Built not bought... hmmm... the debate on this very subject sometimes gets down right ugly. Personally I don't think it should matter because not everyone can be a custom car/truck builder. However, for those that can, hats off to you and your skills, I applaud you. Ernie Macias recently wrote an article in Mini-Truckin' magazine discussing this very matter. The most important thing he said was something the mini-truckin' community should learn: "In the hot rod community, the guy who buys a finished ride is more of a savior than an imitator. These guys are saving cars from the crushers..." Jimmy Key of Alvaton, Kentucky, couldn't agree more with that statement. See, instead of spending a bunch of time in a garage building a cool mini, he decided it is much better to spend more time at shows and cruising with an already built custom mini-truck. That is exactly what was rollin' thru Jimmy's mind when he paid for his 1996 Chevy S-10.

The first thing people notice when approaching a truck like Jimmy's is the fact that it doesn't quiet sit like normal S-10s. In fact, one might say it sits a little lower than normal. In the case of Jimmy's dime, "a little lower than normal" consists of a 3-inch body drop with dynamic air ride suspension taking care of all the asphalt close ups.

Two of the most unique mods on Jimmy's truck sit on the nose and tail. The hood is a total one-off cowl hood that bends mid-way in the center and then quickly comes back down to close with the custom fiberglass wiper cowl. The bed was totally changed from its former square self to a rounded off Rhino Liner tub with super fat bed rails. The tailgate, taillight, and rear bumper areas have been shaved and molded into one continuous piece with a one off custom fin on the top of the tailgate and LEDs below the fin. The stock gas filler door was shaved and then moved to the top of the driver's side bed rail. The door handles were shaved and now a modified finger hole was worked into the edge of the doors to help Jimmy open them once the lock has been popped. Custom sport mirrors, clear corner lenses, billet grille insert, and billet bowtie are a few more subtle modifications that add to the overall appearance. 17-inch billet Saber wheels, by Centerline, allow Jimmy's dime to roll down the highway in style. Finishing off the body mods is a custom two-tone red and gunmetal gray paint job with custom graphics.

Inside, the interior has been totally tricked out with paint, tweed, and Ostrich skin leather. A billet steering wheel, billet window cranks, and billet shifter provide a little eye candy for the cab's occupants. Though Jimmy purchased this truck tricked out from head to toe, he did update the tired audio system with an in-dash DVD flip out LCD screen TV. Two Directed Audio 1200 watt amps power the speaker system and make the four Kicker 10-inch subs behind the seat pound out the bass with relative ease.

Jimmy did a good thing by buying a custom truck that only a mini-trucker can appreciate. By doing so, he not only saved some coinage, but he has also saved a custom mini-truck from the junk yard or just someone who doesn't know how to take care of a custom rig. Jimmy is all about "saving a dime."

Shout Out: "Thanks to Elite Streets Magazine for the feature!" -Jimmy Key