Creating cutting-edge contemporary custom vehicles with a classic twist has been a trend that has permeated the custom truck scene for quite some time. We have seen late-model Chevy pickups with '57 Chevy Bel Air side trim airbrushed on, along with varying themes taken from classic Corvettes and old woody wagons. Kevin Cox from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, decided that when it came time to build his insane '96 Chevy Tahoe, a look completely original and different was needed.
B.A.D. is responsible for...
B.A.D. is responsible for creating the trick billet side trim. Kevin had them engrave his company name, Custom Concepts, into the tail end of the strips for a little advertising.
This airbagged chop top beauty is the result of one of Kevin's customers losing interest in the project. Kevin, along with his father Randy, owns Custom Concepts in Oklahoma City, which is a body and paint business responsible for turning out several high-quality custom vehicles. Those of you who are regular readers will no doubt recognize Kevin's name. His last custom pickup creation was featured in the Mar. '01 issue of Truckin' in a story titled "Rockin' Retro." It was an '84 GMC shortbed painted Porsche Blue and covered with Tangelo flames and lowered down over 18- and 20-inch Budnik Wheels. Shortly after it's feature in Truckin', that truck was traded for our Dec. '01 cover truck named Purgatory, which was a '99 Chevy Extended Cab airbagged, body-dropped, and flamed.
Kevin rolled Purgatory for a while and added his own personal flavor to fit his tastes and then decided it was time again to put his frame-up signature on something. So the truck was sold and the hunt for a new project began. While Kevin pondered what to build next to show off his metalworking and paint skills, he steadily worked on a '96 Tahoe that a customer had dropped off with a list of modifications to complete. To Kevin, it was just another project to finish and get paid for until his shop phone rang one afternoon. It was the owner saying he had lost interest in completing the Tahoe. Kevin quickly offered the owner a deal he could not refuse.
In exchange for handing over the keys and the pink slip to his new Corvette, Kevin would take ownership of the Tahoe and complete it. The owner of the Tahoe agreed, and within a few hours, Kevin had his rolling metal canvas to unleash all his ideas upon. The creation of 'Mad-illac was now underway, and once finished, the custom truck community would be speechless.
This bright-yellow two-door people hauler hugs the ground courtesy of a fully adjustable air suspension system installed at Custom Concepts. Kevin and Randy installed 2-inch Belltech dropped spindles under the nose teamed with Firestone airbags to bring the '01 GMC truck bumper closer to Mother Earth.