Once every five or so years a truck comes around that changes the way we look at custom and makes us take a step back. Detailed from top to bottom, sparing no expense, Jenn Lacy's ultra-sick '91 S-10 is phenomenal. Winning shows coast-to-coast, this rig is more than a girl's pink truck; it's a rolling display of custom truck mastery. Read on as we delve into the world of Chx Ride.
Starting in 1998 with her '91 S-10 daily driver, Jenn broke into the custom truck world by lowering her truck and adding some new wheels and tires to it. After a good friend of hers, Jimmy Graham, installed a full air-ride setup and performed the stock floor 3-1/4-inch body drop, she was officially bitten by the custom bug and began searching for the perfect shop to build the truck of her dreams. Arriving at Scrape-n-Customs, in Edgewater, Florida, Jenn met the talented crew and knew this was the shop she needed.
After tearing down the S-10 into a million little pieces the team at Scrape-n-Customs went bonkers on the exterior of the standard cab. With the welders nice and warm, the S-10 lost its taillights, stock door hinges, door handles, and tailgate handle. Going the extra mile and proving there was no task too difficult, the crew added steel tubing to the body line and welded the seam shut, filled and shaved the roof line, and welded the tailgate shut. While they were at it, they didn't stop with that level of extensive bodywork. They also molded the fenders into the cab and rockers and rounded the corners of the doors to make them fit more cleanly. A fullsize Chevy front bumper was narrowed 12 inches, and out back, a molded roll pan was added. Full 90-degree-opening suicide doors were welded in place and the hood cowl was filled, smoothed, and shaved. Hand-rolled wheeltubs were built for the engine compartment, and red reflector lens was molded into the tailgate with a matching license plate hiding behind clear lens. Inside the bed, the raised floor was welded to the bedwalls and ground smooth, with the slick crossmember rising up into the metalwork. With the awesome bodywork completed it was time to add some color to all that raw steel.
Voulsia County Customs was placed in possession of Jenn's S-10 and was also placed with the responsibility of turning the raw metal truck into a flawless canvas of color. Todd Fisher completed the bodywork and paint prep and then rolled the truck into the VCC paint booth for a revitalization in color. Todd applied the House of Kolor pink basecoat and then meticulously masked off each flame, lick by lick. With the tape down on the body, Todd sprayed the House of Kolor orange and chrome yellow with House of Kolor Kameleon Pearl on top. The multiple pigments give the flames amazing color and when the sun hits the orange just right, a translucent effect makes the flames pop from the perfect drop-shadowing. Green pinstriping surrounds the flames and the grimacing skulls that were masterfully applied inside each individual flame. Kosmic Klear, also from House of Kolor, keeps the colors protected. Hot-rod pinstriping finishes the awesome look and appears on the hood, tailgate, fan shroud, and inside the bed. A chrome phantom grille shell and clear markers were then installed and the body was ready to lay on the Florida asphalt.
Scrape-n-Customs completed the chassis that Jimmy Graham started by welding shut the cab-back portion of the frame and using it as the air tanks for the air suspension. A chrome Pete and Jake's four-link keeps the rearend secure, and Slam Specialties' 'bags make the task of going up and down an easy one. Eight nickel-plated GC valves send air through polished stainless hard line from the two Viair 450C compressors to air each of the airbags. Each piece of the suspension was either chromed or painted, including the Air Ride Technologies Strong Arm upper and lower control arms and custom crossmember with a lit "SnC" logo in the middle. If that weren't insane enough, before reassembly the entire frame was painted House of Kolor pink. Stuffed under each fender are chrome Boyd Coddington Turbine wheels measuring 20x8-1/2 inches with Nitto 245/35ZR20 555 tires keeping each billet hoop protected.
Moving inside those wide-opening doors, the crew at Scrape-n-Customs built a fiberglass custom dash housing Auto Meter gauges. Painted what else but pink, the dash also received some pinstriping and flame licks. A chrome ididit steering column capped with a polished billet Colorado Custom steering wheel looks across an interior that is as classy as they come. Tony's Upholstery, of Edgewater, laid down the Mercedes eggshell wool carpet, covered the '89 Toyota seats in tan leather and ostrich skin, covered the door panels in leather, and installed the ostrich headliner. Scrape-n-Customs finished the interior by building a pink-painted fiberglass and wood back wall with a flamed Audiobahn amp and 10-inch Audiobahn sub mounted inside.
Under the flame-licked hood is an engine clean enough to eat off of. Each piece of the original 2.8L V-6 was replaced with a new component that was either chromed, alumiplated, or painted. The shaved firewall complements the painted fender tubs, and all that chrome is enough to virtually blind you.
A year and a half of blood, sweat, and tears, and Jenn finally had the truck of her dreams. This is no ordinary custom truck. This truck is a "Best of Show" winner no matter what stage it is placed on. Jenn says she plans on taking good care of the truck, and being the clean freak that she is, that shouldn't be too difficult. She understands how much hard work went into building this truck and she wanted to make sure she thanked her boyfriend Jimmy Graham, Scrape-n-Customs, Shane, Will, Todd, Tony, Michael, and her sponsors.
Editor's Note: I want to extend a special thank you to Jenn and the entire Scrape-n-Customs team for their patience on the writing of this story. It took a little over a year, but hopefully the layout was worth it. Trucks like these really do make our jobs the greatest on earth.