A Traveling Photographer’s Best Bud

WORKING AS AN AUTOMOTIVE PHOTOGRAPHER IS DEFINITELY A LABOR OF LOVE. Traveling across the country, seeing new places and meeting different people who share a similar affection for customization are just a few of the gig’s many perks. The only real disadvantage is that when a photographer flies out to an event, they have to show up in a rental car. There isn’t really any shame in that, but the economy class doesn’t boast too many impressive models to choose from. The AC almost always blows nice and cold in these gutless cars though, so there is that.

Grant Cox is a seasoned photographer from Wichita, Kansas, which means that he’s centrally located near many of the big truck shows that take place in the South and Midwest. For the past several years he’s just hopped into his reliable ’10 GMC Sierra daily driver and hit the road. But just like having to show up to the party in a rental car, pulling up a stock truck to hundreds of heavily customized vehicles from all corners of the country gets a little dull after awhile. So, Grant decided to shake things up and put his truck under the knife. For a guy like Grant, who is passionate about anything with wheels, this decision was long overdue. Even he didn’t have a good answer for why he waited so long to trick out his own ride.

“I get to meet owners of amazing vehicles and the shop owners who build these works of art that I am so fortunate … to shoot,” Grant says of his experience as a traveling hired gun. “I get asked all the time about some of the amazing rides I’ve photographed over the years and what about these cars and trucks has made the biggest impression on me. I’ve always enjoyed these types of conversations because I’ve always enjoyed talking cars on shoot locations and sharing my feedback with fellow enthusiasts.” Exposure to so many customized trucks and the people who build them is what inspired Grant to transform his dime-a-dozen pickup into a more suitable wingman to accompany him on future photo shoots.

The build happened in well-planned phases since Grant had his mind set on documenting the transformation, which was featured in segments throughout 2015-16 right here in Street Trucks. The exterior was tidied up and properly rid of all factory badging before being treated to a healthy helping of aftermarket add-ons. The suspension was lowered with a 4/5 drop kit from Belltech and topped off with an SSBC brake upgrade and Budnik 22- inch Shotgun-6 wheels and Toyo Proxes II rubber. To burn that first impression into the minds of onlookers, Ed Williamson treated the GMC’s surface to a custom- flamed paint job, and Sean Carey finished it off with pinstriped detailing for good measure.

Grant involved several local custom shops and artists from his area in the build, which gives his truck a lot of hometown flavor. He started by including a slew of interior upgrades, like a full Roadwire leather interior and a complete audio system featuring Alpine and JL Audio components. Under the hood, he was able to coax 33 extra rwhp from a gamut of go-fast goodies: Airaid cold air intake, Gibson cat-back exhaust system, Hypertech programmer and Amsoil lubrication products. Dyno numbers were documented before and after installation to drive home the power that readily available performance products can make with a factory engine. Now, his Wingman was ready to accompany him on any adventure across country or during regular daily commutes.

HIS TRUCK DEFINITELY BEATS THE HECK OUT OF A RENTAL CAR, AND HIS DAYS OF FEELING LEFT OUT WHEN HE PULLS UP TO A TRUCK EVENT ARE LONG GONE.”

The first major trek Grant made with his truck was to SEMA 2015, where it debuted in Hypertech’s booth in the center hall. As the mecca for everything custom automotive, it was the perfect place to unveil a build of this caliber.

Future events Grant travels to will most likely be held in open fields and parking lots at the height of summer. There probably won’t be any air-conditioned buildings to duck into when temps climb unbearably high, but he’s okay with that. Grant’s truck was designed to take him wherever duty calls.

“I just hope my truck can spark some conversation when I find myself at car meets and at photo shoots,” Grant said. His truck definitely beats the heck out of a rental car, and his days of feeling left out when he pulls up to a truck event are long gone. Maybe if he’s feeling up to the challenge, Grant might enter his new pal into competition at the next show he attends.

---

TRUCK SPECS

OWNER

Grant Cox
2010 GMC Sierra
Wichita, KS

ENGINE

• 2010 GM 5.3L LS
• Airaid cold air intake
• Gibson cat-back exhaust system
• Hypertech programmer
• Amsoil lubricants

SUSPENSION

• Shop: Devlin Rod & Customs
• Belltech 2-inch drop spindles, 2-inch drop coils, 6-inch flip kit
• Air Lift Slam Air rear helper ’bags
• Air Lift WirelessOne compressor setup
• Front SSBC 15-inch six-piston calipers, rear 14-inch SSBC Tri-Power brakes

WHEELS & TIRES

• 22×9 inch Budnik Shotgun-6 wheels
• 285/40R22 Toyo Proxes ST tires

BODY & PAINT

• Shop: Ed Williamson Kustom Paint, pinstriping by Sean Carey of Lucky Stripes Pinstriping
• Chrysler Viper Blue and Surf Blue flame paint job
• Shaved factory badging
• Anzo U-bar projector headlights and LED taillights
• T-Rex center and lower billet grilles
• Line-X spray-in bedliner
• UnderCover Flex tonneau cover and SwingCases

INTERIOR

• Shops: Clutch Hot Rods and Street Beats Audio
• Roadwire leather interior
• Viper VSS5000 Smart Start alarm system
• Alpine X008U navigation head unit
• JL Audio C2 650X coaxial and two-way component speaker sets, XD700.5 amp, preloaded Stealth Box with two 12-inch W3 shallow-mount subs
• Stinger 4000 series wire kit
• Axxess universal steering wheel control and OnStar harness

SPECIAL THANKS FROM THE OWNER: “First, I would like to thank my wife Erin for supporting me throughout this build and with every feature shoot [I go to]. Thanks also to Jason Sakurai at Hypertech, Tim at Devlin Rod and Customs, Jason Swain and Alan Budnik, Kristina Ash at Suspension Source, Kevin Kaiser at American Muffler, Chris at Wichita Dyno, Sean Pucket at Street Beats Audio, Tracy Marsh, Ed Williamson, Sean Carey, Andy Macnair, Deven Ramsey, Mark Love, Lonny Moore, Robert Yelverton at Line-X Wichita and Ed Newman at Amsoil.”

---