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Bruce Malmgren plucked a truck from his Utah fleet and built a winner

By Max Kvidera

In 2007 veteran driver and Utah trucking company owner Bruce Malmgren chose from his 30-truck fleet an ’06 Peterbilt 379 to play out his show truck dream.

He checked out a Salt Lake City truck show, found the competition to his liking and set out to add modifications to the truck, which had roughly 214,000 miles’ worth of nationwide flatbed hauling under its tires.

Malmgren decided three heads were better than one and enlisted the help of his sons, Dustin and Wes – who has modified his own 2004 Pete 379. “It was kind of fun, so we decided to go ahead and do it,” he says. “It’s something for me and my sons to do together.”

They all contributed ideas of what they wanted in the truck, mapping everything out in detail to make sure they did it right the first time, Bruce says. “The biggest thing was less is more. It was not to make it a gaudy truck. We concentrated on the details.”

Over a six-month period, the trio modified the truck inside and out at the family’s shop. They replaced the bumpers, hood, grille, stacks and fuel tanks. They installed stainless steel deck plates between the fuel tanks and from the back of the sleeper around the fifth wheel to the rear of the truck.

The only aluminum remaining is the wheel covers.

CTW Chrome Shop supplied all of the chrome, including the 22-in. front bumper, which  Wes installed. Front fenders are from FiberTech Lowriders, and rear fenders are from Cool Concepts.

Aranda supplied the rear bumper light bar. mexican pharmacy online The 7-in. exhaust stacks were replaced with 8-in. stacks from DynaFlex. Roadworks supplied the blind mount visor and low-profile ovals for the air cleaner tops. Ghost flames were painted on the fenders, panels, fuel and air tanks.

The Malmgren sons stripped the interior, installing a granite floor and new leather seats in navy blue and silver to match the exterior tones. They repainted the dash in the same colors, as well as the vinyl around the gauges, and the door panels were repainted to match. Cab and sleeper panels were supplied by FiberTech. The Malmgrens also added a custom Grant steering wheel.

In 2009 Malmgren drove the newly-christened rig to the 2009 Great West Truck Show in Las Vegas, where he took first in Working Bobtail .

The following year at the GWTS, he earned second place in the same category. Malmgren says he took 2011 off, but he plans to return to GWTS and other shows this year.

[View with PicLens]

Spec’s:

Owner: Bruce Malmgren

Model: 2006 Peterbilt 379

Wheelbase: 280 in.

Engine: Cat, 475 hp

Transmission: Fuller 18 speed

Exteriors mods: Chrome front and rear bumpers, front and rear fenders, 8-in. exhaust stacks, visor, air cleaner tops, stainless steel deck plates and panels

Interior mods: Granite floor, 6-in. cab and sleeper panels, painted dash and door panels to match exterior paint

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