'94 GMC Finale

Building any project under a TV. Deadline is like running the derby.

You want to come out of the gate hard and strong, keep a steady pace on the back stretch. And in the final quarter work the whip all the way to the roses. Today. A man's daily driver blossoms into a dream come true

and the family he's worked so hard for, gets to enjoy their moment

in the winner's circle.

Three weeks have gone by rather quickly and in Tim's strange fashion, he spent half of it in the paint booth.

Our build leader and our Royal Purple team have created a hybrid of a pickup part, hardcore four by four part sport truck

and the goal turn. What was very close to being a death trap into a reliable machine that'll go another quarter million miles

donated parts made this build happen from a GM crate engine

to new air conditioning from Rock auto.com

earlier, Glenn Bowen

stopped by to take care of the interior goodies.

We're gonna give Anthony a great stereo. We've got him a set of 6.5 inch components in the front kick panels, a 10 inch sub sealed

in the back with a 500 watt amp on the sub 500 watt amp on his 6.5 components. We also have a double

DJ BC head unit

with navigation Bluetooth HD radio USB, input DVD. All the bells and whistles.

Glenn's company driven. Nashville specializes in handcrafted audio video installations.

He'll line the whole interior with Deis boom mat that will help eliminate unwanted engine and road noise.

He's gonna turn this truck on and I believe he's gonna be amazed with this system, the bass is loud and tight as he's gonna want it to be. The speakers are nice and clear that it's gonna give him a wonderful sound for whatever music he's listening to.

The upgrades for Anthony's truck are many L MC donated all the glass including a new rear slider.

Now, while installing the new red top optima battery is straightforward enough, Ryan actually had to back into the way. He approached building the new rear bumper. They had a good frame and I was left with the Swiss Cheese version. So I built the skin first and went back and added the structure for the uh

the brackets and all that good stuff. Instead of painting the bumpers, we went with a powder coat, went with a wrinkled black finish, looks really good,

uh covers well, really, really durable and uh being that he lives in uh somewhat of a rust prone area, uh the more protection against corrosion, he has the better

with the bumper cooking away at 406 degrees. The newly painted bed gets removed to make the short trip over to solar solutions for an equally good looking commercial grade bed line.

We heard about Anthony. We're all about helping out people

just wanna get a chance to give back and help him out a little bit by spraying the bed of his truck.

They will carefully protect the paint prep the surface, then lay down a quarter inch of material on the bed and an eighth on the sides.

All right, now it's official.

It even fits

also fresh out of the powder coating oven is Ian's handmade baja rack getting installed for the final time.

It's one of those things that

nobody else is gonna have one. It's 100% custom. You can't buy it. You've got to build it.

And, uh, I'm quite certain Anthony, you're gonna be the only guy in Ohio rocking a baja

rack like that.

So we're gonna put this nice filet grill from T rex into the original

grill opening.

Some slight modifications and we'll be good to go.

Tim's worked on plenty of trucks himself in the past, but the street rider in him just wouldn't allow a stock looking drill

bling

since this engine is brand new, we want the rings to seed in fully. So we're going to use Royal Purple's engine break in oil for right now and then switch it over to the regular synthetic later

keeping everything cool will be a brand new aluminum radiator and twin electric fans

and with the radiator filled up with a good mix of water and antifreeze. There's one last product to add. We're using royal purple, purple ice prevents corrosion

and scaling

and it can be used with antifreeze or straight water

coming up. I remember when he went and picked it up and I looked at his little motor. Oh,

it's

a little guy.

Well,

motor grew up. It's a big boy now he's an adult.

The GMC gets a shake down run while the family hits music city for a surprise from a country music legend. Stay tuned.

Run

in with an impact

back at the tech center.

The work is getting frantic.

Having built the rear bumper by hand, Ryan is installing the front A RB bumper

carrying its worn winch to help Anthony out when he goes to cut wood.

Next, the control module for Holly's Dominator EF I system is mounted in the engine compartment.

Not only will the unit control the fuel and spark in the engine,

it will also control the transmission

while the hardware gets the engine running right away. The software tells the guys everything they need to know about the engine's performance. This is our top of the line system.

What it does for the consumer is it offers

complete laptop tunable stand alone

engine management.

