SUMMER 2009
(On newsstands now!)
SPECIAL SECTION
48 LAP OF LUXURY
By Ashley Vice
CR’s premium seat buyer’s guide takes a closer look at what it takes to win the votes from judges while keeping you comfortable during the long-hauls
FEATURES
12 A MATTER OF POLICY
By Bruce W. Smith
Making sure your insurance is as custom as your rig
20 MAKING POINTS
By Carolyn Magner
Scoring big with truck beauty show judges begins at ground level
24 BIG-RIG BUILD-OFF 2009
By Bruce W. Smith & Max Heine
Surprise ending when three custom builders face off at Mid-America challenge
38 LOUISVILLE SLUGGERS
By Bruce W. Smith
Overdrive’s Kentucky Pride & Polish attracts the big hitters of custom truck building
TECH/HOW-TO
14 FLIP SIDE
By Bruce W. Smith
Protecting an expensive custom bumper is easy if you look at its installation from the…
42 POWER HUNGRY
By Hib Halverson
We put the Pittsburgh Power Upgrade to a real world test in a Cat ACERT C-15
52 GLUTEUS MAXIMUS SEATUS
By Justin Thyme
Long-haul or short, high-tech Maverick seat upgrade brings the massage therapist along for the ride
58 GET A GRIP
By Bruce W. Smith
15-minute upgrade adds a new spin to class and comfort inside the cab
60 GETTING HOSED
By Hib Halverson
Beautify your rig’s engine with braided-stainless hoses and anodized fittings – but get the right ones
CUSTOM RIGS
26 MAD MAX
By Max Heine
Sleek front end and sharp graphics turn an auctioned 379 into a sweet treat
28 VIGILANTE
By Bruce W. Smith
Taking a customer’s request for an “industrial look” to a wicked-cool level
32 BIG RED
By Bruce W. Smith
Frame-up resto takes this 28-year-old Pete from an oil-field workhorse to Build-Off champion
54 RUM RUNNER
By Bruce W. Smith
Gold fever and elbow grease spurs family to transform an aging Pete into a movie-themed treasure
DEPARTMENTS
4 DRIVER’S SEAT
It’s showtime!
6 READER’S RIGS
Web Gallery trucks the CR staff found to have that something extra
7 CALENDAR
A fast way to keep tabs on all the truck beauty shows and related trucking events
8 GEAR/NEW PRODUCTS
Gear and goods to make both you and your truck a little more special
66 PRO TIPS
Reader’s tech questions answered by the customizing experts
67 CHROME SHOPS
State-by-state listings of one-stop providers of customizing accessories and services
71 AD INDEX
If you missed someone’s sales pitch, here’s another opportunity to find it
72 THE BACK PAGE
Behind the scene of Matt ‘Bad Company’ Kolb and his ‘Trick My Truck’ build-out of his ‘88 Pete
