Until a couple of decades ago, two-door SUVs were extremely popular. Time, as they say, is not kind to anyone, but that doesn’t stop certain tuning studios from bringing them back to life, in the form of bold conversions. That’s exactly what Flat Out Autos has done with a 2018 Chevrolet Z71 Tahoe, which was shown at the 2021 SEMA Show.

Making a modern vehicle look like a classic is a tall order, especially given all the new regulations, on where stuff should be mounted. Regardless, the Arkansas-based studio has done a great job of recreating the iconic, two-door SUV body-style, which GM gave up on, back in 1999. It would seem that was a mistake on behalf of GM since the Jeep Wrangler continues to sell in two-door form and even the Ford Bronco is back with a two-door version.

The most obvious alteration is, obviously, in the middle where the tuning specialists “removed some real estate”, removed the rear doors, and mounted much larger quarter glasses. In addition, the front passenger seat was modified, so it now folds forward, providing access to the second-row seats.

The front fascia is identical to the 1969-1972 model, featuring a chrome grille, and the obligatory for that era chrome bumpers. It also features ala-Mk I rear taillights and a two-piece tailgate that says Chevrolet on it. The classic look is completed by the custom, chrome wheels, which are inspired by the Mk I wheels (only much bigger) and are wrapped in white-letter tires. The guys at Flat Out Autos have also thrown in a bunch of custom, K5 Tahoe badges for good measure.

Even more impressive is that all the active and passive safety features and driver assists work, as they do on a stock new vehicle. This is not the first time the people at Flat Out Autos have showcased their expertise in conversions, as they built four, full-size models of the K5 Blazer, based on the same-generation Tahoe. Moreover, one person liked them so much, he bought all four of them. As for the two-door K5 Tahoe, it really is the best of both worlds – classic looks and modern-day drivability.