Very few people can claim their hobby as their life's work, and in saying such are able to enjoy every minute they spend "working." When Jason Hagler of Prattville, Alabama, goes to work each day, he's living his dream of working on custom rides. When he has some alone time that's not being taken up by work or home life, he's also living his dream. His dream of buying a truck, building it 100 percent by himself, and turning a plain-Jane S-10 pickup into something amazing has become a reality.
Jason started with a bone-stock truck in April 1999 and set out to make it into something the world would truly notice. Since he's a painter by trade, getting the truck's body whipped into shape wasn't a huge task. He had to find the time to work on his own ride, while still getting other vehicles requiring paint and bodywork out of the shop he works at. Somehow, he managed to perform an all-over body massage that left his truck totally smooth in appearance. Once the truck was prepped for its paintjob, Jason chose the brightest hue of PPG green he could find - 300A Lime Green - and sprayed the body liberally.
After the paint was buffed and finished, Jason knew there was still plenty to do to make the truck into that which would fulfill his dream. He dove into the interior, adding electronic equipment to build a mild stereo system that would appease his sonic needs while driving to shows. Likewise, Jason decided that no true custom truck should ever roll with a stock interior, so he pulled everything out of the cab and wrapped it using gray tweed. Various interior panels were painted with PPG 300A Lime Green to match the exterior, with fresh carpeting and a new tweed headliner added to finish the upgrades. The results are clean, yet not overwhelming, and work very well with the overall look of the truck.
Next, Jason moved to the suspension to make sure it exuded the stance of a true street custom. He added Firestone airbags to each corner and plumbed the 'bags to a central air source, along with valves that allow him to lay the truck out at will. When the suspension modifications were complete, Jason bolted up a set of 18-inch Alba Blaze wheels and admired the progress that he'd made.
Jason has been toying with various aspects of his S-10 for the better part of five years now, and we'd say that the results of his labor are well worth the time he's spent ensuring that every aspect of his ride looks and performs as well as the next. Then again, when you take matters into your own hands and do it all yourself, there's no doubt that your efforts will be appreciated by others who only wish they could do all their own work and come out with such clean results.
The Lowdown
Wheels/Tires 18-inch chrome Alba Blaze / 215/35R18 low-profile road rubber
Suspension Outfitted with 2-inch dropped spindles / 'bagged with Firestone airbags at each corner by owner at home in Prattville, Alabama / reverse four-linked rear allows maximum dropout when Firestone 'bags are deflated
Body Modifications Shaved door handles, taillights, emblems, hood squirters, fuel filler door, and third brake light / molded steel roll pan / Silver Star Customs LED taillights / Blazer headlights / fuel filler relocated to bed / '96 Chevy Blazer grille
Paint Sprayed by Jason Hagler using PPG 300A Lime Green
Stereo Panasonic head unit / JBL amplifiers / Bostwisk mids and highs / installed by owner
Interior Gray-tweed-wrapped seats and door panels / painted door handle surrounds, inserts, and dash panels / dark-gray carpeting / gray-tweed headliner / all work performed by owner
Miscellaneous Six First Place trophies, two Second Place awards, and one Third Place finish at various shows, including Spring Fling, Slamfest, NOPI Nationals, and others