After the upholstery was complete, the truck was delivered to D-Tronics of McAllen, Texas, where a bass-thumping system was requested. The crew immediately removed all the stock hardware and began to build a system worthy of any DB drag. At first, a couple of 10s were going to provide the low frequencies, but after Pedro gave the team the go-ahead to cut the back wall, new plans were derived. Three DB Drive Platinum 12-inch subs were installed in a huge pass-through box, giving the truck a near 150-decibel sonic boom. Up front, DB Drive mids and highs are housed in the doors and kick-panels while a Panasonic screen provides the tunes and movies. Finishing off the interior is a Caddy gauge cluster and plenty of Empire Motorsports billet accessories.
Pedro switched his focus to bodywork and paint, but the hunt for a talented painter was difficult. Tony Castro of TC Autoworks, in Alamo, Texas, ended the search when his ideas were discussed to create a trophy-winning paint scheme that would incorporate fading skulls, ghost flames, and plenty of candy alligator graphics. Tony began by shaving the front steps, gas cap, and taillights. Up front, an '04 GMC clip was installed with Denali projector headlights, and out back, a Lincoln LS license plate box and 10-inch LED lights were grafted in. Three-inch-wider fenders provide plenty of clearance for 22s, and the Sir Michaels roll pan cleans up the rear body lines. Next, Tony laid down the primer and began applying the PPG Hot Red to the entire truck. With the first color dry, Tony then mapped out the crazy graphics and color separations. Orange, yellow, and multiple candies were applied to get the effects just as they wanted them. The result was a killer exterior filled with airbrushing, pinstriping, and beautiful colors. Tony carried the paint inside as well, with the dash, speaker box, nitrogen tank, and door panels receiving the red PPG hue and graphics.
We fell in love with this truck for several reasons, but one of the biggest factors was the fact that an average truck-lover went crazy and created a sick ride that is fully functional. Many readers have begged us to include more realistic trucks on the cover, and now we have. The potential is out there, as Pedro has proven with his thrilling creation. Finish reading this issue and start building, because we are looking for America's next top truck.