The year was 2002, and at the time, Bradley Phipps was the proud owner of a 4X4 GMC Sonoma that was a present from his grandparents a few years prior. He already had the Mini Truckin' bug, so it was lowered on a set of 17s, but we all know how that goes—not low enough, 4X4, yada yada. After looking around, he found the perfect replacement with every option he could ever dream of: an '02 GMC Sonoma. He picked it up from a dealership in North Carolina, and happily drove it home.
At the time, Bradley wasn't exactly an experienced builder. He knew what he wanted to do to the truck, but like many of us, his efforts were dictated by the amount of money in his bank account, and how much bang he could get for his buck. So just one year after he drove from NC to WV, he bagged the Sonoma and cruised it everywhere he could.
Bags are cool and all that, but he wanted more. It was just going to take some time to do so. After saving up some cash, he finally took the truck in to get everything shaved and painted the gorgeous white and black combo that's on the truck today, with silver flames to separate the two tones. The truck was sure looking pretty, but now it had a serious altitude problem what with all that ground clearance between the cab and the concrete. It sure would be a shame to cut up a truck with such a high quality paintjob, so Bradley waited.
It took a few years, but once 2009 rolled around, he decided it was time to blow some cash on the truck again. Off it went to get a ton of work done: bigger wheels, new frame, painted under the hood—it was pretty big this time around, and when he was done, the truck was bodydropped and looking right. The only problem now was the interior.
Oh right, the interior. It wasn't stock, but it wasn't up to the new standards the truck now portrayed either, so he tapped into his bank account again and got to work. The dash was shaved and modified to within an inch of its life, the seats wrapped and everything else was customized to the point of perfection. Really, the interior is about as sweet as it gets, and yet, it's still functional. The inside of the cab really is one of the most impressive characteristics about this truck.
With the exception of an incident with his suspension, Bradley's Sonoma has never seen the inside of a trailer or the back of a tow truck. That's right, Bradley's truck is a driver, and he's proud of it. There's nothing wrong with driving seven hours to a show just hovering millimeters above the pavement in our book.
Sure, he didn't exactly build the truck in what most would consider to be the proper sequence, but the results speak for themselves. Ten years after buying the truck, Bradley's Sonoma is still taking trophies and making a scene. Who knows what he's got in the works for this thing, but we're sure whatever it is, it's going to be awesome.
Owner: Bradley M. Phipps
Ride: 2002 GMC Sonoma
Hometown: Bunker Hill, WV
Club: Petitioning No Regrets
The Lowdown
Rolling Attire
Wheels: 20x8.5 KMC Nova
Tires: 245/35/20 Kuhmo Ecsta SPT
Chassis Modifications
Suspension Front: Slam Specialties RE7 ‘bags, 2-inch drop spindles, notchless tie rods, reworked sway bar, reworked front shocks for maximum turning clearance
Suspension Rear: Parallel 4-link with panhard bar
Control arms: Suicidedoors upper control arms, passenger side upper control arm modified to work with factory A/C
Shocks: Monroe
Compressor(s): Two Viair 450s
Frame mods: Rebuilt frame from the firewall back, sealed the rear half of frame for use as 6-gallon air tank.
Brakes: Drilled and slotted front rotors, Little Shop of Horrors rear disc brake kit
Misc.: 14-gallon, 18-gauge steel fuel tank
Performed by: John Norris at Getbored Designs
Body Modifications
Shaved: Hood squirters, antenna, all handles, gas door, taillights
Bodydrop: 3¼-inch stock-floor
Body mods: GMC Envoy headlights, bumper, rollpan with reverse lights mounted above license plate, '99 Cadillac tails
Suicide doors: Passenger door
Misc.: Sheetmetal bed, gas door moved to driver side bulkhead
Performed by: Area 52 Customs and John Norris at Getbored Designs
Paint
Brand and colors: GM Summit White,black and silver
Misc.: House Of Kolor Limetime Green pinstriping
Performed by: Travis Hess at Bucky's LTD and John Norris at Getbored Designs
Interior
Seats: Factory Sonoma with chopped headrests wrapped in black and charcoal ultra leather
Dash: Fiberglassed, shaved airbag, grab handle, speaker pods, Pontiac Grand Prix air vents
Misc.: Shaved cup holder and storage area in floor, GMC Envoy door handles, custom center console
Performed by: Brad at Driven Fabrication and Upholstery
Stereo
Head unit: Pioneer AVH-6300BT
Mids and highs: Alpine Type S in doors, Kenwood coaxialsSubwoofers: Two 12-inch Orion XTR Pro
Amplifiers: 800-watt Orion HCCA for subs, 300-watt PPI for mids and highs
Misc.: Custom sub box
Performed by: Brad at Driven Fabrication and Upholstery
Engine/Performance
Engine: 4.3L GM Vortec V-6
Intake: Stock shortened and rerouted
Header/exhaust: Modified Honda Accord muffler
Transmission: Factory auto
Rearend type: Stock
Misc.: Modified blower box for factory heat, A/C, and e-fan
Performed by: John Norris at Getbored Designs
Special Thanks From Owner
"My mom and dad for putting up with my truck addiction, my girlfriend Tracy for being patient and understanding, John and the Getbored guys and Brad for the awesome work, Eric for his spare parts, and all my new NR family and friends as well as my buddies who helped me out over the years. Also, thanks to Brandon Burrell for the great photos.