Owner: Derrick Bruce
Ride: 2000 Chevy S-10
Hometown: Puyallup, WA
This S-10 was purchased for the sole purpose of being cut and customized. Derrick Bruce has always been intrigued with heavily modified rides, and he knew that by building something with his own hands, along with the help of a few close friends and family members, he could piece together a true showpiece without dropping a ton of money into the project.
Being a heavily practiced diesel mechanic, Derrick felt he was more than qualified to successfully 'bag his single-cab Dime in the comfort of his own garage. In no time at all, the Chevy was laying frame around 22s, which served as a major step in progression as well as a huge boost in confidence and sense of accomplishment. Derrick drove his first custom vehicle in this condition for a year to make sure his suspension work was sound and bulletproof enough to serve as a sturdy foundation for the upcoming renovation phases.
Deep down, Derrick wanted his truck to tuck the largest wheels he could make room for. At first, the set of twos was satisfying enough, but it wasn't until the firewall was retubbed, the entire bedfloor was cut out, and a whole list of adjustments were made to the suspension system before Derrick was able to acknowledge that he was gravitating closer to his ultimate goal. "I knew that 24s were definitely a must, and I still wanted the truck to drag frame. After long thought, the truck was parked yet again and another teardown session began." Josh Jones, of Jones Paint Innovations and cousin of Derrick's, contributed to the project at this point by performing a little metalwork magic.
The entire process was stretching out longer than Derrick had anticipated, but being that only a select number of individuals were involved, the idea of just busting out quick, quality work wasn't an option. As soon as every inch of metal was ironed flat, an idea for a paint scheme was swiftly devised of brilliant shades of orange, airbrushed skulls, and pinstriping. The finishing touches that went into preparing the Dime for its show debut came in the form of a whirlwind of chaotic thrashing from one corner of the truck to another, but it was a crazy time in Derrick's life that he will never forget. "There were numerous times during the second buildup of the truck when I had thought about just settling and going somewhat simple and subtle with the modifications, but you just can't do that if you want a minitruck that will make a lasting impression."
For further details on Mike's bright orange Dime, examine the Lowdown.