Kevin Johnson: Okay. I am Kevin Johnson with Davis Brothers Designs out of Owensville, Indiana. The truck you see behind us is a 1987 359 owned by Bryan Martin from 4 State Vans. It isn’t a 4 State truck, it is actually Bryan’s truck that he purchased when he was 24 years outdated. The intention was for Bryan simply to lastly get his truck constructed.
After which over this final summer season, Bryan was like, hey, what would you guys take into consideration constructing my truck and utilizing it for the Construct-Off? We’re like, okay, we have by no means totally constructed body off 359, ever. You already know, we take a problem on, we take it very severely. And we have been all like, oh, let Bryan’s truck and construct for the Construct-Off? Yeah, we’ll do this.
So initially, one among our major issues that we’re recognized for at Davis Brothers is the, the paintwork. Our paint and physique store, for my part, is simply second to none. And I can say that with all honesty, as a result of I do not do any work in that. I simply see what’s completed. I see the method. I see how they do it.
And as you may inform by the paint on this truck, there was loads of thought went into all the colours. Bryan had the concepts of what he wished to do so far as the first colours, and he knew he wished some type of stripe. There’s two totally different colours of blue which might be on the body and the chassis, however all of the stripe colours have been designed to type of cover the louvers on the hood.
Lots of people don’t love louvered hoods. Some do, and Brian loves his louvered hood. The entire stripes and every thing even proceed right through the physique, on the the teardrops across the breathers, the within of the air cleaner bracket is even striped, so it is even detailed inside that bracket. And the body, as you may inform, has been completely smoothed down clean.
Clearly, he had a freshly rebuilt — about 12 years in the past — 3406 B Cat motor and we bought that every one painted up. Tried to only do highlights within the engine bay, like sprucing the valve covers as a result of again when this truck would have been interval right and guys have been customizing them, they would not be chrome-plating loads of issues like we’ve the provision to at present quite a bit, simply anyway.
However just like the spike mounts down right here for the cab, these are all polished. The spikes on the hood are all polished out. Higher hood mount up right here the place the hood rests towards, polished that piece out. Even the all of the hose clamps within the engine bay are all polished, and it is type of harmful. You’ll be able to tear an arm off doing that, I about did.
However, then the fellows within the physique store once more painted all of the engine up. Actually good. Cat yellow. And the fellows at 4 State Vans made this actually lovely stainless shroud. And even on the harmonic balancer, we wrapped that with a skinny piece of chrome steel, which was comparatively easy, however it simply give a bit further, give a bit further shine within the engine bay.
So on this aspect of the engine bay, similar typical deal. Clearly this was a inventory turbo for it, however we Cerakoted the recent aspect and likewise the compressor. And there once more to type of observe what we did was loads of the aluminum items, as a substitute of chrome-plating we might polish that. So we have got this polished up, bought some chrome work on the exhaust the place it disappears beneath the truck.
So now transferring on to love the remainder of the truck and the inside, there’s issues like we bought some period-correct Vortox air cleaners that may be on the truck when it was new. And we even put the manufacturing unit mirrors again on the truck. We simply polished them rather well. And like, the old-school guys would take the right-hand mirror and put it on the left aspect and so forth and swap them as a result of there’s a bit down sweep on the mirror.
And so they love that. Maintaining the underside of that mirror flat and having that sweeping down and provides them type of like a decrease, extra modern look. So we did that, bought some old-school trying President antennas that go proper within the the manufacturing unit holes. And so they name these lollipop lights. And it is even bought the, blue dot on it with the pink lens.
And we adopted that theme on all of the rear going through lights on the truck. I suppose transferring on to the inside, this complete inside was stitched up by Two Bees in Oregon. And, they did simply a fully excellent job on this truck, however we discovered good period-correct carpet within the truck. It is an actual good, tight loop carpet like it could have had from the manufacturing unit.
Darin Bean did all of the pinstriping on the truck simply to deliver that old-fashioned really feel to it. After which it is principally a inventory inside, however every thing’s simply completed up a bit nicer than inventory like they’d have completed again within the day. We polished all of the throttle pedal base, the brake pedal base and the hinge and the mount for the steering column and the unique steering wheel’s nonetheless in it. We simply cleaned it up rather well, and it is bought a, billet aluminum piece in there that our machinist made for us. It says Martin Livestock. And you may even see on the step packing containers it says Martin Livestock. And even on this door proper right here, we made certain that it had the Bossman. As a result of again in my truck days, that is what they referred to him, was the Bossman. So this time he was the Bossman, however he was the shopper.
