OWNER: Bryan Gillespie RIDE:...
OWNER: Bryan Gillespie
RIDE: '05 Chevy Colorado
Location: Louisville, KY
Shop: Cool Cars (CCE)
As a business owner specializing in custom automobiles there are few things that will give you as much satisfaction as having a sick show vehicle to promote your everyday life. Bryan Gillespie of Louisville, KY, and owner of Cool Cars, is used to getting down on mad hoppers and lowriders. He is the sole proprietor of CCE and has been so since its introduction twelve years ago. Having delved into the air market, what better way to promote its products than by grabbing one of the hottest new trucks available: a '05 Chevy Colorado?
Being a manufacturer and custom shop definitely gives you a couple of advantages. But what some people don't realize is that it gives you serious disadvantages when given a small time frame. When you're building your project, parts are in stock and workers and tools are at hand, but guess what? The customer comes first. So this is a leisure time and a weekend-vacation destroyer.
Yes, we had a run-in with...
Yes, we had a run-in with a donkey during our photo shoot...and you thought photo shoots weren't dangerous.
Not wanting to take the everyday tattered roads that seem to be so popular to the average custom builder, Bryan knew he needed to take a route that was less traveled. With this in mind, Bryan wanted to merge the old with the new. He wanted a mini-truck stance and a street-rod feel. With only four months to complete his vision before SEMA there was going to be some serious dedication and overtime. The CCE crew pulled together and started busting out what seemed to be the impossible.
The insane chop on the Colorado flows with a constant angle from the windshield all the way to the bottom of the rear pillars. This definitely gives Sliced II Perfexion a unique look and with the addition of speed glass (race car windows made of scratch-proof Lexan), cleans up the mod perfectly. There is more than meets the eye with this Colorado, as the amplifiers and battery are hidden under the custom rear seats. Bryan and CCE definitely have created one of the sickest Colorados to date. If Bryan wanted the attention of the mini-truckin' community, then he has gotten it. We're sure there's more to come from this famous hydraulic manufacturer, custom shop, and airbag supplier. Sometimes when you don't want those tan lines, you have to go topless.
The Lowdown
Rolling Attire
Wheels, front: 22x8-inch Bonspeed Huntingtons
Wheels, rear: 22x10-inch Bonspeed Huntingtons
Backspace, front: 6-1/2 inches
Backspace, rear: 4 inches
Tires, front: Hankook Ventus V4ES 225/30ZR22
Tires, rear: Hankook Ventus V4ES 265/35ZR22
Chassis Modifications
Suspension type: air
Front suspension: DJM dropped control arms
Rear suspension: custom CCE-built four-link
Airbag type and size: 2500 Firestone
Control arms: DJM dropped control arms
Valves: eight 3/8-inch SMC's
Compressor: Viair 460 chrome
Air accessories: three 3-gallon firestone tanks
Frame mods: Z'd frame 3 inches, back-halved using1-1/2-inch tube
Misc: 2-1/2-inch stock floor, CCE Air Ride 3/8 kit
Performed by: Cool Cars City/state: Louisville, KY
Body Modifications
Shaved: door handles, tailgate handle, gas door, Body dropped: 2-1/2-inch stock floor
Chopped: roadstered
Back end: Sir Michael's roll pan with stock tailgate welded closed
Suicide doors: rear doors
Exterior bolt-ons: Trenz billet grille, Reflexxionz hood
Misc: rear suicide doors, speed-glass
Performed by: CCE with finish work by Thompson Hot Rods City/state: Louisville, KY
Paint
Colors: burgundy and champagne
Style: two-tone with separating graphics
Performed by: Thompson Hot Rods and Mutant (graphics) City/state: Louisville, KY
Interior
Seats: tan, burgundy, and snakeskin; rear seats custom made, which hide battery and amps
Material: leather, suede, and snakeskin
Dash: leather, snakeskin, and paint
Door panels: custom fiberglass
Center console: custom fiberglass painted with vinyl armrest, which houses window and lock switches
Performed by: fiberglass by CCE, upholstery by Scott's Upholstery City/state: Louisville, KY
Stereo
Head unit: Pioneer Avic-N1
Mids & highs: two pairs of Infinity KAPPA 60.7cs
6-1/2-inch components; two pairs of 5-1/2-inch 50.7cs components
Amplifier for mids & highs: Infinity 7521A
Subwoofers: four 10-inch Infinity Reference 1042W
Amplifier for subwoofers: Infinity 611A
Video: CCE touch-screen airbag controller in lower dash
Custom fabrication: fiberglass speaker box
Misc: two Kinetic batteries
Performed by: Cool Cars City/state: Louisville, KY
Engine/Performance
Rearend type: stock rearend shortened 12 inches
Intake: K&N
Misc: SSBC 13-inch slotted brakes with steel braided lines
Special Thanks
Bob Kern at GM, Sammy at Viair, the whole Cool Cars crew, Bonspeed, DJM, Firestone, Hankook, Infinity, Kinetic, K&N, Reflexxionz, Sir Michael's, SMC, Stainless Steel Brakes, and Trenz.