Lifted and Now Slammed, This Truck Is a Party Tool and a Business Favorite

When Chevrolet introduced its new Avalanche, it was the vehicle that started the crossover SUV/pickup truck craze. As the “King of Crossovers,” it was a dynamite combination, with segment-bending versatility and comfort, all at a reasonable price. Buyers could choose from ½-ton and ¾-ton models with either two-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. Customizers were quick to adopt the new platform, creating lifted and lowered versions of the truck, assured that there would be plenty of room in the back to carry home the weekend’s collection of trophies.

One of the brand’s biggest fans is Gil Doyle, from Leesburg, Georgia. Gil works with his father in the family business, Doyal Designs, specializing in suspension work and air ride conversions. Starting out with a custom ’99 S-10, Gil moved up to his ’04 Avalanche for its bigger chassis, more room and better opportunities for customizing. The Avalanche was also chosen because very few were customized at the time, and he liked the idea of a unique ride. Gil’s first makeover added a lift kit with a staggering 21 inches of lift and 44-inch tires! He smiles when he recalls that “it was 6 feet to the bottom of the side mirrors!” Unfortunately, getting harassed by local law enforcement prompted a redesign and the next approach was the exact opposite, slamming the truck to the ground.

Because he wanted the truck to turn corners as well as turn heads, he built an entirely new chassis. Scrapping the original, he replaced the frame with 2 x 3-inch rectangular steel tubing. The front suspension uses 2-inch dropped DJM spindles along with tubular upper and lower A-arms, modified to minimize camber deflection when the truck is on the ground. The lower A-arms were shortened 2 inches on each side and the uppers were trimmed 1 3/8 inches. As a result, the wheels are straight up and down, no matter what the ride height. The rearend was narrowed 6 inches, held in place by a custom 4-link of Gil’s own design, and stabilized with a heavy-duty panhard bar. Wheel tubs were modified to accommodate the big rims. Once the front and rear suspension pieces were in place, Gil added Slammed Specialty ’bags, Parker DC250 extreme valves, ½-inch lines, two Viair 400 compressors mounted on the frame, and an 8-gallon reserve tank in the bed. Monroe shocks stabilize all four 26 x 10-inch Gianna Blitz rims wrapped in Sunny 305/30-ZR26 rubber. Factory disc brakes easily bring the big rig to a halt.

Since it takes extra power to spin those big rims, the Vortec 5.3L V-8 received some personal attention in the form of a K&N air cleaner expediting intake and the 2.5-inch Dynomax high-flow cats and mufflers scavenging exhaust. A Hydro-boost was added for additional vacuum power for the brakes and a high-capacity 100-amp alternator ensures extra juice for the stereo. The clutch fan was removed and Flex-a-Lite electric fans were added to keep temps in the green. The motor feeds a 4L60 four-speed automatic trans, heavily modified by Monster Transmissions back when the truck was running massive 44-inch tires.

Body mods began with a 3.5-inch stock floor body drop. In order to make room in the engine compartment for wheels and tires, the battery was relocated underneath the motor. A new rear roll pan and shaved tailgate were added, all the Chevrolet emblems and the moldings around the wheel wells were removed, and all four door handles were shaved. Smoked taillights dress up the rear, while Halo projection lights update the front. The grille shell and the factory tonneau cover were painted as part of the overall makeover. Gil chose PPG Camaro Synergy Green and Magna Gray with silver pinstriping and black graphics. Chuck Botkins from Leesburg, Georgia, handled the spray gun.

Lots of changes occurred inside to personalize the factory interior. The front seats were retained but the rear uses captain chairs from a 2000 Suburban, slightly smaller to fit around the stereo additions. All four seats were recovered with Katzkins charcoal gray leather and black suede inserts. Stitch Pro in Talla-hassee, Florida, sewed them up. The dash was painted to match the exterior and the graphics flow through the door jambs.

The real story inside is the sound system. The stereo begins with an Alpine 7-inch touch-screen head unit controlling the Alpine MRD50.4 amp mounted between the front bucket seats. The four-channel sends 500 watts to the separated 6.5-inch component sets in each of the four doors. The speakers and crossovers were mounted in custom fiberglass enclosures and painted to match. Two Alpine MRD1001 amps between the rear buckets send 1,000 watts each to the pair of Type-R 15-inch subs inset into the rear cab wall. Instead of using capacitors, Gil installed a Kinetik HC2000 power cell to ensure constant power for the subs. The completed system sounds amazing.

The finished truck is not only a comfortable cruiser with lots of entertainment on road trips, but it’s also the perfect rolling calling card for the business, giving Gil’s customers a clear idea of his talents. Sounds like the best of both worlds to us! Special thanks to Mom and Dad, Jason Glausier, Ralph Boyette and Chuck Botkins for their help in creating Gil’s dream truck. ST

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