Slowpoke: A Patina-Preserved 1984 Chevy Silverado

Joe Acevedo Jr . June 10, 2026 . Uncategorized . Kyle Rasmussen

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Taking it Low & Slow

Before we get too far into this story, let’s take a look back 20 years ago to a sophomore kid in high school with a truck and a dream. Without fail, every day you’d find me with headphones in, sitting on the floor in the hallway between classes, flipping through one of my many Mini Truckin’ magazines I carried in my backpack. Each feature and article that graced those pages created a longing for a custom build that I could be proud of and call my own—one that others could find in a magazine to inspire their own builds one day. Though my yellow 1990 Toyota pickup with ghost flames never made it past the lowering blocks and drop spindles stage, and certainly never made it into a magazine, that love for custom laid-out trucks that oozed personality and demanded respect never left me as I got older.

As the years went on and friends came and went, I found myself dabbling in the JDM, off-road, and Euro scenes with only a temporary sense of community and fulfillment. These platforms were merely hobbies disguised as a lifestyle for me. I needed more out of the automotive scene. I needed friends I could call family and not just acquaintances. I needed a true build that I could learn from and constantly improve upon as I gained experience with the platform. I needed to get back to my roots and what started it all for me so many years ago. I needed a truck again.

After a short stint in the VW community with a bagged 1964 Beetle, I sold it and took a personal oath swearing off wallet-draining classic projects to purchase a home and welcome our beautiful twin daughters into the world. Little did I know, this was the short reset I needed to change the trajectory of my life and involvement in the automotive scene.

Late one evening, I found myself scrolling Instagram when an online acquaintance shared a photo of a bagged and bodied long bed squarebody with killer patina. I was never really into squarebodies, but something about this truck resonated with me. It was classic, simple, looked tough, told a story of better times, laid flat on the pavement, and wasn’t too nice to never be driven. This was all I needed to see, and my search was finally on.

With some savings stashed away and a new hyperfixation on old Chevy pickups with original paint, I spent the next few weeks feverishly scrolling Marketplace for the perfect base to start with. After a few messages back and forth with a seller, I finally landed on my next project—a two-tone 1984 Chevy Silverado located nearly 8 hours away from Northern Utah in Fort Collins, Colorado. It had a great patina and needed just enough work to make the price palatable. It was missing all of its trim, and the rear quarters had the rust cut out but never replaced. The interior was original but rough and missing parts amongst the rats’ nest of wiring. The truck even had a chain steering wheel, and someone had already launched an attempt to bag it in the most budget way possible. I had a vision and was determined to give the truck a life it deserved.

After arriving home from a long round trip with an old truck and a reluctant wife, Slowpoke, as the truck had already been named, was pulled into my 2-car garage, and the plans began to brew. The old original weathered paint would stay on the truck (similar to many of the cars that attracted me to the VW scene), and it would be laid out like the trucks I dreamt about in high school. My goal was to build a truck that wasn’t too “nice” to drive and take on the hazards of the road but was clean and solid where it mattered most. Little did I know, this truck would teach me skills and lead me to people and places that I never thought possible.

Starting on the inside, the original interior was gutted and given the Dirty’s Detail Lab treatment to make way for a fresh cockpit that provided a comfortable but classic look and feel. With multiple layers of Kilmat sound deadening laid down in the cab and doors, new dark brown Auto Custom Carpet and floor mats were installed. The worn-out original fabric seat was then reupholstered in vinyl for easy upkeep and a classic look. A new TMI dash was dyed and partially reupholstered to sit where the factory dash, with its notorious cracks, once lived. Subtle modern touches with classic styling can be seen throughout the interior, such as the RetroSound stereo and Syndicate Series Dakota Digital gauges that are framed in by a fresh wood grain bezel. The original door panels were fully refurbished and cover up all-new mechanical door components inside that keep the windows, locks, and latches working quieter and smoother than when the truck was new. Remote battery posts mounted neatly behind the glove box door provide access to power in the case of a drained battery. Although the old chain steering wheel screamed “lowrider,” I thought I could do it one better with a two-tone color-matched 1963 Impala steering wheel and custom horn button. Although the wheel took some work and custom 3D-printed parts to get the fitment to the tilt column up to my standards, I couldn’t be any happier with how it brings the interior together. Right within reach of the steering wheel, you’ll notice a custom integrated HVAC delete plate and adjustable ball mount for the Air Lift 3P controller. Rounding out the inside is color-matched Mexican blanket upholstery that graces the dash, doors, headliner, and even the cab corner 6×9 speaker mounts. You may even notice a nod to this in another surprising area if you look around the truck long enough. Turn the key and grab the custom skate wheel shift knob, and you’re ready to scrape the streets.