We bought a few of his Vendetta seats in right here. It is simply issues that he, , as soon as that he had, even his Cobra CB with the Wilson exterior speaker that is mounted off the underside of the case, identical to it could have been again then. So on the again aspect of the visor, we had one among his favourite songs Someplace Down in Texas, lettered by Darin Bean once more on the again aspect of the visor, after which even on the heater field over right here, we had the Wichita Lineman. That is one among his favourite outdated basic songs.
One other factor we did on the entire truck is we put bus glass on all of it, which, , loads of the fellows that they bought to love and have on the bus glass on the underside. So it is a blue tinted strip alongside the underside of all of the home windows. It is even within the passing window on the opposite aspect of the truck, and the rear glass as properly.
After which he is bought a few of his six-inch pipes on right here that they promote there at 4 State. And, you may inform that every thing’s simply good and neat. Even the hangers are all new and look simply the way in which they need to from the manufacturing unit. However even contained in the bunk, we made certain and bought all this refurbished. And, Davis brothers is thought to additionally for his or her stereos, however this one’s bought a reasonably delicate stereo system in it.
It is simply bought six audio system and 1,400 watts. However, we type of highlighted the amplifiers in right here, and, and all of this has the tight loop carpet, even beneath the bunk has an identical carpet to the doorways, a bit little bit of vinyl work, after which, it is the manufacturing unit gentle that we have got an acrylic and billet aluminum that is polished, that claims Peterbilt on it, just handle these manufacturing unit lights up. So just a bit improve.
However transferring on again, we simply adopted the theme of the blue dot lights, the truck lights that have been all the time on the again of the bunks on these. Even beneath the sleeper, we flat paneled the underside of the sleeper simply to make it extra slick and easy. Simpler to wash, however it additionally simply seems an entire lot higher. And it is painted with the identical lovely high quality paint that is on the skin of the truck.
One factor that Bryan was actually, actually wanting that Cody within the fab store there at 4 State and myself was type of preventing him on was an on-frame deck plate. I’ve by no means been a giant fan of them, however Bryan’s demand type of labored out nice as a result of I believe Cody and I each stated, okay, he was proper. It seems nice on this truck.
So it truly has a pleasant form right here on high that appears nice with the highest of the body, but in addition to go along with the aluminum tread plate step packing containers, we have got that every one the way in which working down by means of the center of this higher on body deck plate and the airline field. So we simply tried to type of observe that theme by means of the truck again to the fifth wheel.
And Brooks in our physique store determined that he thought some stainless items in entrance and rear of the fifth wheel would actually have a pleasant accent, and it could mirror and present that the underside of this fifth wheel is painted with the identical blue that is on the body. So it is simply one other one other added element.
After which we wished full fenders as a result of we did not need him throwing rocks behind the cab, but he stated in my thoughts, I’ve it pictured to need half fenders on it. So these are some Vendetta 4 State half fenders. I consider they’re Vendettas. Do not quote me on that. However. And on again we’ve an in-frame deck plate, so we type of received a bit little bit of the battle there, however we have got an in-frame part again right here, however on the deck plate, then, Darin got here in and did pinstriping on the truck, and it simply painted the Workin‘ Man Blues on the again of the bunk there. That is the title of the truck.
Again right here on the rear stainless drop panel 4 State made, we even use the truck gentle lights with the blue dot lens. One factor that he actually, actually wished, and I had to determine the best way to make it look nice, have been these aviation touchdown lights. So these are actually touchdown lights off of an airplane. And loads of guys use these again then. And that was simply type of a fad. And so they actually appreciated utilizing these.
So one other factor that I did not understand was actually well-liked again then have been these swing grasp mud flap hangers. He stated, oh my gosh, in case you guys have a pair of these, I might like to have them. And we used precise cow mat, which is an actual thick, heavy rubber with some Iowa Customs mud flap weights on the underside. And it simply has that lengthy mud flap look of those outdated vans.
However we simply wished to ensure and have loads of polished stuff on right here, as a result of loads of guys, in the event that they did not have the cash to wrap stuff in stainless or no matter, they’d polish it.
So polished out all of the ends of the gas tanks and the air tanks, and likewise polished up these outdated gas caps too.
One enormous praise that Bryan had for us is he, he got here up and he stated when he first noticed the truck and he had by no means seen this truck full. And I believe I even talked about he is by no means pushed it since he purchased it when he was 24. And he come up and he stated, that is what I might think about a model new 359 would seem like on the showroom ground, besides higher.
