The History of 1badgmc
 

I've posted this on FSC and GMT-400, but got a request to share this with you guys here too, so here it is.

This is the history of my '91 from the beginning.

I graduated HS in '95 and went off to college...with no ride. My HS car, '72 Plymouth Duster 340, wasn't really up for the trip. I suffered for nearly 9 months without a vehicle. I wanted a truck. I wasn't super-picky on my requirements. It had to be a '90+ (composite lights), V8, a/c with power windows and locks. Longbed, shortbed, whatever...I just wanted a truck.

I was at home for the weekend and was out on a Friday night hanging out with friends. When I got home that night, my dad told me we were going to the dealership my uncle worked at the next day to look at a truck. Ok. Fine by me. We pulled up and there it was. I drove it. Loved it. Took it home that day. That was May 4th, 1996.

I did my first mod that day. Headlight covers! These pics were taken that day.

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g5...96-05-0401.jpg
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g5...96-05-0402.jpg
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g5...96-05-0403.jpg

Re: The History of 1badgmc
 

A friend of mine asked if I was going to lower it and put a rollpan on it and all that stuff. I went off on him. I'd never do that crap! That's stupid! If I only knew...

By the winter of '97, I had done a few other small things. I had a color matched bug shield, ventshades and slotted taillight covers along with a soft tonneau and my first limo tint job. I also had some 15x10 Ultra wheels and 295/50 tires.

For some reason I don't have many pictures of this stage of the truck's life. I know I took quite a few, but I can't find them.

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g5...1997Winter.jpg

March of 1997. My buddy shot this from his Porsche 944 as we were on the causeway to South Padre Island for Spring Break.

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g5...ic/Padre01.jpg

Re: The History of 1badgmc
 

In the early spring of 1998, I bought my first drop for the truck. I bought some 2" Eibach coils and 4" BellTech leafs. I also bought my first rollpan and billet grille and installed it all around the same time.

In June of 1998 the truck made its first visit to the bodyshop. I had the steps and tailgate handle shaved, installed some sport mirrors, updated to a '94-'98 GMC grille with a 30-bar insert and smoothie front bumper with billet insert and had the entire truck repainted. It was done in the factory medium blue metallic with red, green and blue pearls mixed in the clear.

In August of 1998, I bought my first BIG wheels. 17" Weld Tomahawks. 17x8 fronts and 17x9.5 rears with 245/45 and 305/45 tires. Shortly after that I added a set of 3" DJM control arms up front and a pair of shackles out back for a 5/6 drop. With my staggered tire sizes, it didn't sit level, so I went back and added a pair of hangers for a total 5/8 drop.

This is how it looked in the fall of 1998.

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g5...ldCokeWall.jpg

Re: The History of 1badgmc
 

Going into 1999 is when I really started doing shows. I joined Pleasures Trucks & Compacts from Oklahoma City.

These shots are from July of 1999. They were taken just outside our hotel in Austin when we went to Texas Heatwave.

The blue taillights started off as a set of the original style all-clear taillights. I took them apart and sprayed the back of the lenses with 3 coats of Testors Transparent Blue model paint. The bulbs were painted with red engine paint. They worked ok, but I worried they weren't bright enough during bright daylight, so I ran stock tails most of the time and reserved the blue tails for shows and cruises and such.

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g5...sic/THW992.jpg
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g5...sic/THW991.jpg
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g5...sic/THW993.jpg
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g5...sic/THW994.jpg

Re: The History of 1badgmc
 

One week after Heatwave, I was sitting at a red light when a guy decided to play with his radio instead of watching the road. I just happened to be in the way.

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g5...ic/crash1b.jpg

Re: The History of 1badgmc
 

I had already been wanting a complete color change and that accident was the catalyst. I told my bodyman the color and he looked at me like I was insane. In the process, I shaved the taillights and installed the Precision Rodware LED taillights.

This is also when I pulled out the dash and all of the interior plastic trim and had it all smoothed and painted the exterior color. I picked up a pair of Recaro seats and had them covered in gray leather with blue centers and the door panels were covered in gray leather with some zebra trim accents on the door panels, dash and rear wall.

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g5...c/RRtruck3.jpg
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g5...ssic/Maco1.jpg
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g5...ssic/Maco2.jpg

This was one of the last pictures taken of my truck with the stock front sheetmetal. This was at Dust Off in April 2001.

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g5...DustOff2K1.jpg

Re: The History of 1badgmc
 

In June of 2001 this happened.

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g5...sic/Crash1.jpg
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g5...sic/Crash3.jpg
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g5...sic/Crash4.jpg
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g5...sic/Crash2.jpg
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g5...sic/Crash5.jpg

I guess this shade of blue is hard to see during broad daylight on a fullsize truck. An old man pulled out of a parking lot in front of me. I tried to avoid him and instead slammed into the rear of an Audi stopped waiting to make a left turn.

