By Fuelish Media
Hitting the 100K-mile mark with your truck is a huge deal. Double that number, and it’s cause for a major celebration. But what do you do when you start zeroing in on the 300,000-mile turn on the odometer? Well, if you’re anything like Rick Lefever of Chino Hills, California, you plan for a trip to the auto spa for a well-deserved rejuvenation treatment.
Even though Rick wanted to do something nice for the 1995 Chevy pickup that has been so good to him throughout the years, he did plan to keep the process within moderation since he still drives it daily. How else do you think he was able to rack up so many miles? “I drive my truck rain or shine, and it is parked outside 24/7 all year round,” Rick admits. “I didn’t mind it being a plain old truck, but my friends started shaming me for owning such a ‘boring’ ride when I build race cars and hot rods for a living.”
OK, so now the picture has become a bit clearer. Either way, Rick was facing a momentous occasion with his OBS, and with a little bit of friendly motivation at his back, he made the leap to park his trusty pickup to make a few adjustments. “I didn’t take offense to the jokes my friends threw my way, but I did take their words to heart, if you know what I mean,” Rick explains.
“Once I decided to fix up my truck, I started by adding a Chevy SS front bumper, finding a Gaylord’s bedcover and beginning to lower it with my son, Rayce,” Rick adds. To drop the OBS closer to the pavement, the Lefever fellas ordered a set of drop spindles from Maxtrac, along with a leaf spring flip kit for the rear and new shocks all around. Rick figured this occasion would be the ideal time to take advantage of the sportier stance by adding a staggered set of 17×8 and 17×9 Budnik Pentacle wheels. The aggressive spoke design met the ’90s nostalgia moment perfectly!
Rick loved the way his daily mode of transportation was transforming, so he kept his foot on the pedal and moved onto the next phase of the project without delay. “I started designing the flames for the new paint scheme,” he states. “I got the licks to look cool, but I then turned the next step over to Brad King, who then worked his magic by spraying the flames with great fades and pinstriping to bring them to life. Tim Rush sprayed the red paint and then cleared the entire truck, and Serafin stepped in to rub it all down to make an incredible shine.”
Since Rick drives his OBS day in and day out, he decided an interior upgrade was imperative for the sake of comfort and stylistic integrity. “Ron and Ryan Mangus took my truck’s drab interior and stitched a classic-looking, show-worthy interior space complete with leather- and suede-covered factory seats, a custom center console, and door panels to match,” Rick reports. Those additions were just a fraction of the amenities included in the in-cab overhaul. The truck also received fresh carpeting for further cleanliness and Kicker speakers to deliver better audio playback during Rick’s commute. The star of the show in the cab, however, is the ever-climbing number on the odometer, which, at the time of our photoshoot, is recorded at 310,699 clicks—truly, a milestone worth celebrating.
Rick also upgraded the headers and included a Banks exhaust system to give his truck a throaty growl, but he is done with the upgrades—at least for now. The restyling process turned out great and has rekindled Rick’s love affair with his daily driver. “It takes a team of friends and family to help make our rides what we want them to look like, and I have to thank all of my special people for helping me make the most of my old Chevy truck,” Rick says proudly.
Even though this OBS might not be a contender for the most coveted awards on the show circuit, it has become a grand prize for its owner, who appreciates and drives it every day. That, in and of itself, is an honor worth its weight in gold.
Check out this story in our digital edition here.
More OBS-related features and tech here.