You can control power ADDers with it from water meth. The turbo charging, super charging and nitrous oxide as well

to help Anthony and his passengers in and out of the truck.

Ian has fabricated a pair of side steps that match the look of the Baha

rack he built early

now to protect anything riding in the bed we're putting on one of agri covers, access, roll up covers

one a

cover installed.

Remember the welded on buckets we pulled out of Anthony's truck. We turned to our buddy ST Gilbertson who gave us two options when it came to the seats. Well, for this project, I brought down some seats for the build, uh, brought down a stock bench seat. Then we brought down an updated 2008 GMC seat. We're gonna see if we can

update this with a new seat. If we can't, then we're just going old school.

This isn't as easy as you think,

but it was Ian's welded frame that kept the guys from having to go with the boring split bench.

So Anthony gets a flip up armrest and more importantly, cup holders.

Even with the cab updated now with the new buckets, it still doesn't solve an old problem for the 6 ft three inch Tim Strange.

Hello. Steering wheel. How are you?

Nice to meet you. Steering wheel. Big guy, little little truck. 321. What's going on

with the hood on? We're that much closer to our test drive, which means it's time for fluids,

starting with royal purple max A TF for the four L 60 E automatic.

Then the rebuilt rear end gets max gear,

their high performance gear oil.

I'm used to building projects that are about this far off the ground. So I'm a little scared of test driving this one. I'm gonna be clear up in the air and I hope I don't get a nose bleed.

Next. It's a road test for the GMC. Then the family arrives for the big day at the tech center. Stay tuned.

T minus 24 hours and counting until Anthony takes possession of his better than new off road sport truck. To think a few weeks ago, it rolled in as a V6 powered quarter million mile rust bucket today. Just see for your,

well, I think it's really a cool truck. Got a little bit of everything. It's got really cool paint, the trucks guys threw in the Xtreme 4x4 guys threw down real hard on this build. I threw a little street rod hot rod mix into it.

I think he's really gonna like this. It's gonna be a real comfortable drive and it's gonna be awesome.

I

think we gave Anthony a truck that's not only functional, but it still looks cool and something he's still not gonna be scared to take off road even though I don't wanna do it because I don't want to be responsible for scratching this thing. I think I'll wait and let him do it

now. He's just got to come pick it up.

So, Anthony Cindy and all eight kids left Pomeroy Ohio for the 420 mile drive southwest to our power block tech center.

But first rearranged for a little surprise accommodations up the road at the world famous gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, Tennessee.

And when the Rowe family entered the lobby, they had no idea. They'd get a hero's welcome.

Oh,

wow.

They

thank

you.

Yeah,

I

keep wh I'm

the general manager here at G at LA

and we're very excited that you're here.

Gaylord Opryland pulled out all the stops, deluxe accommodations for the kids, a VIP suite for mom and dad

complete with the stunning view of the Delta atrium.

After the rooms were taken care of, it was time to venture downstairs for some fun.

I'm definitely getting a picture of that.

The ceiling in this place holds 6200 panes of glass weighing over 700 tons.

We chose to bring the family in a couple of days early so they could enjoy what we hoped would be a vacation of a lifetime.

All courtesy of gaylord resorts.

Some of the row kids have never been in an elevator, let alone stay in a hotel room

and for a family that stays for two years. Just to take a vacation. We wanted to make it special,

really, really good

for over 80 years. The Grand Ole Opry has been the heart of country music

backstage. A music legend wants to meet the family.

I'm

running

the

house

here.

I

understand

you got a good looking truck. I don't know, a politician. We can't get along without, I don't know, a sports star that we can't get along without,

but we cannot get along without people. Like Anthony. You can always get along without fiddle players, but you can't get along without hard working people.

And I've got something else that I can give you go along with your pickup truck. We want to get you some gasoline.

So we got you 100 gallons of gasoline. So, um,

a night that Anthony will remember forever

and you got a nice family here and I wish you all the best. I got a lovely family. You

have my favorite

song of yours since the Devil Wants to Georgia. Well, you wouldn't do that.

Thank

you.

We

were winning.

It.

Don't get impatient because it'd be the last thing we do that

doesn't matter.

Said the best for last,

that

smart young man right there.

