Back to our favorite project of 2020! To catch everyone up, Stella is a 1995 Chevy C1500 truck with no major issues when we picked up for only $2,000. The original owner sold it to us after a fresh oil change and a full tank fill up, which was a good sign right from the start. The goal for this truck is a corner carving, modern driving sport truck that is completely paid off and reliable as a daily driver. Stage I of this build documented the install of a new RideTech coilover suspension system and AZ Pro Performance big disc brake conversion. Now it rides amazing on the 22-inch American Racing Nova wheels.
Next, we wanted to replace the interior so we could stop sucking in old headliner glue and 25-year-old seat dust, so a full TMI interior kit was ordered and the carpet was replaced. Now that the seats are here and ready for install, we dropped the truck off at Florida Boy Custom in High Springs, Florida, for the seat swap. While it was there, Corbin let his skills shine by completely coating the interior. Looks unreal!
Following the interior, we sent the truck over to Overpower Customs in Lake Park, Florida, for the engine swap. Our factory 4.3-liter V-6 still runs and drives like a champ, but the power doesn’t match the looks. Trey and his team will be removing the original and installing a new BluePrint Engines 383ci Stroker motor. This will be paired up with a Centerforce clutch and a new American Powertrain transmission. Before it can be bolted in, we took the time to mount the Vintage Air Front Runner pulley kit. Follow along as we watch the guys do their work.
EDITOR’S NOTE
What exactly does a harmonic balancer (sometimes called a dampener) do? Each time a cylinder fires in your engine, a force acts upon the crankshaft, causing it to twist. This force also causes vibrations in the crankshaft. These vibrations from the engine can become too much for the crankshaft to bear, causing it to fail.
This is where the harmonic balancer comes in. The circular device, made of rubber and metal, is bolted at the front end of the crankshaft to help absorb vibrations. ItÕs usually connected to the crank pulley, which drives accessories like the air conditioner. The rubber inside the pulley is what actually absorbs the vibrations and keeps them at a safe level.
●High strength, precision billet aluminum construction
●Utilizes sealed bearings & stainless steel nitrogen gas struts (included) for smooth operation
●Bolt-on application for steel, fiberglass, or carbon fiber hoods (specify when ordering)
●Available in raw machined or bright polished finish as well as a variety of Fusioncoat and anodized colors
●Sold in pairs
●Made in the USA
Now Playing, OBS Talk sits down with Chris Hamilton and we talk about the Premier #OBS Builders Guide issue!
Taking a truck from modified daily driver to something show worthy can be a hard transition for vehicle owners. Committing to take that build as a whole to the next level is usually never the issue—it’s more like remembering to take it at bit easier on the truck to maintain that pristine condition every show vehicle aims to be.
Will Meadors of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, however, decided that was precisely what he wanted to do: spend more time than ever driving this truck once it was completed. After owning the truck since 2010, Will attended SEMA in 2016 and made the choice that he needed to step it up. From there, the rest is history.
You can catch this beautiful truck at shows in Oklahoma and all across the Midwest.
First thing on the laundry list of upgrades Will wanted to make was suspension. On his suspension and frame setup at that time, he wasn’t able to run deep dish wheels, and that was a must. Let us be clear: It was not a want; it was a need. Knowing the amount of work it would take to completely change his as-is setup, Will decided to make the jump from a decked out extended cab to a single cab. Why cut the cord on all that work? Because body-drop, that’s why. With that, he sold off the old cab and built a new chassis, using all the previously worked up body panels, dash, etc. Now that is commitment. He enlisted a handful of friends and got to work. Between the parts lists from Stone Fab, Air Lift and Belltech it is easy to guess how well this truck lays out after the framework was complete.
Every fresh suspension setup needs a fresh pair of wheels. Wanting the deep dish that started all of this, Will chose a staggered set of 22-inch Intros Twisted Vista 2. Packing a full 22×12-inch wheel in the back, that aggressive set of shoes gave an entirely new look to laying out the 90s GMC.
