Stacy Lee is the kind of guy that like's tackling a build himself. Sure, he relies on his friends for help, but for the most part he's spinnin' wrenches and doin' the dirty work on his projects. An automotive enthusiast since he was old enough to legally lay tracks across Tennessee, Stacy only recently got back into the game after a 10-year hiatus spent getting his business off the ground. His sign shop doubles as the fab shop for his projects as well as those of friends and family. Whatever can't be accomplished within the confines of his spot is farmed out to locals that take as much pride in their work as Stacy does.inline_mediumwraptextright30929508/featuredvehicles/chevy/0912st_1988_chevy_15000912st_02_+1988_chevy_silverado_1500+rear_right_view.jpgTrue

Chris "Big Body" Tisdale, owner/operator of Big Body Custom Interiors, built this F-150 as a second option. His first truck was being customized by a local shop, which hacked it up so bad it had to be scrapped. He purchased the F-150 to drive while the other truck was being built and didn't really have a plans to do anything to it until he saw how bad his first truck was. Instead of tucking his tail between his legs and giving up, Chris decided to build up the driver.inline_mediumwraptextright30883089/featuredvehicles/ford/0912st_1998_ford_f1500912st_03_+1998_ford_f150+rear_view.jpgTrue

Edgar Lopez's Dodge Ram represents all that is right with the sport truck world right now. The scene has graduated from lame, one-dimensional rides that only excel in a single environment to trucks that break the old mold with style and performance. We've all grown up and so has the ethic behind our builds, and although the price of admission has escalated along with the list of prerequisites for crafting a righteous ride, the driving experience and picture show is that much better. Edgar's truck follows suit: an ultra-low cruiser piercing the night with screaming supercharged Hemi horsepower, quickly cutting in and out of the shadows with a wide stance and menacing black facade. This is no ordinary Ram.inline_mediumwraptextrightRear Left View25714108/featuredvehicles/dodge/0911st_2003_dodge_ram0911st_02_z+2003_dodge_ram+rear_left_view.jpgTrue

There are lots of trucks out there that get tons of attention. They sport mammoth wheels, a huge body-drop, and so much custom paint that parking at the mall is no longer an option. These trucks become less about function and more about style; pretty showpieces that look good lying on the ground but then get hauled off on a trailer instead of being driven. But sometimes, the really cool trucks slip between the cracks. They don't get as much attention as their flashy brethren, but the fact is they are better. That's the truck on these pages. Kelly Dickinson, a sheetmetal worker from Sacramento, California, decided to build this ride as a pretty showpiece, but with lots of little details that most people miss at first glance. And it's those little details that make this truck such a work of art once inspected further.inline_mediumwraptextrightCustom Truck Bed25725928/featuredvehicles/chevy/0911st_1991_chevy_silverado0911st_02_+1991_chevy_silverado+custom_truck_bed.jpgTrue

Carl & Kelly Peters
Freeman Spur, Illinois
'84 Chevy S-10 Blazer

Now this is what Busted Knuckles is all about. Eric Reinier's '85 Ramcharger is the perfect dare-to-be-different excuse to scrape the skin off your knuckles with some good friends while the sparks fly in your garage. Eric knew that the often-neglected Mopar SUV deserved a better life than most give it and so, after moving on from his S-10 project, he took delivery of this beacon of '80s excess.inline_mediumwraptextrightEngine Bay25225259/featuredvehicles/dodge/0911st_1985_dodge_ramcharger_busted_knuckles0911st_02_+1985_dodge_ramcharger_busted_knuckles+engine_bay.jpgTrue

Paul St. John
Azle, Texas
'02 Chevy Silverado

When you're Paul St. John, owning a fiery hot truck isn't a gift, it's a blessing. After surviving a fall from a building, it's easy to understand why Paul would go through a mid-life crisis of sorts while in his 30s. The father of two already loved custom trucks, he just needed one of his own. In 2002, he purchased this Silverado and over time transformed it into a fireball on wheels, looking as if it were coming from outer space. And that's exactly how Paul wanted it to look.inline_mediumwraptextrightLeft Side View29233698/featuredvehicles/chevy/0910st_2002_chevy_silverado0910st_07_+2002_chevy_silverado+left_side_view.jpgTrue

CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT OUR EXCLUSIVE VIDEO FOOTAGE OF THIS TRUCK!
Two companies came together to build this 2008 Chevrolet Silverado, producing one haul-ass pickup truck in the process. Snake River Truck and Performance teamed up with Vortech Engineering for this project, which showcases Vortech's new intercooler Twin-Screw Supercharging system. Vortech is well-known for centrifugal style superchargers but this kit is based off the Lysholm design VTS Series supercharger. The Twin-Screw is designed to provide more low-end torque as opposed to the centrifugal, which make its power in the higher rpm range. We all know trucks love bottom end torque and that is why Vortech decided to look into a twin-screw design. This supercharging system features a bolt-on installation and is backed by an optional 3-year/36,000-mile powertrain limited warranty.inline_mediumwraptextrightFront Left View24584797/featuredvehicles/chevy/0910st_2008_chevy_silverado_vortech_twin_screw0910st_01_+2008_chevy_silverado+front_left_view.jpgTrue

Mark Hernandez
Corcoran, California
'99 Chevy S-10
Five years is a long time to build a Chevy S-10, even one as nice as this one. Short of the truck being involved in a bad accident, there usually isn't a bunch of restoration work needed before the custom work can begin because these contemporary mini-trucks aren't rust buckets. While Mark Hernandez did have the good fortune of starting with a clean truck, he still spent a lot of time fixing mistakes and changing his mind, which held up the build big time. After two paintjobs, three different sets of wheels, two 'bag jobs, two sets of seats, and three audio systems, his truck still isn't finished but he's learned a lot and is happy at long last.inline_mediumwraptextrightLeft Side View24441046/featuredvehicles/chevy/0910st_1999_chevy_s100910st_07_+1999_chevy_s10+left_side_view.jpgTrue

Robert "Bobby D" Doza
South Houston, Texas
'69 Chevy C10

Have you ever heard the joke about what happens when you play a country song backwards? Your get your truck back, your dog back, and your wife back. Bobby "D" of Houston, Texas, didn't play this song backwards, so his dog never came back and the wife is still long gone. But, the truck never left and it has been crafted into a show-winning piece. Bobby calls his ride the Truck From Hell, mainly because building it cost him his wife, and it just sounds evil at the top of the Rs.inline_mediumwraptextrightRight Side View25396093/featuredvehicles/chevy/0910st_1969_chevy_c100910st_01_+1969_chevy_c10+right_side_view.jpgTrue

Paca Montalvo • Baytown, Texas
'08 Chevy Silverado

Ricky Cantu • Tuscon, Arizona
’80 Chevy C10

Future Feature? Robert Nunez is an oil rig welder by trade, but he’s a custom truck addict by virtue of his favorite hobby, restyling classic pickups at home. Robert is so enamored with the old school lines of ’70s trucks, that he actually owns a square-body Chevy C10 styled in the same manner as the ’70 Ford F100 Ranger in these photos. The trend of each build is similar: simple and clean modifications that don’t break up the factory styling. To that end, both trucks are dropped over big wheels, but the bodies remain remarkably intact. In fact, the ’69-model grille shell is the only variation from FoMoCo’s design.inline_mediumwraptextright23457761/featuredvehicles/ford/0909st_1970_ford_f100_ranger_busted_knuckles0909st_02_z+1970_ford_f100_ranger+left_side_view.jpgTrue

Sheila Perry • Bowling Green, Kentucky
’06 Dodge Ram

The 411
Engine/drivetrain:
'70 355ci small-block Chevy / Forged JE pistons / Total Seal rings / Scat steel connecting rods / GM steel crankshaft / Weiand 6-71 supercharger with pulleys for 8 psi boost / Brodix aluminum cylinder heads / hydraulic roller camshaft / Demon 750-cfm blower carbs / Speedway Motors Shotgun polished airscoop / Holley electric fuel pump / TH400 transmission / custom-built fenderwell headers / 3-inch open exhaust / Optima battery relocated beneath the bed
By: Troy Sutton of the Chop Shop, Yuma, Arizona / Valley Ranchers Machine Shop, Yuma, Arizona

The 411
Engine/Drivetrain:
5.2L V-8 / Airaid Intake / Flowmaster 40 series muffler / Ford 9-inch rearend / red split loom / custom diamond plate radiator cover / Cool Flex radiator hose
By: Owner

