When David "Tattoo" Tisch set out to build a mini-truck that would make enthusiasts' jaws drop, he decided to reach his goal by building one badass '88 S-10. He wanted a mini that not only grabs your attention with an eye-searing base color but also sports plenty of extremely clean and subtle body mods. The time spent in the buildup of this ride has paid off well - just check out the crowds that flock around his masterpiece.
The first thing that had to be done to bring the stock ride down to the pavement was to replace all the stock suspension components. Samuel Starm of Jackson, Michigan, started by replacing the front coil springs with 2,600-pound Firestone airbags in the front and a pair of 2,600-pound Firestone airbags in the back. Then, a chromed FBI four-link setup was installed. To lift the truck off the ground, Tattoo decided to use SMC 1/2-inch electric valves to make sure it rides over speed bumps by simply flipping a switch or two. To keep the ride firmly planted whether cruising or cornering, he stuffed 18-inch Billet Specialties GT-93 wheels into the fenderwells, which are tucked even deeper into 215/35R18 low-profile radial tires.
The next step was to massage the body and get rid of the factory annoyances, such as the door handles. Once again, Samuel Starm was called to duty to tackle smoothing out the truck's body. He started by getting rid of the truck's handles, locks, antenna, wiper cowl, gas door, cab seams, and taillights. Then Tattoo switched gears a little. He decided to go with a full skin combo for the rear. Next, he installed clear LEDs beneath the rear window to keep the rear of the truck looking as smooth as possible. Once the truck was sanded and made ready for paint, Brandon Tripp was called upon to squirt some very loud PPG Pink paint.
With the body smoothed, a coat of fresh paint applied, and the truck looking about as perfect as humanly possible, Tattoo decided to make the interior look just as striking as the exterior. He relied on Trim Tech of Somerset, Michigan, to unleash its magic in making an admirable interior. Before the crew could upholster the dash, it was shaved of unnecessary items, such as the glovebox and vents. It then covered the whole interior using sunburst orange tweed and leopard print velour. While the glue was still wet, Tattoo installed polished billet mirrors, pedals, a Billet Specialties Spider II steering wheel, and trim pieces to liven it up even more. Check out the photos and the Lowdown section to see for yourself how clean this S-10 truly is. Be warned, though, you may want to slap on your 'locs first!
Owner: David "Tattoo" Tisch
Ride: '88 S-10 Standard Cab
Hometown: Jackson, Michigan
Club: Exclusive Styles
The Lowdown
Wheels/Tires Billet Specialties 18x8-inch GT-93s with 215/35R18 tires.
Chassis/Suspension David enlisted the help of Samuel Starm to 'bag his mini. Samuel used firestone 2,600-pound airbags for the front and rear. He also installed a chrome FBI four-link setup. To lift this ride off the ground he used SMC 1/2-inch valves to make sure he easily gets over speed bumps.
Body Mods The body mods on this ride are extremely clean. Samuel Starm and Beau Eastes of Jackson, Michigan, relieved the body of unnecessary factory garnishes. They kindly removed the handles, locks, antenna, wiper cowl, cab seams, taillights, added a full skin to the rear, gas door (which has been relocated to the inside of the bed), along with smoothing the bed sides and the bed floor, and shaving the firewall clean.
Custom Paint David called Brandon Tripp in for duty to squirt the freshly shaved body of this S-10 PPG Pink.
Engine/Chassis The engine in this beyond-bright vehicle was left fairly stock. David added a chrome cold-air intake and Airborn Coatings 2-1/2-inch full ceramic-coated exhaust system to give his ride the sound and performance he required. A set of 8mm Accel spark plugs was used to give the truck a tad more kick. He then added some polished and painted accessories to draw the crowd's attention into the engine bay.
Interior Trim Tech of Somerset, Michigan, is responsible for the bright-as-day interior. It reupholstered a set of Acura Integra bucket seats using sunburst orange tweed, with leopard-print velour inserts for more comfort. The dash was shaved clean and reupholstered in the sunburst orange tweed and leopard print velour inserts. The door panels, along with the center console, were also treated to a healthy amount of orange tweed and leopard print. He then added a billet rear-view mirror, billet pedals, and billet trim pieces to liven up the interior. A Billet Specialties Spider II steering wheel was used to replace the stock one.
Owners Quote Tattoo wanted to thank Beau, Shad, Nick, Steve, Alex, Corey, Mike, Brandon and Phil Tripp, FBI, Airborn Coatings, Fultz Metal Finishing, Mothers, The Auto Shop, his wife Debbi, and his three daughters Liz, Kirsten, and Olivia.