Standing on our soap boxes and talking about the revival of clean and meticulously built trucks, one truck started out life based on this philosophy and it continues to prove us right. Built for the '04 SEMA Show and just recently finished, this '04 Chevy Silverado may get lost in a crowd of wild paintjobs, 30-inch wheels, and lambo doors, but it did find itself on this month's cover. Talking to Travis White of Findlay Customs in Henderson, Nevada, he said his goal was to be on the cover of Truckin' and to showcase the high-caliber work his talented crew could pull off. What makes this truck so special is the attention to detail, the clean look inside and out, and our favorite part, the subtlety of driving the truck until the volume is turned up on the head unit.
Travis wanted a truck that wouldn't attract unnecessary attention to himself while driving, yet could arrive at a truck show and still earn the respect of everyone who took the time to check it out. Starting with the suspension, The Custom Shop in Henderson bolted on the Air Ride Technologies front airbags, Belltech lowering spindles, and Air Ride shocks. On went the Baer Eradispeed front and rear brakes and then 22x10-inch Billet Specialties wheels were wrapped in Pirelli 265/35R22 tires. Out back, a C-notch was cut out and welded in and Air Ride Technologies 'bags were bolted on again. The truck now laid low, but it didn't quite have the motivation needed to make it sporty enough. Enter the whine of a blower.
Too subtle or too perfect? Look closely: there's a 12-inch Directed monitor in the dash, suede covering all of the lower panels, and a painted '04 Escalade steering wheel.
Underneath the hood, the crew at Findlay Customs in Henderson installed a Kenne Bell screw-type supercharger, which forces atmosphere into the 5.3L, while the Borla exhaust system helps to relieve the added pressure. The blower and the added traction supplied by the Air Ride system helped the truck go down the Las Vegas dragstrip at 13.11 seconds. It did that while looking good, too. Billet, paint, and custom hoses were added to the engine compartments for a custom appeal.
Sticking with the clean theme, Super Stripes of Henderson added a genuine OE Chevy SS front grille shell and a front bumper. Then, they shaved the tailgate handle and added a rear roll pan. With the bodywork complete, the team at Super Stripes applied the House of Kolor White, Tangelo Orange, and Passion Purple to the Chevy's body. A SnugTop lid rounds out the mods to the body. Now, Travis was ready to show off what his shop could do.