DirtyMax

Rob Graft owns Nemesis Industries, a company that makes Jeep products. Hauling a 53-foot show trailer around the country from his base in Elbert, Colorado, can involve thousands of miles, so he took great care when building this '12 Dodge 5500.

Kelly Fromm is a man with a big heart. He was in the Army for 16 years before leaving for medical reasons. But his love for his fellow soldiers has never faded. When Kelly built a Camaro (Veteran1) to honor the sacrifice of those who serve our country, he took it all around America on a tour that would rival some rock bands, covering more than 3,500 miles.

"This truck was built in my driveway," John James told us as he showed off his '05 Kodiak 4500. John is a tow truck driver for the Auto Club and the CHP, working the graveyard shift in California. He works hard, and he plays hard. Maybe he plays a little harder than he works. We've seen YouTube videos of John hammering his truck at the dunes, sled pulls, and the track…he never seems to slow down.

The food truck revolution has exploded in many cities in this country. Stories of gourmet chefs adapting an interesting concept (lobster grilled cheese anyone?) and taking it out on the road to adoring crowds are legendary. The use of Twitter to alert the masses about their whereabouts and Facebook pages devoted to food truck spottings feed the frenzy.

Blending work with play has always been a fascinating idea, and if you're a regular reader of Work Truck Review, you know our readers are good at it. While trucks may be the hard-working tools we use to earn a living, they also brighten our day with plush, comfortable cockpits and sweet-sounding stereo, entertaining us on our way to work in the morning and draining away some of the stress after a long, hard day. Cosmetic upgrades add to the look and instill pride of ownership while functional upgrades increase our ability to get the job done.

When you bring a project vehicle to Tom Stark at Precision Designs Fabrication in Henderson, Colorado, you know the crew will tackle it head-on and come up with some pretty brilliant ideas. So when Roger and Rhonda Brown said they wanted a hot-rodded '44 Mack fire truck, there was no doubt which direction the project was headed.

More than any other segment of the market, pickup trucks have improved drastically over the years. Originally designed with only function in mind, pickups were hard-riding, ill-handling vehicles that were as drafty as they were devoid of creature comforts.

Tony Sunday drives this '07 Ford F-550 service body truck every day in Beaumont, Texas, as he works for Deep South Crane & Rigging. When you work hard for a living, you come to appreciate a good truck.

Most people who use their truck for work pay attention to the operating costs. An eagle eye spots the best value for fuel and grabs it while it's still priced low (50-plus-gallon tanks come in handy when there's an unusual bargain). A smart entrepreneur keeps receipts for every detail of operating his or her rolling toolbox. And the really smart ones consider putting commercial truck tires intended for a medium-duty truck on their HD pickups for the cost savings, improved performance and, frankly, because they look so darn good!

Do you pull a trailer? Do you haul a heavy load? Would you like to use less fuel? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you are a candidate for a tuner. A simple box in your pickup can do all this.

One of the joys of owning a new truck is the paint looks great. In fact, it will never look better than it does straight off the showroom floor. There's not a chip or rock ding to be seen on the unblemished surface. But life on the road is hard, especially for the front end of your vehicle. When going 60 mph, even a small pebble acts like a BB shot from a gun. The painted surface it hits doesn't stand a chance, and missing paint is usually the result. There is a way to keep those damaging rocks away from your delicate paintjob, though, and the best part is that you won't even see it working.

Ford unveiled the Ford Atlas Concept at the Detroit Auto Show to showcase the design, capability, fuel efficiency, and smart technologies the company says will define future pickup trucks. While this concept is an F-150, we would expect the HD trucks might be on the same path.

It’s common for railroads to paint some of their locomotives in heritage colors as historical tributes to former railroads. Railroads also use work trucks ranging from pickups to heavy-duty specialized vehicles that have the ability to ride on the rails. Many of the high-rail pickups are used for service-related maintenance and most seem to be ordinary white or a plain color.

Space Cap

Destruction Time
Looking for some fun when you're not driving your truck? ODD Games' new Monster Truck Destruction game app features the Rislone Defender monster truck and allows you to crush obstacles, race competitors, and hear the roar of the crowd. Available from Apple's App store.

Another Work Truck Review issue has been delivered to your hands. That makes six issues of WTR we've published now. I think every issue is getting better, but the real judgment is up to you. In case you're a bit confused, every other issue in 2013 will be a Work Truck Review theme. It started with the February issue, so after this issue you will also be getting WTR for the June, August, October, and December issues.

This is our fourth year of bringing you coverage of one of South Carolinas favorite shows, Southeast Showdown. Held just outside the city limits of Anderson, South Carolina, at the Anderson Motor Speedway, this event gets bigger and better every year. It has also gained a strong following in the eight-lug community as a place to go if you want to see your truck in the magazine.

Unless youre new to the truck show scene in the Southeast, you probably already know about the LNO show. For the last several years, weve been bringing you coverage of this event, which is put on by the members of Hardcore Minis in Orlando, Florida, as a tribute to a fallen friend. Larry Neal Oliver was killed by thieves who stole his truck. The show, now in its 17th year, has been a way to keep his memory alive. Each year, Larrys parents join the event, traveling from their home in South Carolina to be with their extended family. While Larry may be gone, hell never be forgotten by the Hardcore Minis crew. Although it has its serious side, the show has always been about fun, and this year was no exception. A great collection of cars and trucks entertained the spectators, with the location adding even more to the fun. The Sanford Hooters restaurant was the site of this years get-together, with hot wings and beautiful girls adding a whole new dimension.

Not so long ago, the word diesel didnt gain the attention of the gearhead, but more of the working man. For many, the most recognizable diesel application would have to be the semis that haul our goods each day. Now, though, in an ever-changing world, diesel has taken on a new roll. Each and every day, hardworking guys and gals push the limits of this fuel, turning it into its own sport. With its widespread popularity, many folks have turned to festivals of diesel eventsor perhaps we should call them extravaganzas? The Scheid Diesel Extravaganza is absolutely one of the best.

The price of owning a diesel-powered truck is on the rise. With high fuel prices and dealership mechanic rates running more than $100 an hour, its high time we started looking for the knowledgeable guy who runs his own shop and doesnt try to gouge his customers to make a quick waterfall of cashbut would rather establish a relationship with his customers for long-term, repeat business.

In 1978, Ford built an extended-cab F-250 concept truck inspired by its big rigs called the Little Louie. The extended cab remains on this custom version we’ve designed, but (unlike the original) the mini sleeper configuration is absent. The dark red side stripe shown here was white on the concept truck. The hood and bedcover are black, and the roof lights, air horns, antennas, and twin exhaust stacks remain true to the concept. The blacked-out front grille is a dark gray here and is altered to reflect what Ford was doing with its COE trucks, so the grille is split, allowing for the name to be placed in the center. The headlight bezels are also black (on the concept version they were chrome), and the rear window has black louvers.

A warehouse distributor is a company you probably dont even know existsyet a good one can have a big effect on your happiness when you visit the local truck shop.

Four days after buying this 08 Dodge 2500, Tanner Brown was tearing into it and installing a lift kit. Working on the truck with his brother Brandon, he started with a 6-inch lift kit and a set of 18-inch wheels with 37-inch tires. That got plenty of attention in and around Auburn, Illinois.

First Email
I was wondering what you thought of my ’07 Dodge 2500.
Brad Bundy