PINK THANGZ | 2014 GMC Sierra with Air-ride suspension and 28-inch wheels!

A Truck of a Different Color

Want to get your truck noticed? And not just noticed from like 20-30 feet away. We’re talking down the street, almost-a-block-away distances here. If you said “yes”, our answer is simply this—paint it. Paint it a bright, commanding color that will have necks breaking at every corner. 

That’s exactly what Vincent and Marina Castillo did with their ’14 GMC Sierra. Among other great modifications made to their truck, it is essentially the candy pink paintjob that earns their pride and joy so much attention while on the streets cruising in a sea of blandly colored vehicles or while at a show parked among other wildly styled cars and trucks.

This power couple is not new to building custom rides to enjoy. Vincent and Marina have been at it for a while now, so they know exactly what it takes to create just the right look they are going for in a killer truck.

“My husband and I are complete car fanatics,” Marina admits. “We enjoy doing different things with each one, and I wanted to go in a direction that would have features that we haven’t incorporated in any of our previous projects before.”

In just over a year and half, the two invested a good deal of time—and a decent amount of cash—to build yet another cruiser to whip around in their hometown of Houston, as well as highways beyond.

The Castillos didn’t want to build a one-trick type of truck, so they planned to give their Sierra well-rounded attention to all the facets that a true custom street truck possesses. They knew right away that the truck would look its best sitting as low as possible, so a full air-ride system was most definitely in order. Being that showing the truck would be just as important to them as driving it, the adjustable ride height was the only way to go to satisfy both demands. No proper custom truck would be complete without a fresh set of wheels, and this one is no exception. A set of impressive 28-inch Intro billet wheels was ordered to fill in the fender gaps just right while the truck is in motion or at rest.

With the suspension portion of the truck complete, the time finally came to choose just what to do with the Sierra’s exterior. The original grille was tossed aside and an updated ’18 Denali unit was brought in, as was a set of custom dually hips to style the truck’s surface differently than the others in the crowd. SelfMade Kustoms was enlisted to tackle some bodywork duties, as well as some custom tubs. While all of that did get the truck on the right track to sitting more on the unique side of the tracks, it was Mando’s Paintshop, a local Houston establishment, that really got things cooking.

A shade of pink was selected as the go-to paint choice (Hot Pink Pearl to be precise), and while that might scare off others, Vincent and Marina dove right in and embraced it. They figured, what’s the point of risking going all out only to possibly get overlooked? When the pink paint was finally cured and ready to be exposed to the elements, there were still some finishing touches that the Castillos wanted to have done before calling it a wrap on the exterior. Gooch Customs in Tulsa, Oklahoma, laid down some amazing pinstriping to complement the new paintjob.

Since the goal of the entire build was to actually drive the truck, customizing the interior was a must. The inside of the cab was set to be plush and heavily upgraded while being a subtle contrast to the wild exterior. To get the rest of the family involved, Victor’s father, Eleazar Castillo lent a helping hand to help craft an ideal interior space for the Sierra. He selected a set of ’16 Cadillac Escalade seats basic seat transplants, while custom tan leather and suede upholstery would transform them into something much different and unique to the truck. An ’18 Denali dash swap also helped give the cab a much more current appeal. The end result is a nicely manicured combination of simple yet luxurious upgrades that will surely make long drives much more enjoyable.

While the color choice made for this Sierra might not necessarily be right for everyone, it just so happened to be perfect for Vincent and Marina.

“Always go with what you like,” she says. “Even if what you like is much different than someone else’s, there’s nothing wrong with going against the opinions of others.”

Those words are worth their weight in solid gold, and hopefully don’t fall on deaf ears. The couple has had an opportunity to show the truck at a couple of their favorite shows already, they are making sure to still get some much-needed time on the road until the show circuit kicks back into high gear. This project has turned into a family-oriented affair, which has only made the completion of this colorful GMC that much more special.

Truck speces

Owner 

Vincent & Marina Castillo 

Houston, Texas
2014 GMC Sierra 

Engine 

Factory ’14 GMC 5.3L V-8

Exterior 

Shop: Mando’s Paintshop, Gooch Customs and SelfMade Kustoms
Hot Pink Pearl paint by Mando’s Paintshop in Houston
Pinstriping by Gooch Customs in Tulsa, Oklahoma
2018 GMC Denali grille
Custom dually hips
Custom tubs and bodywork by SelfMade Kustoms
Metal laser-cut logo work done by Lil One Customs

Chassis 

Air-ride suspension components

Wheels/Tires 

28-inch Intro Wheels

Interior 

Shop: PinkThangz (Elezar Castillo)
’16 Cadillac Escalade seating
Leather/suede upholstery, butter and teal colored stitching
’18 GMC Denali dash swap