Dallas Truck Show, "GATS" Pictures

As I promised in an earlier post, I went to the Great American Trucking Show in Dallas, TX on the 20th. Seems like a month of Sundays ago now. We have been there for the last 3 years running and it seemed that the traffic was down again this year. Not only was the spectator or attendee traffic down though, there was noticeably a fewer number of displays and or vendors in attendance. We did see a lot of people who are leased to the same company to which we are leased. One of the husband wife teams bought a new truck, with a custom sleeper and it was on display there. The builder of the custom bunk was AA(double A) and it was a spectacular build. Someday, I will have to tell the story, no the nightmare of our sleeper build, by a derelict in Brooten, MN. but I digress. I didn't get a picture of the custom sleeper, for some stupid reason, for which I have no explanation.

I did get some good pics of some very custom trucks though, they follow. Enjoy.
This is a picture of a late 70's or early 80's model W9A Kenworth. I would love to do a complete rebuild of one of these trucks and run it up and down the highways.
The picture on the right is of a B61 model Mack. My father had one of these trucks leased to Watkins Motor Lines when he first started in Trucking over 53 years ago. His had a sleeper cab on it and he and his brother ran a team operation from southern Illinois to Florida, again, for Watkins Motor Lines. I would also like to do one of these and take my father on a farewell to trucking trip across the U.S.. I think he'd love that.


This is one of two of my favorite "customs". The paint on this truck is like a mirror and the "Suicide Doors" are amazingly natural looking. I like the way the razors are used throughout the truck, in and out, as a theme. He even has a shifter made into a razor edge. The razors in the paint are in a kind of 3D, so that it seems as if you could actually cut yourself on them if touched.

This is another Peterbilt that just really, at first blush, appears to be in an unfinished state. Although, when inspected a bit closer, this is exactly the look for which the owner was looking. I actually am torn a bit between this look and the one above. I like them both, a lot, and would love to have one of each. Very, very, cool.


This one is a beautiful specimen, for those who are secure enough in their manhood, of a well done paint and body rework. You can actually own this one for $60,000.00, which is believed to be a very good price for a truck of this magnitude. What a great gift to a driving wife. I offered but was denied the opportunity to give it to her as an early Christmas present. Her view is that one is enough. I just wonder if this gets me off the hook for Christmas. I mean, I DID offer...I'm just sayin'.


This truck is slammed to the ground, as you can see. From what I could tell with a closer look, it appears as if, it may be driven but only a few miles per year. I think it actually lifts off the ground so that it can be operated,but only short distances and not as an operating class 8 unit "for hire" to pull a trailer. I couldn't locate the owner for a verification of my findings or beliefs. Another great look adopted and adapted from the auto industry.

I just really enjoyed staring at this truck for the flames. I'm not a big fan of flame paint jobs usually, but this one was immaculately laid out and applied in such a way that it actually appeared to be on fire. I could actually get the feeling of looking or staring into a campfire on a cold autumn night if I cared to look long enough without my wife yapping, oops, talking in my ear. Just kidding, if you read this blog often, you all know I love my wife more than anything on earth. Anyway, back to the truck. As I was saying, you could be, or at least I could be entranced by the paint on this truck, or at least b the flames panted onto the truck. These guys, whoever the painters are, are unbelievable. I have never seen this kind of talent displayed anywhere other than on metals, metals of all kinds. Automobiles, trucks, pickups, motorcycles, etc.. You are truly missing out on talent if you don't visit some of these show venues.

Speaking of masterful paint jobs. I don't think these pictures do any justice whatsoever to the detail work on some of these displays. I'm telling you the truth when I say that the talent at these shows is honestly unmatched or certainly unsurpassed at any other venue where art is displayed. I realize this is a motorcycle in a truck show but to say the paint is extraordinary is the understatement of the year.



I believe I would be remiss in my attempts to display the beauty at this show if I didn't show you this truck and trailer. This trailer has been air brushed to the finest of fine detail. Again, these pictures don't show the true talent and or beauty but trust me when I say that none other has been so perfectly done. The picture is of horses, or their heads, splashing through water and show the freedom of their jaunt. I, again, stared endlessly. I couldn't get a clear shot but enjoy what you can see.

This is a view of the Pride and Polish show trucks taken from the upper level of the show. While it doesn't reveal all the trucks that were there for judging, it does give you an idea of the enormity of the show.

A show, within the show, was the impersonators, like this Johnny Cash look alike. Though I didn't get any audio of this guy, he does sound amazingly similar to the Icon who is Johnny Cash. We enjoyed his music until the displays opened at 1200 noon and later that day they also had a Marilyn Monroe look and act alike as well. I wsan't even able to get close enough to get a decent picture of her. Why you ask, c'mon, it's a truck show, guys everywhere and Marilyn Monroe in the house...You figure it out.

Finally, I didn't get a picture of Randy Fields and his FS2500 bypass filter display but Randy is a very good friend of mine and a true patriot. Randy invented and distributes the FS2500 filter unit for many different uses. I have used Randy's filter unit for over 10 years and have never had an issue with any engine I have ever ran. We have ran every truck we've owned over 1 million miles with absolutely NO major engine problems whatsoever. I think that that is directly attributable to the quality and performance of Randy's filtering unit. Incidentally, I have been, nor will I ever be, paid or compensated in any way for this recommendation. I truly believe in this product and any product for which I might, in the future, make a recommendation.