A 20-Year Odyssey of Grit and Custom Glory

JOSH Cyrus, a VP of engineering from Chillicothe, Ohio, isn’t your typical desk jockey. He’s the kind of guy who lives the lifestyle of the custom truck scene. His 1995 Chevy S-10 SS, dubbed FYRWOOD, is a testament to that passion—a blue mini-truck wrapped in woodgrain graphics and flames that has eaten up nearly $95,000 over two decades of blood, sweat, and surely more than a few tears. As a proud member of Ecstasy Customz, Josh’s ride isn’t just a truck; it’s a rolling story of wrench time that any blue-collar gearhead can relate to.

It all kicked off back in the mid-’90s when Josh spotted those slammed S-10s lighting up the scene at custom truck shows. Knowing he wanted to be part of the industry, he custom-ordered his S-10 SS. The sideways burnout out of the Jackson, Ohio, dealership during the test drive sealed the deal. But FYRWOOD was cursed from day one with lemon law troubles, a break-in, endless oil leaks, and some missing seam sealer from the factory that soaked multiple carpet kits. By 1997, Josh committed to turning FYRWOOD into a full-time show truck. From 1997 to 2001, he racked up awards and, better yet, forged lifelong friendships from the scene all across the country.

Then came the fateful Friday in 2001. With his trailer loaded for a show, Josh forgot to loosen the rear straps on the leaky air ride. Two miles down the road, a car cut him off, forcing a hard brake. Boom! The truck shifted, smashing plastic chairs into the front bumper. What could’ve been a total loss was contained by the front straps—lucky break! Most folks would’ve patched the scratches and moved on, but Josh saw opportunity. He called Carey at Bewley’s Body Works in Indy, and what started as bumper fixes ballooned into a full teardown: suicide doors with chrome hinges, a body drop, and shaved handles, with lights, tailgate, and antenna all gone. A custom one-off grille and bumper were built by Josh and crew, as was a relocated gas door, flames cut into the bed floor, and a fully tubbed rear for those big wheels to breathe. House of Kolor blue paint by Mike Minchoffer and the team brought it to life, with suspension tweaks from Air Lift, Firestone, RideTech, and SSBC making things more interesting.

Delays hit hard with shop moves and life interruptions that pushed the body completion to 2007. Josh hauled FYRWOOD home for wedding photos, then dove into the engine work in his garage. Upgrades like a March pulley system, AC Delco injectors, a fuel pump, and a second painted tank followed, but a bigger space was needed. Fast-forward to 2020: Trent VanArsdalen at Trent’s Trick Upholstery got free rein on the interior. Over six hides of Indian River leather from Apex Auto were used to cover everything. Trent created custom buckets from the stock bench with hand-carved foam and then made a floating center console with a new audio system that consists of a Pioneer DMH-WC6600NEX head unit, JL Audio amps, speakers, and sub. The interior also features a shaved aluminum floor, laser-etched buttons, a custom steering wheel with 3D-printed accents, and even handmade pedals and mats. Trent’s artistry turned it badass, hidden from Josh until the big reveal.

Through it all, Josh credits his Ecstasy Customz brothers and sisters, plus his parents and wife, for the push. “She’s like Fyrwood—cursed but a dream,” he says. FYRWOOD’s journey mirrors any truck lover’s grind: setbacks, upgrades, and that unbreakable bond. Now, she’s ready to roar again.

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TRUCK SPECS

 Engine & Drivetrain

• 4.3L Vortec V6
• March Performance pulley system
• AC Delco Spider injectors and fuel pump
• Built by Josh Cyrus and friends

Chassis & Suspension

• Full body drop
• Air Lift and Firestone bags
• RideTech components
• SSBC brakes
• Built by Josh Cyrus, Todd Wilt, and others

Wheels & Tires

• 18-inch front and 20-inch rear American Racing Torque Thrust II wheels

Body & Paint

• House of Kolor blue with woodgrain graphics and flames by Mike Minchoffer, Billy the Kid, Lit’l Bill, and Aaron Lynch
• Bodywork by Bewley’s Body Works
• No stock panels remain
• Suicide doors with chrome hinges
• Custom one-off grille and front bumper
• Shaved door handles, lights, tailgate/rear end, and antenna
• Custom rear taillights and 3rd brake light on cab roof
• Relocated gas door
• Fully custom bed with tubbed rear wheels and flames cut into the bed floor

Interior & Stereo

• Fully custom interior by Trent VanArsdalen/Shawn Appleman at Trent’s Trick Upholstery
• Over six hides of brushed Indian River leather from Apex Auto Leather
• Reworked stock 60/40 bench into custom buckets with hand-carved foam and custom stitching/inserts
• Hand-fabricated dash, instrument cluster, and floating center console with Pioneer remote screen
• Pioneer DMH-WC6600NEX head unit
• JL Audio VX1000/5i amp, 13TW5v2 subwoofer, and C3-650 speakers
• Shaved aluminum floor panels, custom overhead console, kick panels, and contoured rear panel
• Custom door panels with integrated openers and relocated switches/lighting to the console (laser-etched buttons)
• One-off steering wheel (welded, 3D-printed leather accents, laser-etched “Chevrolet”), custom column, 3D-printed leather-wrapped pedals, and handmade floor mats