1991 Chevy Truck - Pushed To The Limit

Pushing customization to the limits is something every custom truck enthusiast is guilty of. No matter how low or high a custom hauler sits or how much power lurks between the framerails, it is never enough. A hot rod-styled hauler sitting flat on the rockers and stuffing large-diameter rolling apparel is cool in its own right, but hook an all-out river rocket stuffed with a blown RAT motor behind it, and the adrenaline level climbs into the red. Chris Midkiff of La Verne, California, is one of those individuals who is never satisfied with his custom toys and is constantly tweaking them. Chris holds pink slips to both the 'bagged and body-dropped '91 Chevy pickup and custom Eliminator Liberty 19-1/2-foot jet boat spread across these pages.

Beginning with the tow rig, Chris knew that in order to get the kind of attention he was looking for, a 4/6 drop and some 20s simply were not going to cut it. Chris hooked up with his buddies Scott Sax and Mike Mortarano from Torch Industries to lay the C1500 shorty on the tarmac. Up front, a pair of Belltech 2-inch drop spindles combined with Firestone 26C airbags provided the initial nosedive, while Doetsch Tech shocks were bolted up to provide stability and ride control. Out back, the rear 'rails were stepped to give the differential ample breathing room, and a TCI parallel four-link and Firestone 26C 'bags provide tail-end adjustability. With the suspension installed, Chris phoned up BOZE Alloys and ordered some 20x8-inch Stinger 5 aluminum beauties for the front and 22x10-inch Stinger 5 rollers for the rear. The classic five-spoke spools were stuffed into Dunlop P255/35ZR20 SP Sport 9000 front and P285/30ZR22 SP Sport 9000 rear rubber. Armed with a timeless hot rod-styled rolling package, the truck was set on the ground and laid out. But as the frame hit the floor, Chris frowned: The truck was not yet low enough for his spark-showering tastes. Out came the Sawzall, and with the help of Mike and Scott, a 4-1/2-inch drop put the body on the floor. As if that were not enough, Chris went a step further and cut the rockers off so the truck would lie flat on the doors. For a bit of extra detail, the suspension was disassembled after installation and powdercoated to score a few more points at the shows.

Under the cowl-induction bonnet of this spark-producing pavement pounder is a tried and true 350ci small-block fitted with a Spintech muffler and Edelbrock headers. A Lifeline battery sparks the mild fire, while a custom billet air cleaner, chrome valve covers, and custom aluminum fenderwells provide the doghouse bling.

The metal masters and paint professionals at L&G Enterprises in San Dimas, California, went all-out on Chris' truck, shaving the door handles, the tailgate handle, and molding on a custom steel roll pan. A Top Deck tonneau cover caps the box, and the nose was brought to a custom sizzle with a chrome smoothie front bumper and a T-Rex phantom billet grille. PPG blue and white hues were used for the prominent base colors, while House of Kolor Candy Blue and Tangelo Orange were blended to graphically enhance the beltline region. Once the external looks were off the custom charts, Chris shifted his attention to the interior stylings.