Blank Canvas

The longer we are in this business, the more we are certain that the one skill which is most important to know is how to paint. A custom painter can take nearly anything and turn it into a fine ride. Sure, those who can work on suspension or engines are able to take their specialty and turn it to their advantage, but no one modification makes more impact than a cool paint job.

That is why guys such as Sam Spinelli, a custom painter for more than 12 years, can cruise around town in this 1990 Chevrolet C1500. Adorned with a killer basecoat and an amazing set of flames, it would be a show truck for the rest of us, but he simply describes the Chevy as his daily -driver.

Spinelli has owned a lifted 1992 K2500 Chevy extra-cab longbed truck and a 1992 Chevy extra-cab longbed dualie that he had equipped with airbags and, of course, a custom paint job. Currently he owns a 1964 Chevy Impala SS, a 2004 GMC Yukon XL Denali and this 1990 Chevy truck.

That affinity for the Bow-Tie was a deciding factor when a buddy was selling the then-all-white truck a few years ago. As his wife, Erica, was driving the Denali, Spinelli figured that he needed a good daily driver to get around his hometown of Oakley, California. While the rest of the truck was in pretty good shape, the white paint scheme had to go. But first he had a few ideas that he wanted to apply.

The first was that something needed to be done about the suspension. Spinelli knows more than how to lay down paint; he also knows how to sit down a pickup. His first call was to the guys at Belltech, who were only too happy to sell Spinelli all the things he needed to turn a stock pickup into a slammed roller. Spinelli used a set of 3-inch drop spindles, along with a pair of Belltech’s 2-inch drop springs, to really give the Chevy’s frontend that sinking feeling. To get the back half of the Chevy in line with the front, Spinelli again used Belltech pieces. This time it was a Belltech Flip kit and shackles, which add up (or should it be down?) to a 7-inch drop. Providing the damping is a quartet of Belltech Nitro Active shocks. To provide plenty of room for the stock 12-bolt housing now that the rearend is so low, a Belltech C-notch kit allows the rear to tuck up into the frame. Wanting his truck to take advantage of the improved handling that the lower center of gravity could provide, Spinelli included a set of Hotchkis antisway bars and a complete set of Energy Suspension polyurethane bushings.

When all that was done, the easy part of the upgrade came when Spinelli bolted on the 20-inch Centerline Rapid 6 20×8-inch wheels equipped with Goodyear Eagle HP tires (255/35-20).

With the low taken care of, it was time to handle the show. Spinelli wanted to show his chops a little, and he definitely wanted flames, but he had a little welding to do first. He welded up the stake pockets on the bed and added a Belltech roll pan. To give the doors a little something different, he swapped out the stock handles for a set of Suburban rear door handles. Why? Because they don’t have keyholes.

When it came time for Spinelli to spray, he used DuPont lime green paint to completely cover the Chevy. When that was done, he broke out the line tape and added a set of really long flames. In fact, they barely end at the end of the vehicle. For these he chose DuPont electric blue paint, which he then outlined in burnt orange. Once all was done and the paper was pulled, Spinelli cleared the entire vehicle in Chroma clearcoat. Speaking of clear, out went the stock taillights and in went a set of APC carbon fiber Euro lights. He then added a set of APC clear turn signals and marker lights.

The result is a killer look, and the best part is that while a paint job like this would cost the rest of us plenty, it cost Spinelli only a few gallons of paint and a little time.

As intricate as the flames are, Spinelli also continued his trickery inside. He painted the dash and other interior pieces the lime green, but he then broke out his airbrush and added a few touches such as skulls and Maltese crosses. These just prove that Spinelli has learned a great many lessons in the years that he has been painting, and he learned them well.

While Spinelli left this touch on the interior, he also left much of it alone. He says that the stock Chevy interior is really comfortable and not in need of radical change. One thing that he did change, however, was the sound system. Out went the stock box, and in its place Spinelli installed a Pioneer head unit that features a touch screen with DVD/tuner/XM/navigation capabilities. Also included is a Pioneer XM module GEX-P910. A Soundstream Reference 405 amplifier powers up the Boston Acoustics dash and the rear speakers, including a 12-inch Kicker competition woofer that sits in a custom box.

Since this is a daily driver, Spinelli left the low-mileage 350ci engine basically stock, adding only a K&N air filter, a set of Flowmaster mufflers and a 2.5-inch exhaust pipe. When he decided to take a proactive approach to preventive maintenance, he added a Pete Jackson gear drive in place of a timing chain. The gear drive also provides that “competition sound,” which is easily mistaken for a blower. The 700R4 transmission came stock, but due to the lowered stance the driveshaft had to be shortened slightly. Spinelli had the crew at Kevin’s Prop Shop in Antioch, California, handle this modification.

When Spinelli bought the truck from his friend two years ago, the condition of the vehicle was fair and so was the price, at a friendly $6,000. The funny part is that Spinelli still sees his friend regularly and now, after the transformation, the guy wishes he’d never sold it and wants it back! But all Spinelli says is that it’s too late, as he regularly uses the truck to cart his motorcycles and other toys out to the wilds where he and his family can have fun.