Vindication

All of this eye candy is quickly drowned out by the tunes from the Pioneer system and Rosen video entertainment. Alex Keast, from the Orange, California, Al and Ed's Autosound built the entire audio system from bare sheets of wood. Built to my exact arm dimensions and shifting patterns, the center console houses two 10-inch Pioneer subs powered by four Pioneer amps located behind the seats. Alex also created trick speaker grilles covering the four Pioneer 6 1/2-inch coaxials and the sweet mount for the Pioneer AVIC-N1. Each piece of the audio puzzle was again masterfully sprayed by the team at Buck Wild Customs.

Needing two monitors installed pronto, the truck was delivered to Joe at Audio Innovations. With a smile on his face, Joe built a custom suede-covered mount for the Rosen 7-inch monitor and installed the Necvox 15.3-inch monitor under the Sprint lid with matching gray carpet. This extensive install took one day, and was so well done, it looks like it came factory. Keeping the system powered is a Powermaster alternator and three Optima batteries housed in killer billet brackets from Pro Precision billet. All audio and charging components were wired with huge 1/0-gauge StreetWires power cables.

I like to go fast, and I have the driving record to prove it. Therefore, horsepower was a given. Like bolt-ons? Under the hood lies a 4.3L V-6 force-fed by an AEM Brute force intake that sends air to a polished Vortech supercharger with a 9-psi pulley. Atomization occurs thanks to an AEM fuel pressure regulator with Beru Silverstone spark plugs sparked from Nology Hot Wires and a Nology Pro Fire coil and Crane Cams Hi-6R ignition. Computer programming is handled by a Fast Chips programmed ECU and spent gases exit JBA headers and dual MagnaFlow mufflers. A Flex-a-lite dual electric fan off of a 1-ton Chevy keeps the strained engine cool and also frees up parasitic loss for the blower. In case the situation calls for a quick getaway, a pop of the glovebox reveals the Venom VCN-2000 brain box, and with the push of a button, 50 extra horsepower turns the Unitrax 3:42 gears with Detroit Truetrac posi unit.

Bustin' through the gears is easy with the B&M short-throw shifter and Centerforce Dual Friction clutch. It took persuasion from all sides to convince me to 'bag the truck; I just loved the way the S-10 sat on the Belltech 5/5 lowering kit installed by CTL Motorsports. However, after Tony from Air Ride Technologies convinced me that the truck would handle even better with the RoadGrater kit and Strong Arms, I caved and said, "Let's do it." Contacting Cary from IF Customs in Sylmar, California, we discussed what I was looking for and arranged an install. Two days later, Cary, Fonzie, Cracker, and Phil transformed the mini rig into a dumped show truck for sure. Air Ride Tech gear is second to none, and with their new E-ride and Ride Pro kit, I can drop the truck or raise it with my key fob. Sick. IF Customs could put a Yugo on its frame.