When it comes to the trucks we think are hot, there’s a certain look that has been popular over the past decade. That look can be summed up with the word, “restomod” as these trucks keep the factory look but take it all a bit further with modern capabilities. For some reason the style has been adopted by the lowered truck community and hasn’t crossed over much with trucks of different altitudes. This is where Dan Hogan comes in as he has a knack for emulating the restomod look we have grown to love on vehicles that aren’t kissing the pavement.
Like most of us, Dan is a man with a long history of being around custom vehicles. In his younger days, he had a few friends that were working in the autobody industry and with their help, he was able to build the same skills and land himself a career opportunity in the refinishing field. As years went by, he developed a taste for customs and the passion became deeper. As his ambitions grew bigger, he branched out on his own in 2013, hoping to be successful with his shop, Hogie Shines.
Every year since opening up his own shop, Dan has built a personal project to help promote the business. Showing them and then selling them off after to fund the next one has been the ongoing theme. Each time, Dan strives to improve his skillset and make each one better than the last. In doing so, he has completed many different creations that have each turned heads at the annual Dino’s Git Down in the Phoenix area.
Recently, Dan has made a big splash by building big lifted trucks with a super clean restomod style. His thought process when starting these projects was to do something different and since he likes lifted trucks, he thought he would try his hand at making complete showstoppers with them. Well, he was really on to something as people took notice at these builds, which showcase his ability to modify these trucks while making them clean enough to just about eat off of them.
Keeping in line with this theme, Dan wanted to build an early K5 Blazer as they are rarer (under 5,000 were made in 1969) and could make for an interesting project. So, he took to searching on the web and found a vehicle of that year on Instagram page, @cali.broker. The vehicle was able to run and drive but definitely needed some love to make it shine. Since Dan’s shop specializes in fully turning around vehicles like this, he knew he could whip this one back into shape.
Getting this truck off the ground (literally), Dan and his team started by lifting the chassis over a set of straight axles with 6-inch lift Pro Comp leaf springs and modified hangers. It was then equipped with a salvaged 2013 6.0L LS engine and 4L80E transmission with mechanical help from Ike Morgan and Denton Racing for swap parts. The engine was dressed in old school script valve covers attached with All American Billet adapters and then the whole thing was coated in baby blue. Taking it up a notch, the chassis was
smoothed, and powder coated black for the ultimate finish. Topping it all off is a set of 13-inch Wilwood disc brakes and 17×9 KMC wheels with 37” BF Goodrich tires.
For the exterior, things were quite simple as the restomod style doesn’t stray away much from the original look of these vehicles. To clean things up, Dan shaved the fuel cap and made a fuel door out of the rear quarter panel reflector with use of a late-model Chevy Tahoe fuel door hinge. Once the body was worked straight, Dan took the liberty of giving it a two tone of modern Toyota Quicksand tan and Mercedes Cirrus White. Changing things up, MAR-K side trim for a C10 truck was trimmed down and added.
One of our favorite parts of this Blazer is the interior which utilizes the factory seats frames with Snowden foam and Carrara tan vinyl upholstery with Dixxon Flannel shirt material used for the inserts, all stitched together by Ceballos Customs. As far amenities go, the dash was upgraded with Vintage Air climate control, Classic Instruments gauges and a Retro Sound radio to control the Pioneer stereo. This was all surrounded by a custom roll cage for extra protection if someone were to ever test the limits of this vehicle.
Altogether, this Blazer encapsulates the restomod look on a grand scale. After quite a few months of laboring on this super clean SUV, Dan was able to show it at last year’s Git Down and it was an absolute hit. A few months later, it was sold on bringatrailer.com for $165K, making the project a complete success. With the funds from this past build, Dan is already working on the next project, which is a ’71 CST Blazer (original black vin code vehicle) that will sit on top of a Roadster Shop chassis. We can’t wait to see the next build and everything else that is to come from Hogie Shines.
Dan Hogan • ‘69 Blazer
- Build by Hogie Shines
- 2013 Chevy LS 6.0L engine painted baby blue and controlled by original computer re-tuned by Muscle Rods
- ICT accessory drive
- DeWitts aluminum radiator with electric fan
- Vintage script valve covers mounted with All American Billet adapters
- Holley high-rise intake manifold
- Holley Terminator fuel injection
- AFE air filter with custom tube
- Hedman LS Swap headers with polished ceramic coating
- Custom stainless exhaust with MagnaFlow mufflers
- 2013 4L80E transmission
- Atlas two-stick transfer case
- Custom driveshafts by Tad
- Factory chassis with holes filled, modified spring hangers and black powder coating
- Stainless brake lines by Filardi Fab
- Chassis work by Rad Fab
- Dana 44 front axle
- GM 14-bolt rear end
- Pro Comp Soft Ride 6-inch lift leaf springs
- Fox 2.0 shocks
- Wilwood 13-inch brakes
- CPP Hydra Boost
- Red Head steering box
- 17×9 KMC KM223 wheels
- 37×12.5×17 BF Goodrich Mud Terrain KM3 tires
- Boyd Welding 25-gallon gas tank
- MAR-K C10 truck side trim cut down to fit
- Shaved gas cap
- Rear reflector made into fuel door with late-model Chevy Tahoe fuel door hinge
- Toyota Quicksand & Mercedes Cirrus White paint
- Hella headlight
- Flush-mounted LED taillights
- Factory glass installed by State 48 Glass
- CPP steering column
- Billet Specialties steering wheel
- Retro Sound head unit
- Pioneer stereo by Tanner Riedel of Sound Werks
- Factory seats with Snowden foam
- Carrara tan vinyl and Dixxon Flannel shirt material upholstery by Ceballos Customs
- Carpet, door panels and sun visors by Bell Auto Upholstery
- Vintage Air climate control
- American Autowire harness