
Issue
September 2022
Owner
Josh Cyrus
Ride
FYRWOOD
(1995 Chevrolet S-10ss)
(1995 Chevrolet S-10ss)
Meaning Behind the Name
The flames integrated with the woodgrain, it was a natural fit.
Photographer
Nick
Ride Details
Original Cost
17K
Build Cost
Too much :-)
What was the inspiration?
I can remember seeing all the custom S-10’s on the scene and thinking one day I will have one of my own. My love for this truck started with a sideways exit from the dealership in Jackson, Ohio on the test drive. Although I custom ordered it, they asked if I wanted to test drive it before signing the paperwork. I can remember the look on her face when I told my sales lady that it didn’t have enough power and we needed to order something faster. It was at this moment I knew that this truck was my lifetime project.
How long did it take you to build?
The totality of the build has been since 1995 as I started customizing it as soon as I brought it home, but this version was 21Years in the making.
How long have you been building?
I have been customizing vehicles since 1993 with my first car.
Club Affiliations
Ecstacy Customz
Your future plans?
Continue to refine the truck and hit as many national shows as our schedule allows. {Currently still available for SEMA if anyone has a spot :-)....}
Vehicle history
The story with the 21-year build should have been foreseen as the truck had issues from the start. She qualified for the lemon law and was broken into all within her first two years. There was an unstoppable oil leak, and the entire passenger side of the truck didn’t get seam sealer on the assembly line. It took them a while, and a couple carpet kits, to figure that one out. It wasn’t until I decided in 97 to make her a show truck did we finally get somewhere. There were multiple shows and awards from 97-2001 and most importantly we made a lot of lifelong friends from all over during that time.
Most people don’t know the real story of the teardown to what lead to the truck you see today known as Project FYRWOOD. It was like any other Friday, we had plans to hit a show that weekend and had her loaded ready to go. This is where things went sideways. The rear air ride tended to leak down overnight back then and so if I left it in the trailer, I would loosen the rear straps and lay them on the floor so it would not bend the roll pan. In my excitement to get moving we packed the trailer and pulled out…..I know you see where this is going. We didn’t get but 2 miles down the road and a car pulled out in front of me causing me to hard brake…. Boom Boom? I thought that was weird but didn’t realize how lucky I was until we pulled over and opened the trailer door. What usually was a view of the front bumper and grill was now the rear of the cab and passenger side door…. UGH! I took it back home and assessed the damage. Once we pulled it out, I had found that the front straps had kept it from going into the rear of my Dually. I am not even sure if it touched the front wall of the trailer or not. There were marks on it as well, but what happened was the plastic lawn chairs that I had in front of the truck exploded and scratched the front bumper pretty good. I think this may have been what marked the front of the trailer, or it could have hit slightly as well.
The “scratch” issue, most would have probably pulled the front bumper and sprayed it to go on with life. I have a few updates I wanted to do and some upgrades, so I asked Carey if he was up for it while fixing the bumper.
The truck was dropped off a Bewley’s in 2001 while we built the tow rig dually into a backup show truck. Carey and the team got to work on a plan, and we agreed on where we were taking it for the upgrades. We got off to a good start and then Carey called me to meet up. This was in 2001 and the truck needed a change, everyone was doing body drops and bigger wheels, so what the perfect excuse to go to the next level. We renegotiated to add some suicide doors a complete shaved rear and a body drop, the rest came later. Bewley’s was growing like crazy at that time and moved shops 2 times while we were in the build process. The truck was originally scheduled to be finished in 2002 and then with the changes to be at SEMA in 2004. If you’re reading this in 2022 you can guess that both of those dates didn’t make it for numerous reasons.
It was spring 2007 when I finally got the call that everything was worked out and we could pick up the truck. I hooked up and headed to Indy to pick up the truck. We tore the engine down shortly after some wedding photos with it and started to get it finished in my small garage. It didn’t take long to realize I would need more space and a larger garage was in our future. Well as they say life got in the way and many years and too much money was spent to get it back to drivable condition including an entire March performance pulley system, 2 sets of spider injectors, a new fuel pump and the second painted gas tank, we had it back and ready for Trent to start the interior. We dropped it off with Trent the end of the year 2020 with a pile of JL audio parts and a Pioneer head unit with only one instruction, make it BadA$$. He was about 8 months in when he told me that the head unit would not work for his idea, and I needed to get a remote screen unit. Picked it up and headed his way to swap it out for him to meet me at the driveway. I honestly did not see anything of this truck for the time he had it. I gave him free reign and he used his artistic skills to come up with what you see today. It has been a long journey and I still feel that the truck is cursed like Cristine or something, but she is finally what I dreamed of all those years ago.
