Jeff Warren works his '87 Chevy Blazer hard. Its green and black two-tone coloring catches your eye from a distance. The in-your-face configuration of the suspension's hydraulic system, located in the cargo box, and the modular, Star Trek styling of the center console are appealing. However, if you take a closer look, it's obvious that, for all of its creative fabrication and style, this is not a show truck. It's built to drive and drag, as it should be, right?
Let's back up. It started out as a frame-up showy truck. While it may not have been built to drive, Jeff certainly does drive it. Regarding the frame, it was new at the start of the project, made from 2x3-inch-box tubing, C-notched, and shaved. AIM 2-inch spindles, CCE hydraulics, and a two-link suspension, and a 5-inch body-drop, lowered the truck past the 22x9-inch Panther wheels and 255/30R22 Nitto tires onto the pavement below. Nested in the front of that frame is an '89 V-6 engine, which is driving a 700-R4 transmission, and exhaling from a custom-exhaust setup.
Steel skin stretched across the chassis, and there was a bit of work done to that, too. A Grant Kustoms' bumper and roll pan bookend the truck. A CTS LED brakelight strip slashed across the rear liftgate, and Jeff's Tennessee license plate was set into a 3-inch-deep box beneath it in the gate. Everything else had been shaved, including the door handles and factory moulding surrounding the windows. The body was extended a bit to make room for the truck's suicide doors. Two tones dominated the color scheme: Black and Citrus Green were split by a classic-flame Aztek Gold beltline, all from BASF paints.
Inside the Blazer, custom touches were made throughout, like the housing for the Alpine head unit that protrudes from the floor shifter, which resembles a bridge console on the Starship Enterprise. Almost everything inside the truck has been touched. The green dash is shaped in sheetmetal, with black-leather Volvo 740 seats, and black carpet to match the truck's body. Memphis speakers drive the mids and highs from kick panels up front, while two of the brand's subwoofers and an amplifier share the rear cargo area, accompanied by the CCE hydraulic gear.
The LED strip frowns above...
The LED strip frowns above the inset Tennessee plate.
Dave Duncan and Jeff handled the suspension work from their homebase in Sevierville, Tennessee. Jeff had a hand with the body-drop and other body mods-aside from the paint that was laid by Pecker in Pennsylvania. Pro Stitch in Knoxville, Tennessee, took care of the upholstery and Adam Hicks installed the audio system.
Jeff built this truck to disprove the haters. Apparently, there were some haters who said that he couldn't body-drop a first-generation S-10 on 22-inch wheels. Jeff did just that, resulting in a cool-looking truck that Jeff drives to every possible show that he can attend. It's a well-designed truck that's been well-driven. There are no haters here, Jeff; we like the truck just fine.