Texan Drennon Durham turned to the ‘Mafia for help, and “$40,000 later, here we are,” says  the proud owner of …

KWITCHERBITCHIN’

By Ashley Vice

(Lead photo by Paul Hartley)

Complaints come over the CB about high fuel prices, low pay and long hours. Texas owner-operator Drennon Durham’s response is lacquered across the rear window of his 2007 Peterbilt. One word say’s it all: Kwitcherbitchin.

Drennon Durham, owner of Kwitcherbitchin.

“Easy Money” is the 23-year-old entrepreneur’s CB handle, given to him by a fellow trucker in recognition of Durham’s success at such a young age. “I consider myself pretty young for a guy with a fleet,” he says. Kwitcherbitchin was Durham’s special project in his eight-truck fleet, launched when he was just 20 years old.

Fully customized by the Chrome Shop Mafia of 4State Trucks in Joplin, Mo., the Pete 379 extended hood flattop looks more decorative than durable, but Durham and the Mafia recognized and delivered on the need for a balance between showmanship and serious business.

The 550-hp Caterpillar and 18-speed Eaton Fuller transmission enable Durham to haul drilling rigs, pipe and equipment with little difficulty other than keeping Kwitcherbitchin’s candy-apple-red finish safe from damage. “I scratched it the other day, and I liked to have cried,” Durham says.

According to Joe Overfelt, Mafia body shop manager, Kwitcherbitchin was customized to fit its owner’s personality with a blend of “flash, style and attitude.”

Durham made a few changes to the truck before taking it to the Mafia, but the makeover was a collaboration, as are many of the Mafia’s custom projects: Durham’s ideas and CSM’s artistry, under the direction of Mafia boss Bryan Martin.

“Bryan and I sat down and made a list of things I wanted done to it,” Durham says, “and $40,000 later, here we are.”

That list was extensive, including a shiny stainless frame cover caressed with a custom airline box. The headlights, single squares mounted in the truck’s 22-in. American Eagle front bumper, are among the most talked-about features.

“Most of the time truckers want to know where the headlights are, because they’re easy to miss going freeway speed,” Durham says.

Kwitcherbitchin is outfitted with WTI rear fenders and a set of outlaw-styled front fenders to make it look just a little lower to the ground.

“You know lower is better,” Overfelt says. They also “dropped” the look of the cab and sleeper with a set of custom cab/cowl and sleeper panels. The job didn’t end there.

“We gave it attitude with a huge audio/video setup so Drennon can draw a crowd at the local truck stops with his old classic country boy tunes,” Overfelt says. The setup combines four 10-in. subwoofers and two 1,000-watt amps with a Panasonic head unit. The truck has a 20-in. flat screen with a DVD player and an Xbox 360. Durham says he’s considering adding satellite.

“The boys here at CSM love building trucks, but it makes it that much sweeter when the trucks we build fit the owners to a T,” Overfelt says.

Only a year since the truck was customized, Durham already is thinking about taking it back in for a few updates. “I would like to stretch it to 379 inches, so the wheelbase and the model would be the same,” he says.

At press time, Durham planned to show off Kwitcherbitchin at the 2008 Paul K. Young Memorial Truck Beauty Championship at the Mid-America Trucking Show. After that, it’s back to work. Durham recently sold his fleet, seeing the opportunity to pay off debts and make a good deal of money in a short time. He plans to continue working for the company he sold to.

“All the big guys around here are buying out the little guys to avoid competition,” Durham says. “It’s just easier to work for someone else and let them deal with the headaches, like taxes.”

He kept one truck: Kwitcherbitchin. “A guy offered $155,000 for it, but I have almost $200,000 in it and wouldn’t sell it anyway,” he says.

Selling his fleet, he says, gives him the opportunity to go to shows – and keep customizing. “Why not?” he asks. “I like to change things up and be different.” Durham says neither he nor his truck is what people imagine when they think of the trucking industry — and that’s the way he likes it. — CR