Moving to the exterior of the truck, it still sports the original Indian Bronze and Doeskin Tan paint with a beautiful patina, and a few bumps and bruises here and there from its past life. The missing sheetmetal on the rear quarters was replaced, and the paint has been polished and ceramic coated courtesy of my own formulated products from Dirty’s Detail Lab. Many people at shows think that the truck is clear-coated, and I take pride in telling them that it’s just old single-stage paint with some elbow grease. New and refurbished stainless steel, chrome, and rubber throughout the exterior of the truck keep the weathered paint looking intentional. Walking around the truck, you’ll notice subtle details such as the Eddie Motorsports diamond billet door handles and billet wiper delete caps, as well as the Squarebody Syndicate stainless vent window trim. The tailgate displays a color-matched band and even some old pinstriped scallops from multiple owners ago. The cherry on top of the exterior of the truck, though, has to go to the rare 1970s “House Go!” camper shell dubbed the Slowpoke Slamper that I acquired on my way home from a separate truck-picking trip in Idaho. The exterior of the shell still displays its original paint and windows, with only a few modern updates to the trim, lighting, interior wall paneling, and hatch struts. Look close enough inside, and you’ll even see skate wheel knobs matched to the shift knob that are turned to allow the pop-out bubble windows to be adjusted. I was initially on the fence about putting a shell on the truck, but after setting it on the bed for the first time, I knew it had to stay, and it really helped put the truck on the map.

Reaching into the fender well, just above the custom lower splash guards, you’ll find the hidden hood release. The hood goes up with ease thanks to the WAM Rods hood strut kit. Nestled in the shaved, tucked, and color-matched engine bay, you’ll find a healthy but streetable 440 hp Blueprint Engines 6.3L 383 stroker paired to a built 700r4 transmission. It’s a big jump from the tired original 305 that the truck originally came equipped with. Many people ask, ‘Why not an LS?’. Well, the short answer is that I love the simplicity of the classic SBC. It requires less troubleshooting, less wiring, and it just works. The engine runs on a Holley 750 carb, fed by a Boyd aluminum fuel cell beneath the bed. The 383 is dressed with Billet Specialties valve covers and air cleaner, as well as a CVF serpentine conversion kit. An alternator and power steering pump from Tuff Stuff keep the frame-mounted Optima Yellow Top charged and the steering smooth. This engine would require some extra cooling, so I opted for a 3-row aluminum Champion radiator with dual electric fans, all held to the shaved core support with a custom radiator mount. Bolted to the aluminum heads, you’ll find some classic Cerakoted Edelbrock headers, leading down to a custom exhaust system with a single Flowmaster Flow FX muffler that eventually exits just outside the rear driver’s fender before the tire. Stand back from the engine bay a few steps, and you’ll notice that the hood insulation board is secured with stainless hardware, and it matches the Mexican blanket upholstery in the interior, keeping everything cohesive no matter where you look. VanNatta Fab inner fenders mounted with stainless hardware and custom-made brackets allow the tires to tuck and keep things clean under the hood. Though they took a lot of extra thought to fit and mount them solidly, I love the way the bead-rolled flat top inner fenders go with the hard lines of the squarebody in a sea of round inner fenders.

The altitude of the truck is adjusted with Air Lift 3P management, and dual Viair 485C Gen 2 compressors are displayed in a tidy package in the “Dakota brown” Raptor-Lined bed. Up front, a GSI drop member on Air Lift bags tucks the wheels, while a custom 4-link, Panhard bar, and notch out back with raised tubs and Slam Specialties bags tuck the rear. Bagging the truck wasn’t enough, though, so a stock-floor body drop was performed to help the body fully meet the asphalt. This was achieved with a TRE5 body drop mount kit from the cab forward and a chopped and boxed frame out back to match the bed to the cab. There were a lot of unexpected pitfalls and adjustments to be made with the body drop when it came to keeping frame-to-cab components functioning as they should, but nothing good ever comes easy, right?

15×7 Astro Supreme wheels wrapped in 235/75/15 Nexen tires give off that classic lowrider vibe where big wheels typically dominate the truck scene. Nestled tightly behind the small wheel faces, you’ll see drilled and slotted rotors with custom-painted Wilwood D52 calipers on all four corners working alongside a Wilwood tandem master cylinder.

