The Heart of GNRS 2026: Highlights from the ARP Booth
February 12, 2026
Edit Template
THE AUTO BUILDER
Featured
COVER YOUR BOTTOM
There are many ways to finish the bottom of any car. Whether you are building new, from the ground up or even detailing a rebuild that is not the off-the-frame type, you have options. And regardless of the extent of the refurbishing, you could even leave the underside in some shade of primer as it is easy to touch up, and the fenderwells and underside often become marked with use.
TAKE A WALK ON THE MILD SIDE
For many hot rodders, the word “custom” conjures up images of chopped, channeled, molded and frenched cars with wild metalflake paint jobs. Such radical customs no doubt helped define the custom movement of the 1950s, along with such phrases as “if it don’t go, chrome it,” but in virtually every town in the USA there was a contingency of mild customs providing their owners with daily transportation, an occasional trip down the dragstrip, and a starring role in the local armory car show a couple of weekends a year. No, most of these cars didn’t hold the local track record, nor did they make it to the ISCA Grand Finale, but they were good examples of shade-tree customizing and hot rodding. Known mostly as a “mild custom,” a term that no doubt originated from car show classes, this style of car was extremely popular.
Truck Takeover at the Triple Crown of Rodding
Custom trucks have bulldozed their way into the hot rod world, turning what were once old workhorses from the ’30s through the ’90s into show-stopping, tire-shredding machines. These trucks aren’t just about hauling gear anymore—they’re packing serious muscle under the hood, killer suspension setups, and sleek designs that demand attention at events like the Triple Crown of Rodding.
Spotlighter
TRIPLE BYPASS SPECIAL
This ’04 Chevy Silverado is as Serious as a Heart Attack
Author
Bob Carpenter
Story & Photography
Inspiration from Recovery
“In early December,” Gil Palmer told us, “I had a triple bypass operation. I was unable to work or drive. I was bored each day.” On his daily walk he had to go right past his new ’04 Chevy Silverado pickup in the garage. The glimpse at his truck before each walk served as a motivator, and he started imagining things that he could do while he was forced to keep it parked next to his previous project (click here to see Gil’s ’57 Cameo).
Concept and Design
Gil convinced designer Joe Iacono of Pleasanton, California, to stop by, and the two brainstormed awhile. Joe took all the ideas that had been bouncing around in Gil’s mind and threw in a bunch of his own, and within days this talented artist had finished the conceptual drawings. The speed of this part of the process was appropriate, because the rest of it went just as fast.
Paint and Bodywork
After agreeing that the look was perfect, Gil turned to master painter Rick Leos of Autocrafters in Torrance, California. In the span of just four months, Rick had the ’04 completely done and ready to hit the road and the show circuit with 450 horsepower and plenty of good looks.
Suspension and Brakes
As this is a late-model chassis, not much needed to be done as far as beefing it up, but lower rear springs were used from Long Beach Spring Company and the rear shocks were shortened. The truck has 3.83 gears in the rearend, along with Brembo drilled disc brakes.
The frontend benefited from the installation of 2-inch dropped spindles and Brembo drilled rotors. Both the front and rear roll on 20-inch Foose Speedster wheels.
Engine Modifications
The extra power for the engine came from the addition of a Magnason intercooled Radix supercharger and a VaraRam Industries ram air kit. Gibson headers get the spent gases out of the combustion chambers. After that, the exhaust travels through a custom NASCAR-type exhaust that was built by Mesa Muffler in Costa Mesa, California. The transmission was rebuilt and customized by Mike at The Toy Store in Pomona, California.
Interior Upgrades
Inside the truck, Fiber Tech in Huntington Beach used ultra-leather material in dark gray and a perforated light gray for a rich and luxurious feel and look. Chevy S/S white-face gauges were installed, and a Magnuson boost gauge was included. For tunes, Gil had a Kenwood satellite/AM/FM/DVD stereo installed. The cab light was smoked for a cool effect.
Exterior Customizations
The outside of the truck is what everybody sees first, so Gil made sure that it was a stunner, and with the help of Joe Iacono’s artwork, there was a real solid direction to the team’s efforts. Autocrafters handled the mods, shaving the rear tailgate handle from the truck and installing Escalade handles on the doors. A custom grille shell was built and the front and rear bumpers were modified. Rick Leos of Autocrafters sprayed the Spies Hecker Mercedes brilliant silver and gray combination, and then he went wild with the flames. Pinstriping by Chris handled the lines that make or break a custom paint job.
The Final Result
After being so bored while sidelined, Gil Palmer certainly made up for it with some pretty spectacular pieces on his pickup. Gil likes to point out that almost everything on this truck is available from advertisers in this very magazine. And what a potent combination the sum total of these parts created. Gil has a hard time driving this truck without stomping on the gas pedal at least once or twice per outing. We can’t blame him, can you?
