Tennessee Terror

Walking the custom truck-building balancing line is a hard path to walk. Trying to create a pebble-pushing eye-catcher with just the right amount of custom spice can get tricky, especially when the scene is permeated with body-dropped rides sporting elaborate paint and graphics with one-off interior treatments. In today's truck culture, enthusiasts are pulling out all the stops on their rides, and sometimes, the line between what's tastefully cool and what's outrageously overdone can get clouded. It seems that today's truck fanatics are so wrapped up in building a truck that lays flat on the ground over big wheels that they have forgotten how cool a simple custom truck can be.

Robert Alan Jackson of Smyrna, Tennessee, believes that less is more and proves how good a simple custom truck can look with his 'bagged and smoothed '00 Chevy S-10. Starting with a bone-stock S-10 extended cab and using the customizing guidance of his club Severed Ties (Tennessee chapter), Robert began the buildup by getting the suspension dialed in and the frame planted firmly on the Tennessee soil.

In order to get Tennessee Terror's 'rails cozy with the asphalt, Robert solicited the professional suspension modification services of Wicked Kustoms in La Vergne, Tennessee. Josh and Kirk at WK ripped into the S-10's frame with a vengeance and started by installing Belltech drop spindles, in place of the factory units, and tossing the stock coil springs to make way for Firestone 2600 airbags. Out back, the frame was boxed for strength and C-notched for rear axle clearance when the rear Firestone 2600 air bellows are deflated. A Pete & Jakes triangulated four-link keeps the rearend centered, while an Air Lift engine-driven compressor replenishes the air supply. Flowing air to the 'bags are 1/2-inch SMC electric valves, while 3/8-inch SMC electric valves pull air out of the 'bags and drop the truck to the ground. A 12-gallon Air Lift air tank keeps plenty of reserve air on tap, for those times when Robert feels like showing off. Completing the low-down stance is 18x8-inch front and 18x9.5-inch rear Center Line Dagger billet wheels surrounded by Kumho low-profile rubber. For a classic big-little look, Robert went with P225/40ZR18 Kumhos up front and meaty P265/35ZR18 Kumhos in the rear. With the suspension fabrication in check and the stance nailed, Robert delivered the truck to friends Tommy Boshers and Carlton Hunter for metalwork and paint.

At first glance, Robert's slammed S-series may look like any other monochrome cruiser rocking an adjustable suspension and cool billets, but upon closer inspection, a laundry list of metal modifications jump out from underneath the bright-blue paint. Tommy Boshers of Pulaski, Tennessee, started at the rear of the truck and worked forward, shaving the taillights, the tailgate handle, the gas door, and the antenna to smooth the exterior landscape. Up front, a Street Scene hood combined with a GMC Envoy grille shell and bumper were used to brighten the facial features. The rearview was enhanced further with a molded Grant Kustoms roll pan and custom LED lighting. Keen observers will notice the elimination of the rear bed steps, which Tommy shaved with metal, instead of fiberglass, using guidance from Bob Grant of Grant Kustoms. After the metal acheived wrinkle-free status, Carlton Hunter of Nashville was enlisted to throw some color down on this radically re-styled mini.

To bring the exterior of Tennessee Terror up to custom par, Carlton dusted on several coats of Spies Hecker Viper Blue, sealed all the glistening beauty in clear, and color-sanded and polished the truck to a brilliant shine. The color complements the bodywork perfectly and gives the truck a clean and classy look that a multicolored paint scheme cannot replicate. Smoothed, slammed, and coated with color, Robert moved on to finishing the truck with an off-the-wall sound system and trick custom interior.

A trip inside Robert's slammed and seamless S-10 reveals a sea of custom suede and vinyl upholstery appointments, blended with an eardrum-shattering audio system that's comprised of the best gear from Memphis Car Audio. Kaze Williams at Audio Vizions in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, fabricated a custom-cut subwoofer enclosure, housing four Memphis 12-inch LVS subwoofers to rock the bass in Robert's musical selections. Four Memphis Studio 1000D amplifiers ensure flawless performance of the subwoofers. Mid- and High-range duties are handled by two Memphis 4x6-inch dash speakers, two Memphis 6.5-inch kick panel speakers, two 8-inch Memphis mids in the door panels, and two 6x9-inch speakers in the extra cab panels. For even more bass, the extended cab also holds two Memphis 8-inch Studio subs. An Eclipse 8053 in-dash CD head unit sits at the command center of the system, while matching Viper Blue liquid covers the smoothed dash, custom center console, and extra cab speaker and amp enclosure, lending a slight contrast to the rest of the interior. As for the rest of the interior, Robert didn't skimp when it came time to update the factory threads. A set of '89 Integra bucket seats was obtained and treated to a combination of Symphony suede and Landau black vinyl by Audio Vizions. Fresh black carpet was laid down under the seating surfaces, and more symphony suede was used up top to redefine the headliner. A Trenz billet steering wheel lends a bit of shine to match all the painted parts. For a smoother look on the dash face, the factory A/C controls were relocated to the glovebox, and a custom plate with the Memphis Car Audio logo was made to fill the gap. The interior in Tennessee Terror matches the simple custom theme enhancing the exterior and features just the right amount of custom paint and aftermarket fabric updates.

Robert Alan Jackson has created one smooth and detailed S-10 by embracing the less-is-more theory of custom truck building. It's not a bad way to go, considering a wild graphic-enhanced hauler can date itself pretty quickly and a monochromed custom can look good for years. Robert is quick to recognize those who worked hard to make his low-slung S-series a reality. On that list of thanks is Memphis Car Audio, Trenz Manufacturing, Kaze Williams and the crew at Audio Vizions, Josh and Kirk at Wicked Kustoms, Tommy Boshers and Carlton Hunter, his club Severed Ties (Tennessee chapter), and his wife Kim. Tennessee Terror is definitely one detailed and well-balanced show truck.