Building this truck has allowed me to go to a lot of places and meet a lot of people that I otherwise would have never met. The C10 community is second to none, and I am forever grateful for the friends I call family and opportunities I have gained through my truck and business over the last few years. Slowpoke has received many awards throughout the West and has been met with both praise and criticism of its style depending on who you talk to. No matter where you look on the truck, you’ll notice small details that you may have missed the last time you saw it. Finding a balance between small details and going too far with additions has been tough, but I am very satisfied with the current state of the truck. I am excited to continue to improve on my work as the years go on. Thanks to my wife (who now also has her own squarebody) and kids for pushing me to achieve my goals, my Grandpa Fred for always offering words of encouragement and old knowledge, Chase from C10 Club Utah for always supporting my ventures, and all of the other show promoters and friends who have supported us and given us a space to grow our brand. Thanks to Joe Acevedo for setting up this long-awaited feature with these killer shots, allowing me to write my own article, and finally bringing my high school dreams full circle.

Owner

Kyle Rasmussen
1984 Chevy Silverado

Engine/Powertrain

6.3L Blueprint 383 stroker
Built 700R4 transmission
Holley 750 carburetor
Boyd aluminum fuel tank
CPP fuel pressure regulator
Aluminum heads
Edelbrock headers
Billet Specialties valve covers and air cleaner
Champion aluminum radiator
Dual electric fans
Tuff Stuff 140A alternator, power steering pump, and starter
Custom fender-exit exhaust
Flowmaster Flow FX muffler
Frame-mounted Optima Yellow Top battery
CVF serpentine kit
Ceramic boot plug wires
Shaved and bead-rolled color-matched firewall (HVAC delete)
Wire tuck/bulkhead relocation
Shaved color-matched core support
Custom radiator mount
Custom hood spring striker
Custom Mexican blanket hood insulation/stainless mounting hardware
VanNatta inner fenders
Custom “floating” mounting brackets for inner fenders
WAM Rods hood struts
Relocated hood release

Chassis/Suspension

Air Lift 3P management
Stock-floor body drop laying pinch weld
Boxed and sectioned factory frame
Custom crossmembers and carrier bearing support
GSI front drop member
CPP drop spindles
Air Lift front bags
Mustang II steering rack conversion
Custom 4-link/Panhard bar
Custom notch and notch cover
Slam Specialties rear bags
Rised factory rear tubs
Stainless braided leader lines
Custom air lines from tank to bed bulkheads
5-gallon tank
Dual Viair 485C Gen 2 compressors
AVS Evolve compressor stands
Air Lift water trap accessible from original fuel door
Monroe shocks

Wheel, Tires & Brakes

15×7 Astro Supreme wheels
235/75r15 Nexen N’Priz tires
Wilwood tandem master cylinder, painted D52 calipers, and drilled and slotted rotors
Braided stainless lines

Body & Paint

Indian Bronze/Doeskin Tan patina paint
Dirty’s Detail Lab paint corrected and sealed with Dirty’s DDL9 Ceramic system
Vintage House Go! camper shell
Eddie Motorsports billet diamond door handles
New door mirrors and body and fender trim
Tucked rear bumper
Color-matched tailgate band
Custom front fender splash guards
Billet wiper delete caps
Squarebody Syndicate stainless vent window trim
Stainless window visors, rock guards, and bedside and tailgate caps
LS Fab tailgate strut
HornBlasters train horn

Interior

CRetroSound head unit
Kicker 6×9 cab corner speakers
Restored and reupholstered factory door panels
Vinyl bench seat
ACC carpet and floor mats
Kilmat sound deadening throughout
Dakota Digital Syndicate Series gauges
Octane and Iron BIM control box mount
Custom skate wheel shift knob
Color-matched ‘63 Impala steering wheel
Custom handmade center horn button
Custom dyed and upholstered TMI dash
Mexican blanket upholstery throughout
Custom HVAC delete plate/adjustable 3P controller mount
Remote battery post access behind glove box
Detailing product storage carrier behind seat
All-new internal door components and door glass
Precision replacement rubber and sealsAluminum door sill plates

Read Full Bio

Joe Acevedo Jr

My name is Joe Acevedo Jr., but most people know me as “Ace.” I’m a photographer based out of South Texas, and for as long as I can remember, I’ve had a passion for cars and trucks. Growing up

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