When you first buy a truck, whether it's going to be a daily driver or your next custom project, you want to make it your own. Something about a bone-stock truck just begs for attention, saying, "Please change me."
Adding your own personality to the buildup of your truck is what customizing, and especially mini-truckin', is all about. The first upgrades are usually going to deal with the exterior of the truck.We teamed up with Trader's in Santa Fe Springs, California, to help us start our project in the right direction.
A couple of low-buck exterior additions were just what we were looking for. We decided to install a pair of Car Wear euro taillights coupled with a Street Scene Speed Grille insert to spruce things up. Follow along as the crew at Trader's made some minor upgrades that seriously improved the ever-dreaded stock look.
 This is the stock grille that...  This is the stock grille that our Sonoma sported from the factory. Needs a little love to make it stand out, don't you think? |
 Trader's provided us with...  Trader's provided us with the perfect prospect to cover the black void and GMC symbols: a Street Scene Speed Grille insert complete with eight snaps and instructions. |
 To begin the install, simply...  To begin the install, simply open the hood and pull the stock grille shell on each end, freeing it from the snaps that hold it in place. There are four tabs to pop, but don't get reckless and yank too hard because you could easily damage the grille or break the tabs. |
 Once the grille is off, remove...  Once the grille is off, remove the red GMC letters by unbolting them from the back. |
 Place the Street Scene Speed...  Place the Street Scene Speed Grille insert in place, making sure it's centered and that all the edges are equally spaced. |
 The grille comes with eight...  The grille comes with eight snaps that latch the grille from behind to the plastic surrounding. Snap on four of them, equal-distanced apart to the bottom, then do the same on top. Once all the snaps are in place, make sure the grille insert is secure all the way around. |
 Now that the grille insert...  Now that the grille insert is in, pop the grille shell back into place. |
 It's as easy as that. The...  It's as easy as that. The grille insert is a very easy install and it definitely improves the front fascia of our Sonoma. |
 The Car Wear euros will improve...  The Car Wear euros will improve the rear as effectively as the Street Scene Speed Grille insert up front. |
 Begin by removing the two...  Begin by removing the two screws securing the taillight in place. Hang on to these screws because you'll be using them again in a second. |
 Slide the taillight out of...  Slide the taillight out of the two holes that hold the rear of the light in place. |
 Remove all the light bulb...  Remove all the light bulb housings by squeezing the tab on the side and rotating the socket until it pops out of the housing. |
 Next, install all the sockets...  Next, install all the sockets from the factory taillight into the new Car Wear taillight in the same way that you removed them. |
 Replace the two screws to...  Replace the two screws to secure the Car Wear euro taillight. |
 This was another simple install...  This was another simple install that updated and matched the rear to the front, and it only took a half hour. With these exterior styling additions, you're well on your way to making a stock ride your own mini. |