More Than Just a Build: How Luxifer Made a Young Cancer Survivor's Dream Come True

What started as a simple merch giveaway turned into something much bigger when Kyle Douglas discovered the story behind one of his longtime supporters.

Sometimes the best stories to come out of the car scene aren't really about the cars at all.

For 19-year-old Storm, winning a merch giveaway from Kyle Douglas, better known as Luxifer, was already a pretty good result.

But neither of them had any idea where it would lead.

Storm had been following Kyle's adventures for years. The pair had even crossed paths at a show some time ago, when Storm got to jump in for a quick lap around a grass paddock with Kyle.

Just another lap at a show for some, but the sort of thing a young fan remembers.

Fast forward a few years and Storm's name gets drawn as the winner of one of Kyle's merch giveaways.

Rather than posting the prize out, Kyle decided to drop it off himself.

That's when he learned what Storm had been going through.

At just 19, Storm had spent the previous four years battling cancer. After a long and difficult fight, he'd recently received the news everyone had been hoping for.

He'd been given the all-clear.

What started as a simple merch delivery quickly turned into something much bigger.

Kyle had spent years building his following, sharing his passion for cars and getting to do some pretty cool things along the way.

Now he was in a position to do something special for someone who'd supported him from the early days.

And he decided to make it happen.

A LITTLE HELP FROM MUM AND ONE VERY BIG SURPRISE

Taking a leaf out of the old Overhaulin' playbook, Kyle teamed up with Storm's mum to come up with a plan.

The story was simple. Storm's Holden Colorado needed to go away to have a recall sorted.

Nothing exciting. Just one of those jobs that had to be done.

Except the Colorado wasn't going anywhere near a routine recall.

Behind the scenes, Kyle was rounding up a bunch of businesses and people willing to help give Storm's pride and joy a serious makeover.

The white Colorado, complete with its sticker-covered panels and touring setup, was about to come back looking very different.

And Storm didn't suspect a thing.

GIVING THE COLORADO A WHOLE NEW LOOK

Storm's Colorado was already a well-equipped touring rig.

The dual-cab had a canopy, rooftop tent, awning, snorkel and bullbar, with plenty of signs that it had been built to get out and see a bit of the country.

But Kyle had some big plans for it.

The white bodywork was treated to a textured dark charcoal finish, completely changing the look of the ute.

A fresh set of bronze KMC Wheels, wrapped in chunky off-road rubber, gave it a tougher stance and worked perfectly against the darker panels.

Underneath, the Colorado also scored Superior Engineering suspension components, with the boys getting stuck into the mechanical work while the exterior was being sorted.

There was plenty happening behind the scenes, from stripping and preparing panels to coating, fitting parts and getting everything back together.

And they had to get it all done without Storm finding out.

The finished result was a seriously tidy-looking Colorado that still had all the touring gear Storm loved, just with a completely different attitude.

THE BUSINESSES THAT MADE IT HAPPEN

As much as Kyle was the bloke who got the ball rolling, this wasn't something he could pull off on his own.

He reached out to people and businesses across the car and 4WD scene, and plenty were willing to jump on board.

The main businesses involved included:

RestoFinish

Two Savage

Raptor

Pro Line Collision

KMC Wheels

Salty Captain

SP Tools

Superior Engineering

Dog Tyred

Brisbane Refinish Supplies

From parts and products through to the work involved in getting the Colorado finished, there were plenty of hands involved in making the surprise happen.

And that's one of the best things about the car scene.

For all the noise, big builds, horsepower and personalities, there's no shortage of people willing to lend a hand when there's a good reason behind it.

This wasn't about building a car to win a trophy or putting together another project for social media.

It was about doing something special for a young bloke who'd had a pretty rough run.

And everyone involved deserves a pat on the back for getting behind it.

A REVEAL THAT HIT HOME

After four years of cancer treatment, Storm had already been through more than most people his age.

Getting the all-clear was a massive milestone.

But Kyle and the crew had one more surprise waiting for him.

When Storm finally got to see his Colorado, it was almost unrecognisable.

Gone was the familiar white exterior. In its place was a dark charcoal touring rig sitting on bronze wheels, with fresh suspension and a whole new look.

And judging by Storm's reaction, Kyle had absolutely nailed it.

There was disbelief, plenty of emotion and a young bloke struggling to find the words to describe what he was seeing.

Kyle was visibly emotional too.

For someone who spends plenty of time in front of a camera, it was one of those moments where there wasn't much that needed to be said.

The reaction spoke for itself.

And it was pretty clear that everyone involved had got a lot more out of the experience than simply seeing another finished build roll out of the workshop.

THERE'S MORE TO KYLE THAN CARS AND CONTENT

Anyone who's followed Luxifer for a while knows Kyle loves his cars, his adventures and having a bit of fun along the way.

He's built a solid following doing what he enjoys, and that's opened plenty of doors over the years.

But this particular project says a fair bit about the bloke behind the camera.

Kyle didn't go looking for a story to turn into a video.

He was dropping off a merch prize to a supporter when he learned what Storm had been through.

From there, he saw an opportunity to do something good.

He had the contacts, the platform and the ability to bring people together.

So he used them.

And while the finished Colorado is a pretty impressive result, it's the reason behind the build that makes this one stand out.

Kyle's now in a position where he can make things happen for other people.

And rather than keeping those opportunities to himself, he's choosing to give a bit back.

Not because he has to.

Because he wants to.

MORE THAN JUST A BUILD

It's easy to get caught up in the finished product.

The dark coating, the new wheels, the suspension and all the hours that went into getting the Colorado looking the way it does.

But there's a much bigger story behind this one.

A 19-year-old who spent four years fighting cancer.

A mum who helped organise the surprise.

A bloke who wanted to do something good for one of his supporters.

And a bunch of businesses and people who were happy to get behind him.

It's a reminder that some of the best things to come out of the car scene have nothing to do with who has the biggest horsepower figure or the flashiest build.

Sometimes it's simply about looking after someone else.

To Kyle, the businesses involved and everyone who helped pull this off, what an effort.

And to Storm, congratulations on getting the all-clear.

Here's to plenty more years of getting out, making memories and putting that Colorado to good use.

Because sometimes, the best thing you can build isn't a car. It's a memory.

WATCH THE FULL BUILD AND REVEAL

Kyle filmed the whole thing, from the planning and work on the Colorado through to the moment Storm finally got to see what everyone had been up to.

It's well worth sitting down and watching the full episode.

 

Special thanks to RestoFinish, Two Savage, Raptor, Pro Line Collision, KMC Wheels, Salty Captain, SP Tools, Superior Engineering, Dog Tyred, Monster and everyone else who contributed to making this project possible.