Ok, y'all.

So here we are another build done 20 days ago. We would have never thought that Anthony's rusted old Beater pickup truck would end up looking like this.

I think Anthony's just gonna freak out when he sees it.

Y'all have a seat

comfy.

So, how's your trip been so far?

I

mean,

everything

was

very

cool. Yeah, they, they get to go walk through some more tomorrow. They're waiting to do that.

Ok.

You guys ready?

I

think we're ready. We're coming your way

for who's gonna catch him if he passes out.

I

think we did a good job of making a great looking truck that's also functional. So

we'll be doing back flips, I think.

Hey, Sam

got

some.

Oh, hi,

how you doing? Good. How are you?

This is Anthony and Cindy and all the

kids. This is the belt team.

How y'all doing

the royal purple build crew

and all the guys really stepped up. These guys from local here. Milestone actually worked. Their normal job. Came here, worked a full day and then went back just to get your truck done to help out, give you guys a really cool ride.

So if you look at that monitor right there, you remember what it used to look like? Yeah.

So what do you guys think you excited?

You think you, any of you guys will get to drive it ever?

I think you won't. No.

How's the last month been without your truck?

Been a long

month?

What have you been driving? Basically her car. I've been catching a ride with one of my

supervisors from ever to prison. So maybe you ought to just keep driving hers. Then she gets the truck.

Well, no. Yeah.

So you ready to see this?

Are you sure

you wanna wait for like another hour or come back tomorrow?

I'm ready What about you guys?

I'm ready.

Ok, let's stand back. We don't know where this thing is coming from.

Oh,

man.

Does it sound mean?

That

sounds good. Oh my God.

I,

what do you think of that? That is.

Oh my God.

Oh my God.

Oh my God.

Let's take a look at this thing.

We did some cut out fender flares on it.

The big old tires, a little bit of lift kit.

Oh, there's f

there you

go.

Ryan made the bumper from scratch to match the big front bumper. That's sure we put the flare dimple dyes to match everything

and we know

you cut some wood from time to time.

And what happened to your saw?

Huh?

It was

stolen.

All the guys chipped in.

Got your brand new chainsaw.

So

you don't need to cut the wood. I'd say these are the boys that saw right here. They can use that.

Oh, hey, Ryan, pop the, it's now grown up. Look at that.

Oh my God.

Put a GM performance ZZ four in there. Probably fuel injection.

5000 horsepower.

Don't drive away. Just start it up.

Not yet.

Mhm.

This is the coolest thing I've ever seen in my life.

We're gonna put this thing up on the lips so Anthony can see the bottom of it.

It's all pretty. It's all new. Better than new.

See we did tinted headliner down here

so that stays clean. It'll wash right off the day. That we were putting this exhaust on Mario Andretti was here.

I

know

who

he is right. He was here looking at your truck while he was working on it. Oh

my God. Ryan made this rear bumper. It is strong. You pull a house down with that thing. A

few extras go along with Anthony's truck young brands. And KFC presented the family with the

check for $1000 to go towards books and supplies for the oldest boys Welding school. This fall

and Mark mcan and Randy Fisher of Royal Purple presented Cindy a check for $5000 made out to the Children's hunger alliance to help fight childhood hunger in their home state of Ohio. We truly believe in the mission that you are going to Cindy.

So we're also on your behalf, making a donation to the Hot Rodders Children's Charity for $25,000.

This wouldn't be complete

if we did not get you

properly purple.

So we need a list of your cars, the makes the models of yours so we can help you with Royal Purple products from Stem to Stern.

You guys have been wonderful. Thank you

on the next search and restore. Our team is headed south across the Mississippi and into Louisiana

to surprise a family who's all about four wheel. We're going to trick out a TJ and honor a group of off road enthusiasts whose mission is to put smiles on the faces of disabled Children.

That's next time.

Yeah.

Get that away.

What do you think about the truck?

Oh, I think it's phenomenal. It's crazy. I love it.

I

think he was about ready to pass out because he likes it that much.

I've never seen a truck look that good.

Ever.

I think it's like something from Greenland. I, I never pictured you guys doing this, good of a job on it.

It hasn't sunk in yet. He, once he drives down the road he's gonna have a heart attack.