Southern California is the headquarters for a lot of customizing agents and companies. Having a rolling business card is a major necessity if you want to get your name on the streets and keep your appointment book full. Southern Californians also have access to major bodies of water surrounding them with miles of beckoning liquid coolness. It is only natural to have a boat as part of your stable, hence our Water Toys feature this month.
Doug Dobson is the owner and headmaster of HTS Custom Motorsports in Simi Valley, California, and the visuals laid in front of you here are his personal pleasure items. Doug has a constantly overflowing appointment book filled with impressive trucks, and we are amazed he found the time to create a high-profile roller for himself. Beginning with the trailer hauler, you'll find an '03 GMC 2500 HD 4x4 with a rumbling diesel under that highly detailed hood. Twelve inches of lift are fit to this rig with help from Bulletproof Suspension. Front suspension consists of a drop front cage with upper control arms, compression struts, and a dual-shock hoop. Rear altitude is adjusted by Atlas leaf springs and a set of HTS custom fabricated link bars. Dual shock mounts have been fitted to the rearend as well. All the brackets and components were powdercoated in dark blue and contrast nicely against the stark black factory undercarriage. Adding additional shine and visual appeal, not to mention ride quality, are Fox Racing 2.0 shocks at each corner. Reservoirs have been fitted to the front four shocks by way of polished billet mounts. Rolling attire are KMC 20-inch Enduro wheels with rubber provided by Pro Comp's 40-inch Xterrains. Helping to motivate this much mass is the General's diesel powerplant fitted with a K&N cold-air intake, a Hypertech programmer, and a Gibson muffler with exhaust work from Chips Brake and Muffler.
The shiny side of Doug's GMC is factory-black but, of course, littered with colorful flames. Black negative flames break over gray flames and give way to intertwining green lengths of heat. Pinstriping for the flames is just as incredible - blue, red, and green make it all pop. Smooth exterior features, such as HID headlights, clear corners, a Gaylord tonneau, and a Trenz billet grille provide backup pizzazz to the artistry from Jerk Designs. Jump up inside and check out the additional features for driver and passenger enjoyment alike. Black alligator inserts and gray suede highlight all the seats and door panels. Stitching it all together was Mike Cox and the crew at the Custom Factory. Center stage of the A/V system is a Pioneer flip-out face deck signaling a 2,700-watt Soundstream audio system to do its thing. Soundstream separates fill factory door locations, but four 12-inch Soundstream subs are mounted in a Plexiglas blow-through enclosure from the bed. Speaking of the bed, you won't find any paint under the tonneau. Flamed tweed accents everything, and carpet lines the floor. Back inside, Audiovox headrest monitors give the rear passengers something to do on the way to the river, and a Solar Shade tint keeps harmful UV rays out while parked in the desert heat.
Being dragged behind Doug's HD is an 03 Eliminator 26 Daytona. With its equally impressive flames laid gracefully across the deck and down the sponsons, the cat is a feast for the eyes. Streaking blue is placed over gray, giving the boat the illusion of speed while just sitting there. Powering up the Eliminator is a fully stocked Teague Marine 640 and Platinum Drive. Moving the drive to and fro is an Imco dual-hydraulic ram set. At the helm, the driver is faced with a complete array of Auto Meter carbon-fiber gauges and an Imco billet steering wheel wrapped in white leather. Fighting to get your attention while you lounge in plush, gray vinyl buckets is a fully digital Sony system with speakers everywhere. All the rails, steps, vents, and cleats are polished billet. Back on the triple-axle trailer you will encounter six more KMC Enduros, but in a much more sedate 16-inch profile. Leading the way from the ball are flamed-up rails in a matching fashion similar to the Daytona. Polished aluminum diamond-plate steps and recessed LED lighting shows quality of craftsmanship.
It's hard to imagine that Doug would want to part ways with these goods, but alas, more room for additional projects is a necessity. If you have any questions or would like Doug and his crew to build your new toy, be sure to give them a call at (805) 578-9271. Special thanks go out to BC Machining, Silver Star Automotive, Doug Deberti of Trenz, and Eliminator boats. Lifted Crew Cab trucks and water-screaming cats just go hand in hand, don't they?