2004 Chevrolet Silverado Extended Cab - LSS Silverado

Dennis Mecham wanted his company to make a splash at SEMA 2003. Mecham Design and Performance is a performance parts company in Glendale, Arizona, that first planted itself in the musclecar market, but has flowered into pickups. Mecham wanted this '04 Chevrolet Silverado Extended Cab to be a high-performance daily driver with power, handling, braking, styling, and comfort, with an eye toward added value and future collectability. What he got was the LSS Silverado - a pickup that wasn't finished until a day before SEMA and yet earned its namesake as the Mecham's Luxury Super Sport Silverado.

Under the hood of Mecham's flagship pickup rumbles a stock 5.3L V-8. Aftermarket accoutrements include a Squires Turbo Systems remote turbo system that works in an interesting way. The turbo unit replaces the muffler in the back of the truck so it doesn't take up room in the engine compartment and is less susceptible to the hot underhood environment. Exhaust gases spin the turbo, which in turn sends compressed cold air to the engine. That adds up to seven pounds of boost. It's manhandled by a dual-stage electronic boost controller with a high-boost lockout, and all the turbo system gauges and pillar pods are manufactured by Stewart Warner. Squires gave up a special rear pipe cover for this project. Supplementing the fuel system is a 100-plus-psi sequential methanol injection system that pumps in extra fuel while dropping intake air temperatures and lowering combustion and exhaust temperatures. K&N offered up filters for the turbo system and engine oil. Speaking of fluids, all the wet stuff was provided by Red Line Synthetic Oil. Timing was updated by a Superchips augmentation. Precision Industries pitched in a Vigilante torque converter. An aluminum cover from TA Performance caps the diff.

The truck rolls on a set of P295/45R20 BFGoodrich g-Force KDW tires that are wrapped around 20-inch Weld wheels. The truck sits closer to the earth thanks to a lowered rearend and springs, sway bars, keys, shocks, and shackles courtesy of Belltech. Belltech's top-of-the-line Nitro Active monotube shocks damp the truck's high-performance suspension, while a Baer EradiSpeed brake system and rotor upgrade keep a leash on this bad boy.

Mecham body components clad this truck, including the fiberglass hood and exhaust tip. The company also laid on the PPG paints in Bright Silver Metallic and Dark Gray Metallic with Candy Red and Blue stripes. The bumper covers, mirror inserts, and factory door handles were painted to match the truck's contrasted color scheme. A billet grille and Bow Tie from Precision Grille dresses the front end, and a flip-step hitch plug from SportRack Accessories plugs the rear with panache. A SnugTop lid keeps a Bedxtender from AMP Research and bed rug from Wise Industries safe and snug.

The gray and silver scheme of the Silverado's exterior carries over into the interior, particularly onto the leather seat covers and door panels, courtesy of Northwest Auto Leather. Catch-All premium floor mats from Nifty Products keep the floor clean and the footwells stylin'. Platinum and gray highlights gleam from the dash, center console, door trims, and steering - all from B&I Trim Products.

Mecham thanks all the vendors that participated in this project, most of which have been mentioned in this article except for two: Zaino Brothers, for its finish and interior care products, and Dyno-Comp, for tuning the LSS to a high pitch.