Thanks to
Body – The crew at Bewley’s Body works,
Grille – Josh Cyrus, Aaron Lynch
Bumper – Josh Cyrus, Steve Graves
Suspension – Josh Cyrus, Steve Graves, Todd Wilt (Ride Tech / SSBC)
Paint – Mike Mitchoffer, Billy the Kid, Lit’l Bill (HOK), Aaron Lynch
Interior: Trent VanArsdalen / Shawn Appleman – Trent’s Trick Upholstery (Apex Auto Leather)
Engine – Josh Cyrus, Numerous Friends
Thanks to all that helped with the project over the years especially my brothers and sisters of Ecstasy Customz.
Special thanks to my parents and wife for putting up with me through the ups and downs of this project as well as pushing me to finish it when at times I wanted to give up.
Previous Rides
1999 Crew Cab Dually
2006 K2500 HD (Big Red - May 2017 Cover truck)
1972 Suburban
2017 2500HD - tow pig
1989 C1500 - future build and ex daily driver
Engine Details
Make
Chevrolet 1995
Cylinders
V6
Displacement
262
Engine Mods
March Performance Pully system, Cold air intake, Fully Painted many chrome and aluminum accents.
Chrome or polish
many accessories and accents
Chassis Details
Chassis
Fully shaved and Painted, Custom Todd Wilt (WB) c-notch and air ride setup
Frame Builder
Josh Cyrus, Steve Graves, Aaron Lynch, Todd Wilt
Drop or lift inches
Body Drop and air ride to lay out
Front Shocks
Monroe
Rear Shocks
Monroe
Spindles
Bell Tech
Springs
Firestone
Four Link
Custom WB
Compressor Info
Firestone
Valve Info
Air Lift
Airbag Info
Firestone 2600 Front and 9000 rears
Chrome, Paint, or Polish
Paint by Aaron Lynch / Bewley's
Wheels Details
Front Wheel Type
Torque Thrust II polish and body color
Rear Wheel Type
Torque Thrust II polish and body color
Front Wheel Size
18"
Rear Wheel Size
20"
Paint Details
Color
HOK Cobalt Blue base with pearls
Paint Type
HOK
Graphics Description
All HOK paint woodgrain and flames
Painted By
Bewley's Body Works
Graphics By
Bewley's Body Works
Body Details
Body Drop
3.5"
Hood
Choo Choo Customs Cowl induction
Grille
Custom hand built with Billet inserts
Bumpers
Stock with custom hand built Billet inserts
Body Mods
Too many to list - there is not a stock panel on the truck anymore
Suicide Doors, Custom one-off grille and bumper, shaved handles, shaved lights, shaved tailgate / rear end, antenna, custom rear taillights/3rd brake light on the back of cab, relocated gas door, fully custom bed to tub rear wheels and flames cut out in bed floor just to name a few highlights
Body Mods by
Bewley's Body Works
Interior Details
Dashboard
Custom one-off handmade
Gauges
Custom fit factory cluster integrated and shaded
Steering Wheel
Custom one-off handmade Prototype inspired
Console
Custom one-off handmade floating console
Head Unit
Pioneer DMH-WC6600NEX
Amps
JL Audio VX1000/5i
Speakers
JL Audio 13TW5v2 & C3-650
Video System
Pioneer DMH-WC6600NEX
Stereo Installed by
Trent's Trick Upholstery
Shifter
Trimmed with custom shifter knob
Seats
Custom one-off handmade
Tint Percent
N/A - Why would you want to hide that interior?
Trunk or Bed
Fully hand fab sheet metal / painted
Upholstery Description
Fully Brushed Indian River leather interior with over 6 hides from Apex Leather. Hand fabricated Dash and instrument cluster with custom one-off floating center console holding the pioneer remote mount screen. Reworked stock 60/40 bench cut into buckets and hand carved seat foam with custom stitching and inserts to match the floor and accent panels throughout. Fully shaved floor with all aluminum fabricated panels and console. Custom overhead console and kick panels to hold the JL components. Custom contoured rear panel to house the JL sub and amps that hugs the buckets. Custom door panels with door openers integrated into the arm rests. Relocated power window switches, lighting and headlights to the center console and laser etched buttons. Lazer etched fuse label for fuse identification on the end panel of the dash. Custom made one-off steering wheel that was welded and covered in 3D printed leather covered accents with laser etched script "Chevrolet". Custom hand shaped steering column to match steering wheel. Custom 3D printed and leather wrapped pedals, handmade floormats and much more.
Upholstery By
Trent's Trick Upholstery
“FYRWOOD”
Owned by: Josh Cyrus
Photos by: Nick Means