To better turn those massive new wheels, next in line for the Short Stack was motor work. Why not put down more power than ever when debuting a new look, right? To accomplish that, almost the entire Comp Cams motor catalog was used from camshaft to springs and lifters, then topped off with Billet Specialties valve covers. Throw in the matching air cleaner to those valve covers, then tuck it all neatly between the perfect-fitting Slosh Tubz fender tubs and firewall panels. The engine bay was ready to shut down shows just as quick as the exterior.
Last but not least came the paint and interior work to complete the one-of-a-kind single cab. Will enlisted Albert Stem from Stemco Body Works to knock out the paint work on the freshly installed single cab to match the previous extended-cab paint work, which Will had done himself. Like a true pro, Stem absolutely nailed it. Seeing the paint and bodywork on this truck in person, it looks seamless as if it were all done at once. In addition to that, Brandon McCoy of Gooch Pinstriping laid out the incredible ghost lace on the roof as well as the insane graphics on the Slosh Tubz in the engine bay, setting off the purple and black theme with a pop all its own.
Finishing up its extreme makeover Sierra edition, the GMC went to Cody at Code Zero Customs for interior. The combo of the custom black leather bucket seats with purple stitching mixed with the iPad mini and JL Audio setup make any drive you take in the Short Stack a comfortable time.
With more details left to discuss than we have space for, we recommend you find this beauty in person! You can catch this beautiful truck at shows in Oklahoma and all across the Midwest.
Will wants to give a huge thank you to a few people who helped his dream become a reality on this build: “First and foremost, thank you to my wife Jamie, of course; Mike Losh of Slosh Tubz; also Seth Curry, Cody Landis of Code Zero Customs; the King Covers crew, Mike Hall, Eric Banks, Albert Stem; and Brandon ‘Gooch’ McCoy. Finally, thank you to anyone else who ever played a part in this truck taking shape.”
[divider] TRUCK Specs [/divider]
OWNER
Will Meadors (Billy Bob) 1992 GMC Sierra Hometown: Broken Arrow, Oklahoma Age: 33 Build Time: 4 to 5 years Estimated Cost: $25k Reason for building: Love old body style trucks, had one in high school Name of truck: Short Stack
CHASSIS
Custom ¾ steel frame
Narrowed original GM rear end
AccuAir E-level air management
Two Viair 444c air compressors
AccuAir 5-gallon aluminum air tank
Summit 8-inch GM Master cylinder
RCI 20-gallon stainless fuel cell in rear frame
Optima Red Top battery in left rear frame
Shop: Will Meadors
FRONT SUSPENSION:
Airlift 2500 bags
Stone Fab narrowed arms
Belltech QA1 shocks
Belltech spindles
Braided steel brake lines
REAR SUSPENSION:
Long Shot Fab triangulated four-link
Airlift 2500 bags
Belltech QA1 shocks
Shop: Will Meadors
ENGINE:
1992 GM 355Ci V-8
Comp Cams camshaft
Comp Double timing chain
Billet Industries belt drive
Comp Cams gear drive
Spectre water pump
Spectre 210 alternator
Electric Summit cooling fans
Energy Suspension motor mounts
Comp Cams springs and lifters
MSD ignition
Edelbrock Performer manifold
Billet Specialties valve covers
Billet Specialties air cleaner
Shop: Hodges Engine & Performance
TRANSMISSION:
GM 700R4 1992 rebuilt
TCI 2800 Stahl converter
Powdercoated driveshaft
Shop: Coweta Transmission
EXHAUST:
Stainless Headman 2.5-inch exhaust
Spintech muffler
WHEELS:
Intros Twisted Vista 2
Front: 22×9 inch
Front tires: 265/30/22
Rear: 22×12 inch
Rear tires: 335/25/22
BODY:
2 ¾-inch body drop w/ stock floor
Slosh Tubz firewall panels
Slosh Tubz wheel tubs
Billet Specialties grille insert
Stylin Trucks front bumper
Stylin Trucks roll pan
Smoothed wiper cowl
Shaved door handles
LED taillights
Moore glass windows
Shop: Stemco Body Works in Sand Springs, Oklahoma
PAINT:
Body: PXR Ford Black w/ PPG base clear
Purple graphics by Unique Collision & Lace roof by Gooch Customs
Purple engine
Air brushed mirrors by Lil Toot
Shop: Stemco Body Works
INTERIOR:
Fully smoothed interior
