Chris Hamilton
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July 04, 2022
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Department
In the 1943 American Western film “The Outlaw,” Sheriff Pat Garrett welcomes his old friend Doc Holliday to Lincoln, New Mexico. Doc is looking for his stolen horse and finds it held by Billy the Kid. Drama ensues and a classic story is created for the history books, one that tells a tale of love and betrayal, and one in which the lead actress becomes regarded as a sex symbol and a Hollywood superstar after filming.
The story is iconic and relatable to many people around the world, but in this particular case, it relates to
Starting off as a basic utilitarian use pickup truck, this Bow Tie has earned its place in history and was begging for a new afterlife. So, Darrell saved it from the scrapyard and paid $3,500 to bring the new build home. Now we see the fruits of his efforts after seven years of defining details and a few do-overs to make things perfect.
Darrell knew he wanted to go wild yet classy, so body mods were the name of the game. Minor yet painstaking hours of metal molding and bodywork gave this truck the character it needed to bring it to a whole new level. A few of the incredible body mods include a modified GMC Sonoma Hood, ’96 Blazer grille and headlights with billet inserts, and custom inner wheel tubs. A ’98 Chevy S-10 front bumper along with a Cali Combo rear tailgate and roll pan skin clean the corners, and shaved door handles smooth out the rest. The fully custom sheetmetal bed also contains a custom fuel filler, a custom-made license tag box and Scott’s Hotrods LED taillights. Frenching in the radiator gives additional style, and a new sheetmetal firewall cleans up the engine bay. All sheetmetal work was performed by the owner, Darrell Poe, Jr.
Moving to the chassis, Darrell and Brian Lucas installed a rear frame C-notch along with a fully boxed frame using 3/16-inch steel plates. The front shocks are recessed, and custom shock mounts are made for the rear. The battery is relocated under the cab, and the mounts are designed to drop the body 2 ¾-inches. Additionally, a one-off crossmember was built to hold the four-link as well as let the exhaust pass through. A custom transmission crossmember, compressor brackets and a one-off fuel cell bracket also needed to be fabricated before the whole chassis was cleaned and coated.
Before heading off to paint, Darrell needed to complete the engine modifications first. The original block was removed and replaced with this Chevy 327ci V-8 crate engine and ’85 Chevy 700r4 transmission. Black powdercoated aluminum engine pulleys and a GM 1-wire 100-amp alternator add to the looks of the package along with a Lokar transmission dipstick and oil dipstick. To feed the fuel, a Holley Demon 650cfi carburetor had to be bolted up after the Billet Specialties aluminum valve covers. Billet Specialties wire loom holders keep things nice and tidy, while dual electric cooling fans and an aluminum V-8 S-10 radiator keep things cool. The exhaust flows through 2 ½-inch stainless pipes that have been permanently coated black and include a Borla muffler. Finally, a custom 49-inch driveshaft was ordered from Virginia Driveline in Wytheville, Virginia.
Firestone 2,600-pound airbags were installed in both front and rear along with Bullet 2-inch drop spindles. To control the air suspension, Accuair switch speed sensors and an Accuair ENDO tank maintaining the motion. For rollers, Darrell chose this sweet 22-inch Pro Wheels from Hotrods wheels wrapped in 245/30zr22 Achilles ATR tires.
Once the time for paint arrived, everyone was excited and ready to see the finished product. The Southern Poly paint color is black, and Da Outlaw was painted by Adam Quesenberry. Finally, the Bright Amber metallic “Tombstone” movie-themed graphics with tribal stripes were hand painted by Adam Cutlip. What an amazing build, one you must see in person. Luckily, it’s at most events around the country, so go out and see it yourself!
Q & A with owner and builder, Darrell Poe Jr.
ST: When did you originally purchase it and for how much?
DP: December of 2012 for $3,500.
ST: How much did the complete build cost?
DP: $40,000 plus so far.
ST: How long did it take you to build this truck?
DP: Seven years and counting.
ST: What was the original reason for building this ride?
DP: I sold my other mini-truck.
ST: What previous modified rides have you owned?
DP: A ’91 Chevy S-10 named ROCKBTTM.
ST: How did you get involved in the scene?
DP: I watched my cousin and his buddies lower their trucks when I was 12. I was hooked! I bagged and body dropped this truck for a friend of mine, Kevin French, many years ago. After selling my 1991 S-10 “ROCKBTTM,” I knew I had to have another mini, and by luck this one ended up back in my hands. Everybody always says, it’s just another S-10, or that they are easy to build. Well now I hope they all look at this one and say, dang! Look at that S-10! I didn’t do it because it’s easy. I did it because I’m a Chevy man!
ST: Do you have any sponsors you would like to mention?
DP: I don’t have any sponsors—but I wish! (haha) I have an amazing wife Nikki and a family that has supported me and my passion for ever. I also have a handful of friends that I consider brothers who have given me their blood, sweat, ideas, materials, support and a few cuss words to make this build what it is today.
TRUCK SPECS
Owner
Darrell Poe Jr.
Location: Bluefield, West Virginia
Occupation: Route Salesman
Make, Model, Year:1996 Chevrolet S-10
Club Affiliation: Xtreme Lowz
Chassis Mods:
Suspension:
Wheel/Tire:
Engine/Drivetrain:
Body Mods:
Paint/Graphics:
Interior/Stereo
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