2018 Silverado: Truck Month Stories
Everyone and their cousin has a 2018 Silverado. But no all of them come with a 3″ drop, tinted windows, and a blacked-out roof.
Austin Gilliam is the proud owner of this custom 2018 Silverado! And shouldn’t he be? This rig looks great!
Not everybody appreciates the lowered look, but Gilliam’s truck is a refreshing change amongst the sea of lifted carriages.
An Early Love For Trucks
Gilliam’s 2018 Silverado, isn’t his first rodeo in the truck scene. He shares that he’s grown up around them. They’re a part of his daily life, and that’s not changing anytime soon.
“Pretty much my entire life I’ve had trucks,” starts Gilliam “That’s the way I was born and raised. Everybody having trucks.”
“I owned a 2002 Silverado. That was my first truck,” shares Gilliam “We fixed a bunch of damage on it and repainted it. It was a cool project for me to learn on when I was a kid.”
Trucks have evolved tremendously since the days of that 2002 Silverado. And as an owner of a newer truck, that’s something Gilliam greatly appreciates.
“I believe trucks have changed quite a bit over the last 10 years… the feel of the throttle, getting more throttle response of them, and being a smoother ride. The technology they’ve added in them!”
2018 Silverado
“I’ve had a bunch of lifted trucks in the past,” says Gilliam “And this one, I just wanted a different project.”
With this current truck, Gilliam elected to swim against the tide. Instead of throwing on a lift kit, he lowered it.
“You see a lot of lifted trucks around here. And you don’t see too many lowered. I just like having something different.”
Across the nation, and especially in the South, the lifted look is in. There’s a plethora of Mall Crawlers and even the dreaded Carolina Squatters. But, the lowered look, if done right, is quite intriguing and just as utilitarian.
But lowering his truck isn’t the only modification Gilliam has made.
“So far on this truck, I’ve lowered it, 3″ in the front, 2″ in the back. I put a cut-out exhaust on it, it has a cold air intake. I did a chrome delete all around, painted to match all the grilles, bumpers, handles. And I also painted the roof black and added the appliques on the side, and tinted windows.”
Daily Practicality
With the 6.2 L engine, Gilliam certainly gets the most out of his truck. Whether hauling heavy loads or driving around town, it’s got plenty of power and utility!
“I do have a fishing boat that I take around. Also, it’s my daily driver that I take back-and-forth to work,” remarks Gilliam “In general, it’s just a fun truck to drive. It has the 6.2 L, so it gets up and goes.”
“I love being able to have the room in the back to haul everything,” says Gilliam “You can haul a boat. You can fit all your kids inside the car or whatever you need to. And this truck’s still fun to drive.”
A Chevy Man Through And Through
“Chevy trucks are better… I really love the interiors and I love the body lines that they’ve done on all of them… They’re just a good looking truck in general.”
Here at Karl Kustoms, you’ll find no better crew to work on your GM vehicle or any vehicle for that matter.
If you want to keep up to date with all that’s happening at Karl Kustoms, be sure to catch our blogs and videos. And if you want to customize your ride, give us a call.