The 411
Engine/Drivetrain:
'70 383ci small-block V-8 (350ci block with 400ci crankshaft) / forged pistons / roller rockers / smoothed and painted block / polished B&M 6-71 Blower (10 lbs of boost) and scoop / Holley 950 carburetor and electric fuel pump / ported and polished 2.02 camel-hump heads / Mallory HEI-style distributor / steel-braided spark plug wires / Advance Adapters headers / 2-1/2-inch Flowmaster mufflers / TH350 transmission / B&M 3,000-stall converter / custom one-piece driveshaft / 10-bolt rearend out of a '97 fullsize Chevy, narrowed 6 inches with 3.73 gears / Moser axles / Ron Davis Racing aluminum radiator / Summit Racing accessory brackets / Billet Specialties dress-up kit / Powermaster alternator / polished buttonhead Allen bolts
By: Lynn Walker (short-block), Bruce Eshelman of Esh's Automotive Specialties, Tomball, Texas (assembly and detail work)

It had all come together. Finally, his dream was complete. Not only did he build a truck that allowed him to join the family he dreamed of, but he built a legend in South Texas. And this story isn't over--a new chapter's just beginning. The F-150 was sold to a new owner, Chris Morris, and Chris has started making this legend his own. He's already made changes to the interior, and he definitely has plans for other upgrades. Motor work and a new set of wheels might be in the near future. What about Ronnie? Oh, he's started another legend in the making, a 1955 Chevy Apache. Hopefully we can bait this truck to come out of hiding more than the Myth.

Last year, I purchased a '73 Chevy C10 shortbed as a parts chaser and daily driver. I spent as little as possible on the truck, knowing that it wouldn't be a show truck. All that mattered to me was that the truck was a shortbed and that because of its age, I would never have to have it smog-inspected. This left the door wide open to put a big dose of power under the dented and primered hood. After taking delivery, I made a list of everything that was wrong with the truck, which turned out to be pretty much everything. The small-block Chevy was assembled with a couple of the pistons in backwards and the TH350 trans needed work. None of the gauges were wired up, except for the tachometer, and the aftermarket dual fuel tank switching system was just the start of a really butchered up wiring harness. And beyond the bad bodywork, rot, and trashed interior, the brakes leaked something fierce, so the master cylinder had to be refilled every few days. So the truck was neither that cool nor safe.inline_mediumwraptextright23133230/featuredvehicles/chevy/0909st_1973_chevy_c10_drawing_board0909st_01_z+1973_chevy_c10+chevy_c10_trucks.jpgTrue

Joseph "Lil' Joey" Murphy • San Antonio, Texas
'91 Mitsubishi Mighty Max

Jude Souza • Lemoore, California
'72 Chevy C10

The 411
Engine/Drivetrain: 3.7L V-6 / custom-made intake with K&N filters / MSD fuel pump / Aero Speed fuel pressure regulator / Flowmaster exhaust / Optima battery / handmade aluminum fan shroud / valve covers, pulleys, and power steering reservoir painted to match exterior / Moser rearend cut down 2-1/2 inches / RCI 15-gallon aluminum fuel cell
BY: Owner

Rims:
Front & Rear: 20x8.5 American Torque Trust II's with silver painted centers

The 411
Engine/Drivetrain:
'69 350ci punched out to a 355ci / TRW 9:1 pistons / mild Edelbrock Performer cam / Weiand Action Plus manifold / 650cfm Edelbrock carb / Cal Customs valve covers / Trans Dapt air cleaner / serpentine system from a '94 Chevy truck / electric fan from a late-model Ford F-150 / Steve Sharp TH350 transmission / block hugger headers found at the swap meet / three chamber Flowmaster mufflers / HEI distributer
By: Owner

Carlos Padilla * Las Vegas, Nevada
'01 Chevy Blazer Xtreme
Having a truck glorified in a magazine is not only an honor, but also something that takes a lot of work to achieve. With the exception of vehicles built for the SEMA Show, most of the trucks that grace the pages of this magazine were not built in a miraculously short period of time. That's because not everyone has tons of time on his or her hands or loads of cash to drop on a show vehicle. Carlos Padilla, the owner of this '01 Chevy Blazer, is another one of the many people we just described. Carlos first got into custom vehicles by way of his exposure to the car stereo scene, when he added some audio components to his '89 Blazer. Once complete, he had one bangin' system in a not-so-happening truck.