There is no denying the fact that fully customized minitrucks pull loads of positive attention. With today's truck market being completely void of true production minis, it is certainly refreshing to see yet another classic model ready for the streets and the show circuit. Nobody understands this sentiment better than Gary "Lumis" Lewis from Greensburg, Kentucky, because he was down to drop his kid's college fund into building his '87 Dodge D50.
Now, before you pass judgment on Gary's decision, two things must be taken into consideration. First off, community college is far less expensive than a four-year university, so that means junior should be able to easily kick-start an educational career with a part-time gig at the local burger joint. Secondly, the truck turned out awesome-isn't that justification enough? Most die-hard truck junkies should be in complete agreement with Gary and the actions he took in order to create one more minitruck to fill our pages. Now that Gary's deep, dark secret of choosing truck over child has surfaced and been publicly discussed, a bit of mercy should be afforded to him. After all, we're all here to obsess over trucks ,and Gary has provided us with a hot little dish for us to salivate over. But, don't for a second think that Gary is getting off the hook just yet.
With a few custom builds already under his belt, Gary didn't even flinch while chopping the D50's stock stance. As with most minitruck builds, the suspension height measures about even with that of a crushed soda can-perfect for starting a serious collection of road reflectors. Along with Gary's efforts, Old Mac Rod Shop, in Campbellsville, Kentucky, was called upon for help while tackling the task of bringing the Dodge closer to the ground. Belltech 2-inch drop spindles helped to lower the altitude up front, while 'bags at each corner provide adequate ride height and body-dumping ability. Filling in the gap between the road and the truck's fender lip is a set of Billet Specialties Chicayne wheels and Dunlop shoes. A 17-inch and 205/40 roller/rubber combo flashes up the front end, while 18x10-inch billets and 265/35 tires follow in hot pursuit. Gary cleaned up everything in close proximity to his truck's jewelry, as upgraded aluminum brake lines shine amongst the body-color-matched brake components. Speaking of the bright and shiny PPG Viper Red dyed body, let's take a look at just how far a few semesters of loot can go when it's spent on automotive cosmetics.