Armor, racks, towing, tint, fabrication, restoration
Custom Builds, Armor, and Accessory Installation in Vernon Hills
A build is a sequence, not a shopping list. Armor adds weight the suspension has to be specified for, a winch needs its wiring planned with the bumper rather than after it, and a bumper has to account for the sensors and cameras already in the one coming off. We plan the order so each stage does not have to be undone by the next.
Covers bumpers, winches, armor, sliders, racks, bed covers, towing, window tint, accessories, fabrication, restoration, and performance work.
What the job includes
All of it is part of the work.
- A plan and an order
- What gets done first, what can wait, and what has to happen together. The suspension is specified against the weight actually going on, not against a stock vehicle.
- Bumpers, armor, and recovery
- Front and rear bumpers, tire carriers, rock sliders, skid plates, and diff guards, with winch mounting and wiring planned alongside the bumper.
- Racks, storage, and bed
- Bed racks, roof tents, drawer systems, tonneau and bed covers, fitted so the rack and the cover work together instead of against each other.
- Fabrication
- One-off brackets, mounts, and parts built here when nothing off the shelf fits the vehicle or the plan.
- Towing and steps
- Hitches, seven-pin wiring, and brake controllers, plus running boards, nerf bars, and side steps. Worth doing with the lift rather than after it, because ride height is what decides which step actually helps.
- Glass and tint
- Window film cut and fitted to your glass, for heat, glare, and privacy. Illinois has limits on how dark the front glass can go and we work inside them.
- Performance
- Performance and custom exhaust, cold air intakes, and ECU tuning. Usually last in a build rather than first, because gearing and weight change what a tune should be doing.
- Older vehicles
- Frame-off restoration, media blasting and paint prep, chrome re-plating, custom upholstery, modern gauges and wiring, drivetrain swaps, and disc brake conversions. The 1957 Jeep FC-150 and the 1965 Continental in our gallery are both ours, and both went to SEMA in 2025.
What we specify
Every one of these is decided against your vehicle rather than off a chart.
- What happens now and what waits, if you would rather stage it.
- Steel or aluminum armor, which changes the weight the suspension carries.
- Whether the factory sensors, cameras, and parking assist carry over or want brackets.
- Winch wiring, its fuse, and a disconnect, planned alongside the bumper.
- Whether the suspension is respecified once the armor weight is on.
- What we fabricate here, when nothing off the shelf fits the vehicle.
What we'll ask you
Usually enough for us to price it on the first call.
- The year, model, and trim.
- What the vehicle is for.
- How far you want to take it, and when you want it back.
- Anything already on it.
- A photo or two, if that is easy. Otherwise we will look at it here.
What this covers
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Wrangler and Gladiator
Jeep Accessories
Bumpers, winches, fenders, armor, tops, lighting, recovery gear, and trail accessories for Wrangler, Gladiator, and Cherokee builds.
Grenadier owners
INEOS Grenadier Accessories
Wheels, lighting, racks, armor, and recovery gear for the INEOS Grenadier. A smaller parts list than most trucks, so we check availability first.
Built in our shop
Custom Builds & Fabrication
Bumpers, sliders, and skid plates, plus one-off parts we build here when nothing off the shelf fits. Planned around how the vehicle is used and when you want it back.
Tahoe, Suburban, and Yukon
SUV Upgrades
Wheels, tires, leveling kits, suspension, lighting, storage, racks, and exterior accessories for Tahoe, Suburban, Expedition, Bronco, 4Runner, and more.
Carrying gear
Racks, Bed & Storage
Roof racks, bed racks, tonneau and bed covers, drawer systems, and roof tents, fitted so the rack and the cover still work with each other.
Getting in and pulling out
Towing, Steps & Hitches
Hitches, wiring, and brake controllers, plus running boards, nerf bars, and side steps so a lifted truck is still easy to get into.
Heat, glare, privacy
Window Tint
Film cut and fitted to your glass. Knocks down heat and glare, and keeps the interior from cooking in a car that sits outside all summer.
Older vehicles
Restoration & Classic Work
Frame-off restoration, media blasting, chrome re-plating, upholstery, and modern drivetrains in classic bodies. The 1957 FC-150 and the 1965 Continental are both ours.
Exhaust, intake, tuning
Performance
Performance and custom exhaust, cold air intakes, and ECU tuning. Usually the last stage of a build, once the weight and the gearing are settled.
Vehicles we do this on
Each one has the setups people go with and the builds we finished on it.
Custom Builds & Accessories questions we get
- Can a build be done in stages?
- Yes, and it often should be. We plan the order so an early stage does not have to be undone later, which mostly means specifying the suspension once the armor and gear weight are known.
- Do you work on INEOS Grenadiers?
- Yes. The parts list is smaller than most trucks, so we confirm availability up front rather than after.
- Will a new bumper break my parking sensors or camera?
- Not if the bumper is chosen with them in mind. Some accept the factory sensors, some take relocation brackets, and some do neither. We check that against your trim.
- Do you take on older vehicles?
- Yes, and we have the work to show for it. A 1957 Jeep FC-150 went through a full frame-off restoration here with a modern drivetrain, and a 1965 Lincoln Continental got a body restoration, chrome re-plating, air ride, a disc brake conversion, and a modern wiring harness. Both were SEMA 2025 builds. Bring us the vehicle and we will tell you honestly what it needs.
- Can you build a part that does not exist?
- Often, yes. We fabricate brackets, mounts, sliders, and one-off parts here. Bring us the vehicle and the problem and we will tell you whether fabricating is the right answer or something off the shelf covers it.
Get a price for your vehicle
Tell us what you drive and what you want done. We make sure the parts fit your vehicle, price the parts and the labor together, and book the install.