Before
Usually when you are taking a trip down the custom road, you will eventually reach that fork in the road where you decide to go from mild to wild. When you are talking full-out custom trucks, the amount of straight bolt-ons is at a minimum, but some are still involved in the build process. On this trip, we are going to take the mild route and save the wild for another day. We will upgrade the headlights and taillights, put a lock on the tailgate, install a smoothie bumper, and customize the gas door without shaving it. This combination of parts will enhance the look of the truck without the need for a huge fabrication shop or a trip to the painter.
Look at the dramatic difference in the brightness of the front end of this truck. That is what a fistful of dollars, a bunch chrome, and a little elbow grease will get ya.
The truck getting all these parts is a typical '88-'98 Silverado that just needs a short trip on the custom highway. Because of the company's extensive catalogue and quick shipping, Stylin' Concepts became our copilot for this trip. Every part we installed on this truck required only some simple mechanic tools and a little common sense, so it's perfect for the beginning gearhead. If you are a seasoned vet when it comes to the wrench, you'll still want to check it out. You never know how parts will look until you have seen them installed on the ride.
The crew at Orange County Auto Shop provided the space, tools, and grunt labor for the job, and our thanks goes out to them for that. Again these modifications are doable for the beginner and still have enough pay-off for the seasoned veteran, so it's a win-win situation. Sit back on your throne and check out our trip down mild custom lane.
Part One: The Front End
1. Because most of the parts involve the frontal area of the truck, the technician started there. | 
2. Once the hardware was removed, the grille shell was pulled forward just enough to twist out the marker light and turn signal bulbs. | 
3. Once the grille shell was out of the way, the technician now had access to the bumper hardware. |
4. The new smoothie bumper from Stylin' Concepts has a couple details molded into it. The blade has two large openings in the center that house a billet grille, which is provided, and two holes for driving lights that can be purchased separately, like we did. The lights come with specific brackets to mount them to the bumper and correctly position them. The wires were hooked up to a toggle switch mounted on the dash, so they can be independently turned on and off. | 
5. After the foglights were mounted, the bumper was installed on the truck with the stock hardware. | 
6. You may have noticed that this truck already had a set of projector beam lights. The previous owner purchased a black set, and they don't match the clear turn signal lenses. We want it all to look similar, and these new lights from APC will do the trick. |
7. The APC headlights feature a factory-style plug, so there is no cutting or splicing of wires to get them to work. | 
8. They also feature a factory-style mount, so it's just a matter of reinstalling them with the factory bolts. Once the headlights were turned on and adjusted properly, the grille was put back in place to complete the front modifications. | |