STORY: Chris Kitching
PHOTOGRAPHY: Mike Grandmaison

Sometimes a bus pass is the ultimate expression of dedication for automobile enthusiasts. This was the case with Adam Cote and Dayna Noordman as the couple was without wheels while their daily driver spent nearly eight months last year becoming one of Winnipeg's most recognizable trucks.

"Some nights we were housebound," Cote joked.

Cote bought the 2002 Chevrolet S10 in 2002 from a Winnipeg dealership. They initially had no plans for their S10 but were inspired to make some radical changes to their small, untouched pickup after they saw what other owners were doing to their rides.

The modification process started with an Air Lift Easy Street air ride kit. Two inches separated the truck's front end and the road while four inches separated the rear after the two-week install.

What was supposed to be the S10's only alteration became only the first step, like kids in a candy store, Cote and Noordman, 22, couldn't hold back. More modifications and accessories followed. Cote and Noordman utilized the expertise of numerous experts as they added Neeper Megga rims, suicide doors, shaved exterior parts and a front end identical to that of a 2003 Chevy Trail Blazer.

"It's something unique. I was getting tired of the same front end and I wanted something that would make the truck stand out a little bit more," Cote said of the nose job.
The S10 spent more time in the hands of specialists earlier this year to get it ready for the 2005 World of Wheels at the Winnipeg Convention Centre and other car shows this summer. The truck will hit city streets this spring with a new three-tone paint job-a custom blend of stratto blue, silver and jet black-and an interior overhaul.

Like any addiction, Cote and Noordman say they will continue to tinker with their prized S10, which has already garnered several awards at events such as Cruz In Downtown and Sport Compact Nights. "We'd like to say we're finished with it but you never finish. I'm sure next year we'll want to do something else with it," said Cote.

The desire to keep modifying maybe more a reflection of Cote and Noordman's five-year relationship with each rather than their three-year relationship with their vehicle. The Winnipeg couple has poured a lot of time and money into their custom 2002 Chevy S10 but all of that input has been worth it considering what they're getting out of it.

Aside from the admiration of their peers and various awards from shows in and outside of Manitoba, the lowered truck is a vehicle for Cote and Noordman to spend time together in an environment they're both passionate about.

"It's a great hobby for us because it's something Dayna and I can both do together," Cote said. "Everything that we've done to the truck has built up to where it is now." The car buffs are now as close to each other as their lowered S10 is to pavement when they take it to shows in Canada and the U.S.