2006 Chevy Colorado - Haulin' Colorado

It's one thing to dream about owning a non-existent, performance-minded sport truck, but it's another to finally wake up, smell the exhaust fumes, and transform the fantasy into a reality. Cody Galle, from Belle Chasse, Louisiana, dreamt about ripping down the highways at speeds at least double the legal limit but the only thing holding him back was his '06 Chevy Colorado Xtreme's somewhat sluggish inline five-cylinder engine. Not wanting to trade in his attractive midsize rig, Cody decided the only rational option was to ditch the stock powerplant and fill the void with a healthy LS2 engine, which would definitely be a dream come true for any self-respecting speed freak. Since Cody envisioned to transform his Colorado into a full-fledged, mini muscle truck, he began the process by first making it handle like one.

Knowing the Colorado Xtreme models already feature a modest drop, a pair of Belltech 2-inch drop spindles and rear blocks were all Cody needed to set his truck at regulation performance ride height. Cody selected a set of custom-bored 20x8 1/2-inch Chevy Silverado SS wheels, which pay excellent tribute to Chevy muscle. Achilles rubber, sized 245/35R20 wrap the Super Sport rollers and provide excellent road contact.

With a much sportier suspension in place, Cody enlisted the help of The Chop Shop, a group of like-minded gearheads, which include a few friends and Cody's father, to plant the 6.0L LS2 engine underneath the Colorado's hood. A plug-and-play wiring harness kit from Current Performance helped the guys tremendously as they turned the midsize Chevy truck into a street rocket with 337hp at the rear wheels. Of course, the stock transmission had to be replaced as well and a Chevy 4L70E unit made for a perfect swap. A Flowmaster 40-series exhaust has also has been thrown into the mix for better breathing and delivers a serious roar when Cody fires up the ignition.

Although an aggressively loud engine tone does demand attention while the Colorado is in motion, the sharp two-tone Sherwin Williams Superior Blue Metallic and GM Pearl White paint scheme sprayed by JP of JP's Auto Body, attracts attention while the truck is resting between sprints. The excitement from the screaming LS2 and the sporty exterior continues once passing through the driver side and passenger doors. ABC Upholstery chopped the stock seats and then covered them in plush dark grey and white leather. The Kenwood in-dash DVD head unit and two TMA amps push the strategically placed 8-inch JL Audio sub and the two Alpine Type-S 6 1/2 and two 6x9 speakers that have been sunk into the custom, stealth box that Cody constructed to save precious interior space. No matter the soundtrack, Cody must love sitting behind the wheel of his now beefed-up truck when cruising around the Bayou State.

Cody has witnessed firsthand what a little imagination and determination can accomplish. No custom truck is built alone and Cody would like to extend gratitude to his parents, his fellow members of The Chop Shop, and everyone involved in building his one-off muscle truck.