DON'T MESS WITH TEXAS
powdercoated to match the factory Stone Blue Metallic body color. Ditto on the door handles, interior trim and steering wheel. “Matching the color was tricky,” Zubia admits. “We tried a few different test shoots, and eyeballed them in the sun to see which one looked the closest.”
There’s an old Texas saying about “all hat and no cattle,” referring to somebody who talks big but can’t deliver. That’s certainly not the case with Zubia’s GMC, since it has an array of other upgrades that are all tough as Texas. For instance, don’t mess with those Fusion bumpers, which could push through a herd of longhorn cattle if need be. The aptly named Bushwacker fenders and Gravel Empire grille add to the truck’s rugged attitude, along with Rigid LEDS and a set of four Monster tow hooks. For more power, Cory Willis supplied a PPE tuner so Sanchez could enhance the output by about 150 more horses. For better breathing, he also added a five-inch Flo-pro turbo back exhaust dressed in a chrome powdercoating.
But there’s a softer side to this GMC as well, with a Bedrug in the cargo area and AMP Powersteps that make it easier to climb into the raised cockpit. The cabin glass is tinted to cut down on glare, and the taillights are tinted dark as well, using a bit of black paint in the clear coat. All told, this GMC is obviously no work truck, but a weekend warrior, built in just a couple weeks for SEMA (along with three others from the Da Drop Shop). Once at the show, it showed nicely in the Cognito lineup. “A lot of people complimented it with comments like, ‘That’s a sick truck,’” Zubia says with a note pride. Sanchez agrees: “It’s a very likeable truck. People were really impressed with the color match on the frame. That little detail made it stand out.”
How was the drive from Midland to Las Vegas and back? Even with the tall profile and big meats it rode fairly smooth, Zubia says. Once he returned to Midland, he joined up with a posse of pickups to help with a Toys for Tots fundraiser.
In general, Fernando Sanchez appreciates working with Jesus Zubia on all his pickups. “He’s really pretty mellow, and lets me do my thing. He gets down to the point.”
What’s the future for Zubia and his project trucks? He already has plans for another cutting-edge pickup with—get this—28x14 rims with 42-inch tires. Some might say that’s a tall Texas tale, but to Zubia, it’s just another lifted truck from the Lone Star State.