Faithful readers of Sport Truck may remember this lifted truck from our Feb. '05, "Reverse Sleeper," where we took a boring daily driver, and after the installation of a lift kit, some healthy wheels and tires, and a few body mods, slammed together a pickup with attitude. We got off on the results, and the truck was a hell of a lot more fun to drive. It must have hit your hot button, too. Your response was so strong to this story that we decided to take another pass at this GMC and see if we could crank it up a notch with some added goodies.
Our starting point for this continued attitude installation is an '00 GMC standard cab, with a 4-inch lift kit from CST Performance Suspension. Stillen fender flares were added to provide extended coverage to the Weld Racing 18x8.5-inch EVO Velociti wheels, which are wrapped by Nitto LT235/60R18 (33s) Terra Grappler radials. The combination provided an aggressive off-road look that commanded attention. Could we still add some enhancements to further the attitude factor? You bet!
J.C. Whitney has always had a cornucopia of performance and dress-up parts, and it was the perfect place to search. We grabbed our most recent catalog to begin the shopping spree. We were not let down, as page after page of possible add-ons materialized before our eyes. A pair of step bars was the first addition on our list, for both their form and function. Another key item on the shopping list was a bull bar to provide a "total effect" to the grille area. We were not denied, as multiple styles, finishes, and brands were readily available within the pages of the catalog. We gravitated toward products from Westin Automotive Products because of style and our past experience of the company's superior quality. A set of KC HiLiTES was added to the bull bar for extra style and functionality.
With the list in hand, we dialed up the number to J.C. Whitney. The friendly voice on the other end of the line was most helpful in documenting and confirming in-stock status of our selection. Three days later, a couple of boxes arrived containing our desired parts. We set up a time to go see our friends at John's Customz & Performance for installation. Andrew Henry is the resident truck expert, who willingly lent a hand, handling everything from our simple project to complete vehicle makeovers with air-ride frames and all the goodies.
The entire installation process was a simple bolt-on operation, requiring little more than one afternoon. Each product went on as described in their instructions with handtools. When the truck was first lifted, we removed the lower valance from the bumper for both clearance and looks. With the bull bar in place, it looked as if a little something extra was needed to tie it all together. We got out the lower valance and trimmed about half away, before rattle-canning it semi-gloss black. The end result with the other added accessories greatly enhanced the overall look of the truck.
The conclusion is: accessorize. Even if you think that your project is complete, think again. There are hundreds of great products out there that can accentuate a project's theme and appearance, such as those found in the J.C. Whitney catalog. Grab a copy, and we'll just bet you'll be adding something to your project in a matter of days.
Here is our Reverse Sleeper,...
Here is our Reverse Sleeper, as we brought it into Johns' Customz & Performance for our exercise in accessorizing. Planned are a bull bar, a set of step bars, and some added highlights.
1. Westin Platinum Series...
1. Westin Platinum Series stainless steel step bars give a unique combination of highly polished stainless steel and chrome-plating with the functionality of a well-placed step pad. The set comes complete with all necessary mounting hardware and detailed instructions.
2. The first step in installing...
2. The first step in installing the step bars is to hold them up to their approximate location. Andrew Henry, of John's Customz, sized everything up before turning the first bolt.
3. Mounting brackets for...
3. Mounting brackets for the step bars were bolted to the regular cab mounting bolts. The step bar was then attached to the mounting bracket.
4. The completed assembly...
4. The completed assembly was done in less than 15 minutes per side. Most important is the final installation of the bars, which provides a great look and drastically improves ingress and egress to the cab.
5. We turned our attention...
5. We turned our attention to the bull bar at the front end. Again, J.C. Whitney's catalog provided a great product in the form of Westin's Ultimate bull bar for our project's installation.