Setbacks Never Define Who You Are

EVERY one of us has experienced adversities growing up that have defined and shaped who we have become today. Most of these setbacks were things we could eventually work around and come out on top of as a better person. For Jake Raleigh from Whitesburg, Kentucky, his setback was much more than anyone could have imagined. In high school, Jake noticed a knot on his arm during a tennis match he was playing. “It started to give me problems while I was serving the ball”, Jake tells Street Trucks. “I knew I had to get it looked at.” Doctors were puzzled, and when all the tests came back they realized that he was suffering from a type of cancer that only affects 1 in 10 million people—Epithelioid Sarcoma. He was immediately sent to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota to begin treatment.

This type of cancer is so aggressive—especially in Jake’s case. Even after a few surgeries, the doctors eventually had no other choice but to remove his arm. “They told me it was the only way I would be able to live,” Jake says. “I thought my world was coming to an end.” Jake remained on bedrest and couldn’t go back to high school for almost a year. The worst part? Jake is left-handed. It was going to be an uphill battle learning to do everything with his right hand from now on. Miraculously, he went back to playing tennis and even went to the state championship as a righty. “I tried to be as positive as I could”, Jake says with a smile. “If I can’t laugh about it, I’ll never overcome the trauma.”

Jake had always been “hands-on” when it came to cars and trucks. As a child he went from Hot Wheels to hot rods in the garage until his cousin Tyler Cornett bought a 1996 Tacoma that was slammed and shaved. Jake felt something he had never felt by simply looking at a vehicle, and knew it was something that would change his life. His father, Rick, had a squarebody 1993 S-10 with a camper top, so it helped fuel his fire for minis. Jake had a special interest in the Chevy Colorado Xtreme because it was already lowered from the factory and came with a sporty body kit. This is where his journey began. Located about three hours away in Frankfort, Kentucky, Jake found what he dreamed of—a 2007 Colorado. Once it was brought back home, Jake started small, adding some engine modifications and lowering it a little more.

As most people find out, lowering a vehicle is usually temporary until the bagging process begins. Six months later, Jake and his friends, Mark Collins and Jeremy Dickerson, installed an Air Lift 3P air management system. The Chevy was then sanded down to primer and the raised bed floor was added. Next, the Colorado was given a traditional body drop with the help of Gary Rutherford and Jeremy Dickerson.

Some people might have never had the motivation or inspiration to keep going after the loss of a limb, but Jake used it as a springboard into proving that nothing could stop him from being his absolute best…

As anyone with a Chevy Colorado knows, the stock motor won’t clear the hood when you body drop them. The only way around it is modifying the hood, but that takes away from the appearance. Jake decided on a much more expensive and harder route—he found an LS1 motor out of a Chevy Silverado, and with the help of his good friend Jon Brown, they installed the much more powerful engine. This V-8 swap made the Colorado’s performance unbelievably aggressive.

Jake enlisted his uncle Reggie for the initial Pacific Blue Metallic paint job at Raleigh’s Autobody in Harlan, Kentucky. Fresh out of paint, the Colorado was driven to Custom Covers in Virgie, Kentucky for a complete overhaul, swapping the stock-colored cabin to a bright peanut-butter-colored leather at the hands of Justin Hall. After a few years of hitting shows and enjoying the Chevy, Jake decided it was time to level up. Jake was working at a fabrication and body shop with his friend, Bryan Brock, and one day they brought the Colorado inside, stripped it down to bare metal, fixed all the minor bodywork, and got everything straight for master painters Patrick Reid and Jonathan Barron at Madd Concepts in San Leon, Texas. Patrick and Jonathan laid down some serious paint patterns and graphics that propelled the Colorado to new heights.

Jake wishes to thank his beautiful wife, Shyla Raleigh, and every person who dedicated their time and work, including Patrick Reid, Jonathan Barron, Darrel Brown, Wayne Brown, Bryan Brock, Jason “Worm” Scott, Samatha Reid, Jon Brown, Justin Hall, Jeremy Dickerson, Gary Rutherford, Reggie Raleigh and iHatePhil for shooting the Colorado. Some people might have never had the motivation or inspiration to keep going after the loss of a limb, but Jake used it as a springboard into proving that nothing could stop him from being his absolute best and building something he could be truly proud of.

 

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TRUCK SPECS

 ENGINE & DRIVETRAIN

• 4.8L from a Cat Eye Silverado
• LS1 intake, F-Body accessories and oil pan for clearance
• 5.3 Colorado exhaust manifold
• BTR NSR cam
• LS6 valve springs
• Custom standalone harness
• Aluminum fuel cell made to accommodate factory pump
• ICT Billet coil pack mounts
• Supermod e-fans
• Hummer H3 disc brakes in rear, drilled and slotted rotors
• 4l60e transmission with Corvette servos, 3,200 stall, and high-flow trans cooler
• Rearend narrowed 7 inches

CHASSIS & SUSPENSION

• Michigan Metalworks shortened upper arms,
• Modified lower control arms
• Slam Specialties RE-6 bags (front), RE-7 bags (rear)
• Belltech drop ball joints
• ’79 F-100 shocks (front), C10 shocks (rear)
• Triangulated 4-link
• Bags behind axle
• 5-gallon slim and skinny tank
• Two Viair 444 compressors
• Air Lift 3P air management system

WHEELS & TIRES

• 22×8.5 Billet Specialties BLVD69 wheels
• 245/30r22 Venom Power Ragnarok Zero tires

BODY & PAINT

• Caribbean Current Pearl by Tamco, PPG clearcoat, House of Kolor Purple Passion, Tamco mixture of graphic colors
• Traditional body drop
• Firewall tubbed
• Shaved drip rails, tailgate handle, and gas door
• Modified Tacoma rear bumper
• LED taillights
• Raised bed floor with 1970 Chevy tailgate script in the filler panel on raised bed floor
• SS power mirrors
• Billet Bow Tie
• Clear corner DRL and headlights
• Rockers cut and modified
• Custom inner fenders

INTERIOR & STEREO

• Modified seats with cut down headrests
• Modified door sills with aluminum inserts
• Shaved glovebox, visors, and center bezel
• Custom console with billet inserts and stainless cup holders
• S-10 gas pedal
• Modified door panels, door pockets shaved and smoothed, wrapped dash panels
• Committed club logo billet mirror
• H3 floor shifter with Lokar shift knob
• Billet Specialties steering wheel
• US Speedo cluster insert
• Pioneer double-din head unit
• Kicker 6.5-inch speakers in doors, three L7s in custom subwoofer enclosure
• Audiopipe 1800 amplifier
• 2 Farad capacitor
• 2 gauge wiring