MAKING A SPLASH AGAIN

If we had done this five years ago, it would have been a flop,” stated Mark Oja in a serious tone. He’s not lying, either. The ’90s style and aesthetic has made a resurgence in the last couple of years, bolstered in part by car shows like Radwood that promote the aesthetic. It could also just be that things were simpler then, and people are longing for some of that carefree simplicity. No matter what the reason, Mark’s recreation of the Belltech truck was a resounding success when he debuted it at the SEMA show in 2019.

The original Belltech truck was built specifically for the 1990 SEMA show. Jim Fairweather, owner of Belltech, purchased it new from Richard Hibbard Chevrolet in Claremont, California. It was finished in Tropical Turquoise, a fleet color available to “quantity buyers.” Intended for marketing their suspension and customizing components, the C1500 immediately got the full complement of Belltech’s suspension catalog, including drop spindles, springs, shocks, sway bars, and a rear axle flip and frame notch kit. Belltech also sold the billet grille inserts and “bumper mask”, a paintable cover for