Black leather and suede w/ purple stitching
Double loop black carpet
24-ounce bucket seats
Black smooth headliner
Smoothed and painted dash by Unique Collision
Glow Shift gauges
Pattison machining dash inserts
Colorado Customs steering wheel
Power windows and locks
Billet Specialties rear view mirror
EZ wiring
Shop: King Covers in Tulsa, Oklahoma
STEREO:
iPad Mini
JL Audio 1600 RD
JL Audio W3 subwoofers
JL Audio C2 speakers
Sound deadener in cab
Shop: Code Zero in Owasso, Oklahoma
RideTech Suspension Install 88-98 Chevy OBS CK GMT400 Trucks
Generally, truck trends are unpredictable and cycle quickly through the ranks of the top industry builders and ballers. F-100 bump-sides and pro-touring, patina-paneled C10s are just a few recent examples of popular projects that the average Joe wouldn’t think to produce until they see a fully completed custom gracing the pages of national publications or influential social media channels. These ideas and completed concepts come from the mindset of being unique with the goal of making a statement at massive events like SEMA, LST and Texas Heatwave. With that said, I think it’s safe to say we all see the next major trend hurling down the pipeline like a 6-foot surfer named Bodhi riding a 15-foot wave off Bells Beach during the 50-year storm. (That was a “Point Break” reference if you didn’t catch it. What a great ’90s movie!)
Speaking of the ’90s, if you were a natural born truck junkie finally making it to the legal driving age around those times, you most certainly wanted a Chevy C/K truck since they were literally everywhere. Everyone from utility company employees to school district secretaries used these heavily produced pickups for their day-to-day operations. Even your grandpa’s grocery-getter was most likely an ’89-’98 Chevy. They came in so many different visual styles with factory options galore. Originally designed by Donald Wood in 1983, Chevy was able to move 551,223 of these GMT400 trucks by 1989 alone according to the Standard Catalog, not to mention the popular 454 model released in 1990 that sold 16,953 units over the four years with 13,748 of those units selling in the first year of production alone.
With that heavy of a number, it’s easy to see why we not only saw a massive increase of these trucks in magazines, but also why the custom aftermarket scene is heating up so much right now. These trucks are still pretty easy to come by and the demographic of buyers are slightly older and more well-off than your average new-truck enthusiast. The guys who wanted these trucks in their teens are now older, generally successful and more comfortable than they were at 16 years old. These factors are driving the great custom parts manufacturers to focus on these industry icons to get ahead of the curve.
It’s easy to talk the talk, but it’s far more impactful to walk the walk. So, we put on our Airwalks and jumped into the deep end of desire by picking up a running, driving 1995 Chevy C/K truck from the original owner for a smooth $2,000. Cold A/C and a solid cranking 4.3-liter V-6 gave this truck the appeal, but a full gas tank and a fresh oil change just shows that the previous owner still has love for this 20-plus-year-old family member.
In the next few issues we are going to take you through the process of giving this truck new life on the same old roads it’s been cruising down since its inception, first starting with suspension, brakes and wheels/tires, followed up with a facelift for the ages. The plans don’t stop there, but you’re going to need to stick to the script the see the next steps. If you’re not a subscriber already, I implore you to do so. If this truck doesn’t motivate you to go out and start wrenching on your own project, I’m not sure you picked up the right publication. Now let’s get to the good stuff!
Key features of these brakes:
No need to buy new spindles, just modify current spindles
Uses new calipers, not rebuilt
Precise machined hub
Laser cut mounting bracket
Fits 19-inch wheels and larger
Will work with most aftermarket wheels, since caliper offset is kept to a minimum