The Sky’s the Limit
Brett Sparks at Nothing But Lifts has been raising the bar in Walker County since 2013
Words & Images by Justin Hunter
Nothing But Lifts on Alabama Highway 5 in Jasper is not your run-of-the-mill mechanic shop. You can’t schedule an appointment for an oil change, tire rotation, or an engine checkup, but if you want to lift your truck, Jeep, or UTV, give Brett Sparks a call.
Nothing But Lifts is a small, family-owned and operated business and one of the premier custom suspension shops in the Southeast. “We specialize in custom suspensions,” says Brett. “Our main focus is pickup trucks, and we will do anything from adding a couple of inches of lift upward to 16 inches; it just depends on what the customer wants.”
When he started, Brett was the only person in the area doing custom suspensions. Now everyone wants to get into the business, Brett says, and because some folks lack the experience or know-how, he cautions customers on who you let work on your suspension.
As it turns out, mechanic work comes naturally to this Jasper native. Brett grew up with oil-stained shirts and grease underneath his fingernails from helping at Quality Muffler & Brake, his grandfather’s mechanic shop on Highway 69. He had just graduated from Curry High School when he first lifted his 1989 Chevrolet Silverado 1500.
“How I got started was simple—I wanted to lift my own truck,” Brett explains. “There wasn’t anybody in the area who lifted trucks. I checked out a place in Birmingham, but it was extremely expensive. I was 17 at the time and elected to do it myself with the help of some friends.”
The plan was to add six inches of lift to Brett’s ‘89 Silverado. He and his friends disassembled the truck outside his grandfather’s mechanic shop.
“When we finally got it pulled apart, I thought I had ruined my truck,” Brett recalls. “We had it completely off the suspension and had to cut part of the frame off. I was thinking, ‘I don’t know if I can put this back together.’ It took us all weekend to complete the job.”
After successfully installing his lift kit, Brett spent dozens of weekends over the next several years installing them for his friends and friends of friends. It became his weekend side hustle while pursuing his business degree at the University of North Alabama (UNA) in Florence, and his reputation and clientele grew. He didn’t have his own shop during that time but utilized a small family garage.
Brett graduated from UNA with a degree in business in 2008 but returned to school several years later to become an RN. While working as a nurse at the Adam Bishop Center, he fell in love with a co-worker named Brianna. In 2013, Brett officially started Nothing But Lifts but continued working as an RN until 2017, when he built his shop. Having his own space allowed Brett to pour all of his time and energy into growing Nothing But Lifts.
Nine years later, Brett has the privilege of working with his wife and friends at his 7,500 square foot multi-building shop. It’s a far cry from the cramped garage at his parent’s house.
“The sky is the limit regarding the amount of customization we can do to a truck,” Brett says. “I try to get a budget and maximize what a customer can get within their price range. For instance, a basic two-inch is a couple of hundred dollars before you factor in new tires. Tires can vary from a couple of hundred to a couple of thousand each.”
Brett and his Nothing But Lifts team do fantastic work. You can check out their custom builds on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. You’ll find a ton of content, from high-quality videos to magazine-worthy photos.
“Come down and see us at Nothing But Lifts,” says Brett. “We’d love to do your truck.” 78