Street Trucks October 2023

W ITH THE CURRENT STATE OF THE INTERNET AND SOCIAL MEDIA, EVERYTHING IS INSTANT. It doesn’t matter if it’s on a website, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, or Twitter, as soon as something happens, the world has access to it. In some ways, that has made life easier. Having access to anything and everything you could ever want to look up is nice. But I feel it’s also hindering. People can’t live a private life or keep things under wraps until they are ready to show the world. In our custom truck world, we feel this all the time. Back in the day, someone would build a truck, and those helping with it or close friends and family were the only ones who knew about it. Then, once it was done, they…

2024 TOYOTA LAND CRUISER RETURNS TO ITS ORIGIN TOYOTA’S off-road icon and longest-running nameplate is making a comeback to North America for the 2024 model year, returning to its rugged origin. Since its introduction in the U.S. market in 1958, the Land Cruiser evolved over the years from the legendary two-door models like the 40 Series with its fold-down front windshield, white roof, and rear jump seats to the capable yet fully loaded 200 Series, which was the last generation to be sold in the States and combined Land Cruiser’s strength with premium luxury features. Now, Land Cruiser stays true to its heritage, returning as a high-quality offroader at a more accessible price point that will take a wider range of customers on numerous backcountry adventures across the globe. Built…

RUST CONVERTER KBS COATINGS RUST CONVERTER CHEMICALLY CONVERTS RUST INTO A PERMANENT, HARD, AND HIGHLY DURABLE BLACK SURFACE. KBS Rust Converter is directly sprayed onto any iron or steel object that has tightly bonded rust, or surface rust, to kill the existing rust and stop new rust from forming. This quick-drying rust killer forms an inert primer layer that can stand alone or be painted over. KBS COATINGS 888-531-4527www.kbs-coatings.com ’88-’94 OBS BILLET SHIFTER LG BILLET USA RECENTLY UNVEILED ITS SHIFT LEVER FOR 1988-1994 CHEVY/GMC OBS (OLD BODY STYLE) PICKUPS. Made from 6061-T6 billet aluminum with a stainless steel key, the billet shift lever has been engineered and precision machined to have an OEM-like fitment, an improved appearance, and a durable factory-rubber-coated alternative. This shift lever installs in less than 5…

IN THE HEART OF A BUSTLING HIGH SCHOOL, AMIDST THE CLANG OF LOCKERS AND CHATTER OF STUDENTS, THERE IS A MAN LIKE NO OTHER: MIKE WARREN, THE CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION/AUTO SHOP TEACHER. With Mr. Warren’s passion for all things automotive, he’s the kind of teacher who leaves a lasting impression on anyone lucky enough to be in his class. We don’t think anyone would disagree that teachers are among the most unsung heroes out there. From tons of unpaid hours to putting in their own financial resources to make sure their students don’t go without, they go the extra mile school day after school day. Because of this, free time is pretty much nonexistent during the school year. And since Mike is a car guy and teaches others about the…

WHEN IT COMES TO COOL VENUES FOR CAR SHOWS, THE GROUNDS FOR BATTLE IN BAMA, PRESENTED BY ULTIMATE AUDIO FABRICATION, STAND OUT FOR SURE. The event is held at the USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park in Mobile, Alabama, with show vehicles surrounded by jets, tanks, helicopters, and even a battleship. This show always brings out some of the best vehicles from all over the country to park in this cool venue—and this year was no exception. When you pull into the show, you see some of the main vendor and sponsor booths lining the road with the “VIP Row, presented by New Creations” vehicles making a huge first impression. But then you notice the military vehicles permanently on display, tucked among the show vehicles, and a massive US Navy battleship…

CHRIS ECHEL OF GREENVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA, BOUGHT THIS TRUCK FROM HIS DAD BACK IN THE YEAR 2000. His pops had purchased the ’97 Chevy two years prior and used it to serve as a volunteer fire truck. It was even decked out with emergency light bars on the roof and a utility camper shell on the bed. The truck came in handy for awhile, but once it fell out active duty, Chris was able to get his hands on the keys and began to customize it little by little throughout the years. This Chevy has gone through many changes under Chris’ ownership. He started with a simple static drop back then and eventually upgraded to an air-ride system over time. He has also gone through lots of wheel styles that…