THE ACCIDENTAL SHOW TRUCK | 2000 Chevy Silverado

Julio was Supposed to Leave This one Alone!

Plenty of us use our trucks for work, but it’s always nice to have an extra truck that we’re not afraid to abuse. Everything from gravel to hauling an engine and trans home from the swap meet has the potential to add a lot of unwanted wear and tear to our rides, so we generally like to use our beaters whenever possible.

Julio Trevino was totally onboard with this methodology, and picked up a well-used ’00 Chevy Silverado to do his dirty work. It even had the 4.3L V-6 so that he’d have a better chance of fighting off any temptation to mod it. But, as often happens in our circles, the supposed work truck ends up hauling home more trophies than 2x4s.

We get that work trucks don’t have to be boring, so we didn’t raise our eyebrows too high when Julio told us that he was only going to give it a mild drop. After all, it makes loading stuff into the bed easier, right? “Since I can’t keep any of my vehicles stock, I added a 3/4 drop kit and drove it like that for a while,” Julio explained. Seems harmless enough. Well, we’re all too familiar with this slippery slope because Julio continued, “… then I did a little system in it, a couple of 10s with a nice head unit …” Uh oh, here we go.

A SET OF CHEVY AVALANCHE SEATS WAS SWAPPED INTO JULIO’S TRUCK FOR A BIT MORE SUPPORT THAN THE ORIGINAL BASE MODELS, AND THEY LOOK AMAZING IN RED SUEDE AND ULTRA-LEATHER.

Julio was able to keep the temptation to further mod the truck at bay for a little while, but it seemed like every time he’d drive the truck, something would happen to test his resolve. “Since the truck kind of had a hot-rod look with the drop, everyone wanted to race me. I wasn’t going anywhere fast with the six-cylinder, so I did a 6.0-liter swap, but that led to a cam, ported and polished heads, a built tranny and rearend with gears and posi, and a custom tune.” I think we’ve heard this song before.

SEEING A 6.0L LS MIGHT NOT BE THAT UNUSUAL, BUT WHAT’S COOL ABOUT IT THIS TIME AROUND IS THAT JULIO’S TRUCK WAS ORIGINALLY EQUIPPED WITH A SIX-BANGER. BEFORE PUTTING IT IN, PLENTY OF GO-FAST PARTS WERE INSTALLED TO MAKE SURE THE TRUCK WOULD FLY.

The problem was, after Julio did all that, it seemed like no one was interested in racing him anymore, which was probably a smart move on everyone’s part. Still, what fun is a race truck when no one wants to race? So, Julio decided to throw some more street style into the mix in the form of 24- and 26-inch staggered Raceline Explosion 6 wheels. But that made the truck look too high with the low-profile tires, so he had Shorty’s Customs introduce the frame to the ground using an Ekstensive ’bag kit. We’re happy to report that the two have been nearly inseparable ever since.

WHAT LOOKS BETTER THAN POLISHED BILLET? HOW ABOUT POLISHED AND COLOR-ACCENTED BILLET? YOU CERTAINLY CAN’T ARGUE THAT THE 24- AND 26 INCH RACELINE EXPLOSION 6 WHEELS ON JULIO’S CHEVY DIDN’T DRASTICALLY IMPROVE ITS ATTITUDE.

Julio was happy having a truck that was really fast and really low, but the stock paint didn’t seem as shiny as it once did, and the snowball effect once again took over. “I was like, I need a paint job, so then the truck looked really good—too good to have a stock interior.” Before long, Julio had a full show truck on his hands, with Ford Platinum paint and a wild custom interior, which was done up in red from top to bottom.

IF YOU’RE NOT A FAN OF RED, THE INTERIOR OF JULIO’S SILVERADO MIGHT JUST CHANGE YOUR MIND. PLENTY OF RED ULTRA-LEATHER AND SUEDE WERE USED TO TRANSFORM THE CAB, AND TOUCHES LIKE THE RACELINE EXPLOSION STEERING WHEEL AND BILLET ACCENTS ADD PLENTY OF STYLE.

Without even really trying, Julio ended up with a show-winning truck that’s the envy of everyone who sees it.”

Without even really trying, Julio ended up with a show-winning truck that’s the envy of everyone who sees it. As you might have guessed, he still needs a work truck, so he’s been in the market for something new. Good luck with that, Julio. We’re guessing we’ll be shooting that one before long, too.

TRUCK Specs

OWNER

Julio Trevino  
2000 Chevy Silverado
Pasadena, TX
Ground Zero

ENGINE

  • Work performed by Cantu & Sons Performance, tuned by STS Performance
  • 2007 6.0L LS swap
  • COMP Cams camshaft
  • 7.4-inch COMP Cams pushrods
  • 2.02 COMP Cams valves
  • COMP Cams dual valve springs
  • COMP Cams lifters
  • Ported and polished heads
  • Holley valve covers
  • Melling high-volume oil pump
  • PaceSetter headers
  • Custom air intake by Shorty’s Customs
  • Corsa Sport 3-inch exhaust
  • 2007 4L60E trans swap
  • Transgo shift kit
  • 3,400-rpm stall converter
  • Red Eagle clutch pack

CHASSIS & SUSPENSION

  • Work performed by Shorty’s Customs and Pyle Bros.
  • Rearend narrowed 4 inches per side with Moser axles
  • Ekstensive Metal Works air ride kit with 2-link and tubular control arms
  • EMW step notch
  • Belltech lowering spindles
  • SSBC slotted and drilled rotors
  • 20-gallon fuel cell in stock location

WHEELS & TIRES

  • 24×9 and 26×12 Raceline Explosion 6 billet aluminum wheels
  • 275/30ZR24 and 305/30ZR26 Pirelli tires

BODY & PAINT

  • Work performed by Gerardo at Shorty’s Customs
  • Goodmark cowl induction hood
  • Shaved bed holes and tailgate
  • Sheet metal bed floor with red bedliner
  • Tubbed firewall
  • DuPont 2015 Ford Platinum Silver paint
  • Color-matched grille and handles
  • Pinstriping by Pablo’s Paint Stripes
  • Crystal clear headlights and running lights
  • Recon LED taillights

INTERIOR & STEREO

  • Work performed by Daniel Upholstery and Shorty’s Customs
  • Chevy Avalanche seats covered with red ultra-leather and suede
  • Red suede headliner
  • Red suede and ultra-leather door panels
  • Red carpet and seat belts
  • Billet gauge insert with red LED backlighting
  • Billet dash knobs
  • Painted dashboard
  • Raceline Explosion billet steering wheel
  • Pioneer DVD head unit
  • DB Drive equalizer
  • DB Drive P7 component speakers
  • DB Drive subwoofers
  • DB Drive 400Wx4 amplifiers
  • Custom console by Gerardo at Shorty’s Customs

Special Thanks From the Owner: “Ground Zero, Shorty’s Customs and my family and friends who helped along the way.”

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