Blood, Sweat & Gears

Evolution of Style

Owner
Troy Gudgel
1994 Chevrolet S-10
Champaign, IL
Relaxed Atmosphere

OEM Terror Part III

Crafting a One-Off Exhaust System With MagnaFlow’s Custom-Build Universal Exhaust Kit

Photos Courtesy of Chris DaSilva and Pacific Coast Customs

Now that Pacific Coast Customs and Bio Kustumz’s 2008 GMC Denali is flat on the ground, tucking 26-inch KMC wheels that get power to each corner, it is time to button up everything else that needs to be done to get the AWD Denali back on the road. The Denali maintains its all-wheel drive functionality thanks to replacing the front axle assembly with one out of a Toyota Tacoma, allowing longer axles to be machined for more articulation. Max Fish from Bio Kustumz also made a set of one-off spindles, control arms and ‘bag mounts. While Max took care of the front, Robbie Azevedo of PCC took care of the back end, making custom link bars, mounts and a panhard bar, keeping floor space in mind on the SUV. The final step to get the Denali’s suspension finished is to install a custom exhaust system that, like the rest of the SUV, doesn’t cut any corners.

Tales From the Beyond the Grinder

“Always Do Whatever’s Next”

That quote is one of the more mysterious yet powerful anecdotes from the late great comedian (a.k.a. stand-up philosopher) George Carlin. I came across this quote a few days ago after I picked up a LIFE magazine book recapping the last decade in amazing full spread photos and captions. The book was a great reminder of all that we have been through and the changes that have resulted in the first 10 years of this millennium. At the end, the last few pages were dedicated to some of the legendary writers, politicians, actors, musicians, and other celebrities who have passed away in the last decade. Each photo had simply their name, occupation, dates, and a quote that captured their spirit and life’s contribution to the rest of us. I scanned through and one quote in particular caught my eye. It was simple, yet deep, and obvious, while mysterious at the same time. “Always do whatever’s next,” seems easy enough. I wondered for a little while why this was chosen for George Carlin’s quote? Surely throughout the decades of his stand-up career and television shows something more interesting (and raunchy) could have been chosen. Such as “fighting for peace is like screwing for virginity.” And I am sure the seven words you can’t say on television were neglected for obvious reasons. The simple, yet profound quote stuck in my mind throughout the weekend and rang true for a few things on the deck right now.