Re: The History of 1badgmc
 

There's always a silver lining...

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g5...ssic/Caddy.jpg

Re: The History of 1badgmc
 

So, in August of 2001, it rolled out of the shop like this:

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g5...sic/caddy1.jpg
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g5...sic/caddy4.jpg

Re: The History of 1badgmc
 

I was ready for more and the wife gave me the green light to bag it. So I did. By October 2001, it was done.

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g5...ssic/Lot01.jpg
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g5...ssic/Lot05.jpg
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g5...ssic/Lot06.jpg
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g5...ssic/Lot08.jpg

Re: The History of 1badgmc
 

It still needed one more thing to finish it off...new wheels. Usually, when I decide I want new wheels, it takes me forever to look through all the catalogs and finally decide on the design I want. This time was different. I had actually seen the Haze in a magazine ad a while before this point and had decided then and there that I wanted a set. I felt that 20s all around were too big for my tastes, so I decided to go with 19s up front with 245/35-19 tires and 20s in the rear with 285/30-20s.

By the spring of 2002, I had them all mounted up to complete the look that you still see today.

http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g5...IMG_1188-b.jpg
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g5...c/DSCN1530.jpg
http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g5...c/DSCN1509.jpg

Re: The History of 1badgmc
 

As with any project, it will never truly be finished. I still have a small list of things I'd like to do, but the problem is that they're all pretty BIG things and with adult bills and resposibilities, there's just not enough time or money right now, so I'll just enjoy what I've got. Maybe someday. Tops on the list right now, though, are the need to rebuild the steering and fix the A/C so I'll be more willing to drive it during the hot summer months.

Re: The History of 1badgmc
 

always been a fan of your truck... I remember it back since 2001 on Sportruck forum

Re: The History of 1badgmc
 

Thanks for posting this up. I really like the evolution that your truck has taken over the years. It also shows how the "Sport Truck" trend has evolved as well.

Sweet looking truck man! :metal:

Re: The History of 1badgmc
 

It's awesome to look at the pictures and see it change along with the trends. I remember when 17s were huge! I also remember how cool the color matched bugshield/ventshade combo was. That seems like a long time ago now.

Re: The History of 1badgmc
 

This story would be good on the Projects/Builds forum....when the new wears off....in a few days. It can be moved w/o any problems.

Re: The History of 1badgmc
 

There was a guy I went to school with that had a truck that looked identical to this shot right here, except with 15's. Almost the same wheel design though.

Re: The History of 1badgmc
 

Could have been the same 15" Ultras that I had. If you notice in the shot with my 15x10s, they're basically the same design as the 17s.

Re: The History of 1badgmc
 

I know your running Shockwaves up front but what's the details on the whole bag set up?

Re: The History of 1badgmc
 

Shockwaves and DJM spindles up front, KP 4-link rear. Viair 450C compressor, 5-gallon tank, Ride Tech valves and controls.

Re: The History of 1badgmc
 

Awesome truck. :metal: That's a great story, I hope mine turns out as well. It's nice to see that when you have a bad event you are able to make something positive out of it.

Re: The History of 1badgmc
 

That's a great story man. I think I may have seen it somewhere either online or in a magazine at some point.

On a side note, you wouldn't happen to remember the factory paint color code off hand would ya? I'd like to find it cause I like that color and get my newly acquired '89 K2500 painted that color.

Re: The History of 1badgmc
 

Cool thread dude. I love seeing the transformation of peoples vehicles with the pictures they post.

My buddy had the same exact Boyds on his square body suburban.

Your truck is a clone to my old 92 GMC I owned, only in white. Standard cab step side, with a tuned port 350. To date, out of all the trucks I've owned....that one was the funnest to drive.

Re: The History of 1badgmc
 

Thanks for the props guys. Even after all these years, I'm still amazed that I was able to build something this nice.

I'm sure you have. It had a shot in Street Trucks mag. in show coverage a few years ago. It was shot for a Tailgate feature, but never published. I've had a couple of other feature offers that never panned out. It has shown up in online show coverage countless times on several websites. When I find pics of it, I always save them for posterity.

No clue, man. The truck has officially spent more of it's life in the current color than the factory color. The RPO sticker in the glovebox was worn off even when I bought the truck, but I did have the code written down somewhere. The color was Medium Blue Metallic and I think ran from '90-'92.

Re: The History of 1badgmc
 

That's the payoff of a job well done. Even after time you can still look at it and find things that "you" find cool.

I would too. I would love to have a picture of something of mine in a magazine, or on a website. Even if it was just in the background of someone else's feature shot. :lol: