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Throwback Mini Truckin…

The long lost scene of mini trucking was once as a form of self-expression among enthusiasts that took the custom car scene by storm in the 90s and early 2000s. The community of mini trucking enthusiasts showcased their unique creations and share their passion for these versatile vehicles with wild paint jobs, loud sound systems and slammed Fords, Mazdas, Chevys and Nissans that scraped the ground and tucked 20s. Yes, tucking 20s back then was a big deal! It was a great time for the industry but like many cars of a certain era they get past by for the newest trend. However, like the saying, “what’s old is new,” these are making resurgence. Enthusiasts are now taking these once trendy trucks, filling them with the latest technology and making these trucks cool again. Shawn Stemmerich is not new to this game and this 1997 S10 that you are about to read about and listen to, is a $2K truck that he’s owned for over 15 years, has gone through three different builds over its time, and completed all of the work himself minus the paint.

The S10 started life with Shawn as a static drop S10 that you would typically see at a truck show in the late 90s. This was not good enough for Shawn so he decided he needed to go lower. The first version of the truck was a static drop, so low that it dragged the ground. Like many of us back then longevity was not a concern but rather how low and how many sparks you could throw. Needless to say this messed up the whole undercarriage, so much so he had to fix it during its second build.

The second iteration of the truck was bagged in the front and back. Shawn got bored of this and decided it needed to go lower and body drop the truck. For those new to the mini truck world a body drop or channeling, is a modification done to a truck where the body is lowered closer to the frame or chassis. The purpose of a body drop is to achieve a lower ride height, giving the truck a more aggressive and sleek appearance. It was then Plasti-Dipped purple as seen below, not too bad of a look for 2013!

The 3rd and latest version of this truck is what you see in the photos taken at the World of Wheels Show in Pittsburgh. Draped in jet black paint the truck is laid out and looks sinister just sitting there. The build was started in 2018 and slowly Shawn has picked at it until he finished the latest in the story of the S10.

The suspension has been redone with the single electric valves now replaced with an AccuAir system with an engine driven compressor that can go from 0-200 psi in around a minute. The old school Boss wheels, 20” in the front and 22” in the rear, tuck perfectly under the extra clean and straight body.

Under the hood is not the original 4.3L but rather a 5.3L Chevy LS motor that remains pretty much factory. An LS1 intake was used to clear the factory hood and Corvette valve and engine cover hide the coil packs. Shawn wanted the build to represent something the factory could have installed and the motor looks as OEM as it comes. Shawn says the hardest part about fitting the motor was cutting the transmission tunnel to accommodate for the body drop. Everything else fit right in place even with S10 motor mounts and factory transmission mounts. The 4L60 transmission is bone stock and follows the OEM build, much of which is built for longevity so Shawn can continue to cruise for many worry free miles. This all runs back to the factory Ford 8.8” rear posi unit that was cut down to fit under the truck.

The body remains mostly stock outside with OEM parts from other generations of the platform as well as a trick bed that looks stock. The front end starts with a 97 Chevy Blazer core support to swap in a Blazer grill and headlights. This is matched up with a 98 S10 bumper that looks smoother than the 97 is the match Chevy should have made from the factory. Under the hood there are custom made inner fender wells painted to match the truck and tubbed firewall round up the modifications up front. The cab of the truck stays completely factory minus the period correct Street Scene side mirrors giving the truck a sleeker look. The part you do not see are all of the modifications to the floor to complete the body drop.

Like the cheesy line every celebrity had during the show MTV Cribs, the bed is where all the magic happens. To start the bed sides have been flared slightly and not like a bolt on fiberglass piece all the tuners run. These have been massaged from the original sheet metal and at first glance you would never even know. This is to accommodate the 22x9.5 wheels in the rear with the aforementioned Ford rear end that now has around .5” of clearance making the stance boys jealous.

The inside of the bed is something to drool over. To start the c-notch tunnel cover utilizes a first generation Chevy Luv truck tailgate that has been grafted and smoothed into the sheet metal. The tubs are out of a 1968 Chevy C10 that came from another truck at the show that was parked close to him. Shawn being an upholster by day knew he wanted something different than a wood bed that it seems everyone has. Sheet metal was too boring, so he decided to build custom inserts that are wrapped in a sick looking walnut woodgrain. I cannot tell you how many people walked by and had to touch it, including myself, and found that it was soft like leather. All of the side panels have been bead rolled to give it a finished custom look.

The final thing Shawn needs to do on the truck is build out the custom interior. Being an upholster you know this was going to be last on the list as its going to be absolutely perfect and match the theme of the truck. Shawn reports that he gets A LOT of questions and pictures taken of the truck while he drives it. He’s a lucky man as his wife is a big supporter of his hobby and pushed for him to keep the truck even after he totaled it and had to get a reconstructed title. Her 2001 Ranger is up next for Shawn to build and has big plans including a Coyote swap.

Shawn is in disbelief that he owns the final version of this S10 and for around $20K in the build I’m in disbelief on how cheap the build was and how high quality it turned out. Big thank you to Shawn for allowing me talk about the truck during the World of Wheels show. Go follow the trucks journey on instagram @shawnstemm and Shawn Stemmerich on Facebook. Be on the look out for Shawn all around the Pittsburgh area as he is now a part of the EVIL crew that shows up to events all year long.