IVY’S POISON UNVEILED

Chrome Shop Mafia “Secret” Build Shows At GATS

(Main Photo by Paul Harley)

One of the coolest custom rigs to hit the show truck scene this year rolled into the Great American Trucking Show in Dallas last week — and rolled out with accolades and awards.

Ivy’s Poison, a 1986 Peterbilt 359owned by Kilgore, Texas-based Thomas Ivy, wowed everyone who saw it on display at GATS.

The custom rig, whose build process was closely guarded by 4 State Trucks’ Chrome Shop Mafia crew, won the prestigious Pride & Polish Best Limited Mileage Bobtail Paint award and other trophies at the GATS Overdrive’s Pride & Polish truck beauty show.

CSM’s Bryan Martin kept a lid on the project during the six-month building process so the new creation would be a surprise to all in attendance at GATS. It was even a surprise to Ivy who saw the truck in its completed form for the first time when he walked into the Dallas Convention Center.

Although no one at 4 State Trucks/Chrome Shop Mafia revealed what their latest custom truck creation cost to build, those familiar with such full-tilt makeovers say they typically run in the neighborhood of $150,000-$175,000.

Such expense is not surprising considering the amount of custom work done, the time involved, and the level of expertise and creativity shown in bringing this old Peterbilt to its current state.

Ivy’s Poison is going to be a contender for top custom show truck honors wherever it competes for many years to come.

Look for an in-depth story of this truck in an upcoming issue of Custom Rigs.–Bruce W. Smith