FAIR TRADE | This Dually Was Kept in the Severed Family

This Dually Was Kept in the Severed Family

WE TRUCK GUYS ARE PRETTY WELL KNOWN FOR BEING WHEELER-DEALERS, MAYBE BECAUSE MOST OF US WERE RAISED ON SATURDAY MORNING CARTOONS AND HAVE SHORT ATTENTION SPANS. It doesn’t take long to come up with a great concept for a project, get the truck, and tear into it only for another great idea to come along, requiring a totally different truck. The cool part is, oftentimes your old idea is similar to somebody else’s new idea. And if the opposite is also true, a deal can be made. Some of our truck-loving brethren have taken the art of the trade to new heights. Sometimes a truck will go through several owners and never get finished. While everyone has owned or at least knows about trucks like that, we believe we might have found a new world record holder. See if you can follow along.

It all began back in the early ’90s, when a guy by the name of Eddie Fiola bought a near-new Chevy dually from the original owner. If you are not familiar with the name, Eddie pretty much pioneered the freestyle BMX movement in the early ’80s and his “King of the Skateparks” moniker still holds true to this day. He was even the stunt guy in the movie “RAD!” But what was cool about Eddie is he was also very into trucks. In his interview, he spent as much time talking about his latest bullet door Datsun or Courier (one of which had a Buick turbo V-6 if memory serves) as he did sponsors and the sport. Anyway, it was back then that this truck got the first of its many years of mods. The two-tone tan dually was lowered on chrome wheels.

Eventually, Eddie upgraded to a newer dually and somehow met a kid from way out in Palm Springs, California, named Brett Oakes, who was in the process of starting his own truck club at right about the same time named Severed Ties. Brett had the truck about seven years, and over time it got much lower, was fit with Alcoas, and was painted blue and white with graphics. Then in the last couple of years, Brett ’bagged the truck and body-dropped it to the rockers (he was quick to point out that it was all done in his driveway with a torch and a 110v welder) and primered most of the truck. Brett dragged the piss out of it every chance he got until Mike Finnegan (then of “Mini Truckin’” mag and Severed Ties) traded a motorhome for it.

For about a year, the truck was dragged to work and hauled a truckload of editors to lunch every day. We think the ragtop was installed at this time. Then the truck was again traded to another Severed member. This time it was to a guy named Chappy in Utah for a ’69 Chevy. Soon the roads of Salt Lake City took care of what little rockers were left, and even sooner the truck was again traded—this time it was for a 1964 Bug.

Finally, some bodywork was done, but then the truck sat for a time. Then in the spring of 2002 it was traded yet again for a 1980 Suburban owned by Eric Bostain. It was upgraded with new valves and a fresh coat of primer, shortly followed by a trade for a Harley, which put it into the hands of a guy named Jake, who blew the motor. While at a shop for a motor swap, several parts were stolen off of the truck. The truck and the Harley were then traded back. Eric’s friend Ron Lindquist hit Eric up about what he wanted for the truck. They decided on a trade that involved a set of 20-inch tires and wheels and a 12-inch lift for Eric’s Suburban.

When Ron got the truck, it was four different colors, the rockers were shredded, and it barely ran. The small-block was built into a 383 with 10:1 compression and an Edelbrock cam. It was topped with an Edelbrock intake and Holley carb, and backed by Sanderson headers and MagnaFlow mufflers. Accent was provided by flamed billet valve covers and air cleaner and chrome brackets and pulleys. The Turbo 400 was beefed up with a shift kit and converter from B&M. The truck was dropped off for a rear end rebuild and 3.55:1 gears so Ron could cruise the highways, but while there the truck was badly rear-ended in the parking lot, bending up the frame and trashing the bed. It was beat back into shape and became a bar cruiser for a while. Ron dragged through a few more control arms and what was left of the rockers.

Then, in October ’03, Ron towed a mini to Severed Ties Oktoberfest in Fontana, California, where it attracted a ton of attention due to its history despite its sad state. All of the stories he heard that day made him realize that he had to finish this truck! On New Year’s Eve, Ron and Eric started a “spirited” conversation about the truck. On New Year’s Day 2004, the truck was a bare frame and cab in Eric’s shop, Trick Kustoms. A new frame was built from the front cross member back, and the rear was three-linked. Then the truck was cut to the doors and put back together with bodywork underway.

At Trick Kustoms, Ron talked to Brentz Wheels and Classic Industries, and next thing Ron knew the truck was going to SEMA. The truck was straightened out and shot with PPG Orange Candy and put back together with all new chrome and rubber exclusively from Classic Industries. The 19.5-inch Brentz Wheels were cut with Severed Ties diamonds and wrapped with 245/40R19 rubber from Pirelli. Inside, much of the interior parts were paint matched before the black vinyl interior with gray inserts was stitched up. A Pioneer head unit runs a Directed amp that powers the two Orion 12-inch subs and four 6 1/2-inch mids. The final touch was the billet steering wheel and rearview mirror bearing the Severed logo.

We’ve got to hand it to Ron for stepping it up to finish a truck that has such a legacy in the truck world. If we heard who all of the previous owners/draggers were, we might not have been as quick to jump. Ron wanted to thank Eric at Trick Kustoms for all of the hard work. ST