Custom 1998 Chevy S-10

Just as you can't judge a music CD by its cover, you can't tell right off what's different about Gil Luna, Jr.'s 1998 Chevy S-10. Sure it's been slammed and shaved, but you might be surprised by what's underneath that somber black exterior. Inside are enough thumpin' audio components to rock the house right off its foundation.

Woof Woof
"Yeah, it gets pretty loud in there," Luna admits, motioning toward the monstrous subwoofers. Better to open the doors, stand back, and let fly with 50 Cent, Eminem, or whatever bass notes you'd prefer.


Before we get down to the nuts and wires of the system, though, we should back up a bit. Like most young guys growing up, Luna had always wanted to build a project vehicle, especially a custom truck, when the lowrider scene started to grow in the 1980s.


Only when he started working in the automotive magazine field as a graphic designer, though, did he get the opportunity to start a buildup. This is where the average guy can get a bit crazed with jealousy, because one of the spiffs of being on the staff of a magazine is that you get all sorts of deals and freebies on parts and upgrades. (Just so long as you give the companies a little "free ink," as the expression goes, in the form of feature coverage). That bonus alone has motivated many a car or truck guy to enroll in some journalism classes.

Open Secret
Of course, it's not as easy as it might sound, because there's a lot of late nights and hard work involved, whether on a magazine or a truck. Fortunately for Luna and his S-10, he got a lot of help from his friends.