Jeremy Rice has been using his workmanship and skills to make customers happy for years. But recently the founder of Tre5Customs—a full-service vehicle fabricator in Peoria, Ariz.—turned those skills on his own 1949 Chevy truck, which he showed at SEMA 2015.
For six years, he worked out of his personal garage. But a year ago, Rice made the big step up to his own shop of 2,800 square feet, adding one full-time employee.
Rice owned the 1949 Chevy truck for two years. Five months ago, he got inspired to start a complete restoration. He finished the project—if these types of projects are ever truly finished—just before SEMA. He added a few shake-down miles, when he drove from Las Vegas back home to Arizona.
The truck sits on a S-10 chassis fabricated by Advanced Design Engineering. Rice used McGaughy’s spindles and brakes. and Ride Tech’s Tru Turn steering up front. For the rear, Rice fabricated his own four-link suspension—with Ride Tech’s coil overs and a GM 12-bolt rear end with limited slip.
The power plant is a LS1 engine donated from a 2000 Camaro, with a mild Comp Cams swap. The transmission is a reliable 4L60 with a B&M torque converter. The stock white color was sprayed on by I Candy Paint Works, a neighboring business.
Rice loves this generation of the Chevy truck, and is now working on a 1954 Chevy car for his next personal project. He works on all types of vehicles, but recently a lot of his work has focused on Chevy trucks, which he believes are growing in popularity.
Rice has been attending the SEMA show for 15 years. Three of his previous builds were at SEMA. Rice enjoyed the attention the trucks garnered, especially because he participated in this year’s SEMA Battle of the Builders. The limelight is cool, but Rice’s favorite venue for showing off his personal creations are the roadways in his home town.
