steel grille insert / Westin bull bar and skidplate
We Say: At first, we thought Robert and Jodie Doyle, who won our "Best Penmanship" award (page 67, Aug. '05 issue), had sent us pics of their F-150 again. But, upon closer inspection-we actually opened the letter and read the words on the paper-we realized that this truck is a brilliantly disguised copy of theirs. Call us Sherlock, if you will.
The "This Is for You, Man" Award
Who: Scott Stamper
Where: Oxford, MI
What: '99 Dodge Dakota
Suspension: 3/5 drop with Toxic shocks
Engine: V-8 with chrome-plated Edelbrock induction system / lots of wire loom
Wheels/tires: Stock
Audio/video: Kenwood CD head unit and tweeters
Body Mods: Shaved handles / roll pan / billet grille / Street Scene mirrors / clear lights all around / cap and visor
We Say: Scott bought this truck already customized and would like to thank the previous owner, who he did not identify. Maybe the guy is on the run or something. We just don't know.
The "Please Renew Your Subscription, Larry!" Award
Who: Larry Grubbs
Where: Greensburg, PA
What: '00 Chevy Silverado Stepside
Suspension: Stock
Engine: It has one. Oh, and it has a dual exhaust
Wheels/tires: Stock
Audio/video: We have no idea
Body Mods: The full-on plastic fantastic treatment is in place: sunvisor / door vents / side vents / running boards / tonneau cover / hood shield / custom pinstriping
We Say: Larry wrote us saying that he's sent in pics of his Chevy for three straight years and never once saw it in Sport Truck, and that if he didn't see it soon, he would stop subscribing. Threats work well, Larry, so here ya go! Next time, give us a little information to go on. Maybe that's why your truck didn't make the mag before.