Custom Rigs new photo web site

It seems our photographers get asked dozens of times at every Custom Rigs truck beauty show about where truck owners and afficienados of custom rigs can buy some of the pictures we take–and we’ve taken thousands, literally, over the years. We also have readers inquiring about getting pictures of the trucks and stories we have in the magazine.

Now we have the answer: Go to our own photo sales web site: www.bigrigphotos.printroom.com.

 Over the next few months we’ll be digging into our archives and posting new “galleries” on the Bigrigphotos  site. When you enter, click on “Galleries” in the left corner and you’ll see a list. Click on what you want to view and all of the images in that gallery will be displayed.

Click on an image and you’ll be able to see the different items available, their prices, and what that particular image would look like diplayed or printed in that manner.

Don’t see a particular photo you’re looking for? No problem. E-mail us what it is you want,  when we might have taken the picture–or the truck you are interested in. We’ll dig around to see if we have it. We probably do.

We can also provide images of complete articles, or images from the articles, should those be of interest.–Bruce W. Smith / Editor

Custom Rigs’ new web site getting closer

Click on image to enlarge

Now I know how you guys feel building a new custom rig. You can’t wait to get it out on the road to show off, but the frustrations of taking care of all the fine details seems to go on forever.

Such is the case with our “new” web site. We brought the old Custom Rigs web site in for  major make-over so it’s overall performance level is greatly enhanced. By performance I mean serving you, our reader, better in many ways.

For example, the front page is going to offer much better navigation and information links to articles, images, videos, custom rigs, and sources for custom shops, parts and services. The custom rig features and how-to articles will have lots of of pictures–and when you click on an image it’ll pop up big so you can see a lot of details.

We’re also instituting a new “Pro Tips” tech forum where you’ll be able to ask our panel of industry experts any question about customizing a rig and you’ll get a fast reply. We’ve lined up a great panel, too.

Bruce Mallinson, from Pittsburgh Power, Inc., can answer any question related to engines and performance; no one know’s differentials, transmissions, and drivetrains better than Allen Gobel at Western Truck Parts. The Chrome Shop Mafia’s Bryan Martin is taking care of answering exterior-related questions along with Jeff Davidson from John’s Truck Repair. Martin is also fielding questions related to exhaust upgrades and interior-related matters.

Alex Gobel from Outlaw Customs is taking on Audio/Video questions, while Jim Raines (S&J Truck Sales) and Raul Martinez (Triple R Diesel) can answer any frame/suspension question you could pose. Raul is also fielding paint/graphics questions as is Randy Stroup’s guys at First Class Services.

And if you have a detailing question, Jean Jean Duquesne of Quicksshine in Florida knows all there is to cleaning and detailing custom rigs.

There’s so much more to Custom Rigs improved web site it’d take a long, long post to cover it all. Suffice it to say, you’ll be going there every day to check out the latest information., watch new videos, or read the latest articles.

I can’t wait for you to see it! Now if we can get those last little tweaks done. We want it to debut before May 15. Finger’s crossed. Bruce W. Smith/Editor

On the road, again — and again

The wall around my desk is beginning to look like a travel agency. I have itineraries for events lined up across it and little Post-It notes attached to every one.

April 23rd finds me flying down to Orlando and then driving on south to be at our Overdrive’s Pride & Polish  event at Chrome Shop 75 in Wildwood, Florida.

Two weeks later I’m off to New Jersey to see first-hand what those long 350-plus-inch wheelbase boys are up to at their first truck show. The June 13 event is sure to be a good first-effort knowing how seriously  Richie Acosta and Anthony Fischkelta take building custom rigs.

Then I come back to the office, write up those stories for Overdrive and Custom Rigs’web site, and repack camera and video gear to head to Lost Wages, er, Las Vegas. I find our Great West Trucking Show  (June 25-28) a lot of fun as the convention center is a great place to show off custom rigs.

So if I don’t answer the office phone when you call–or get back to you rigt away with an answer to those e-mails — you know the reason. I’m out there in your neck of the woods looking for more stories and story ideas from each one of you. And if you see me, holler and say “hello.” — Bruce Smith / Editor

We’re giving a custom rig away

Remember my post last month about us giving away a turn-key custom rig? Well–get to entering!

Custom Rigs first sweepstakes is officially under way.

All you have to do for a chance to win the keys to The Sequel is go to our sweepstakes page  after May 1st and sign up.

However, if you want t jump on everyone else, Custom Rigs’subscribers are entered automatically. So if you subscribe before May 1st (or after) your name will be tossed in the drawing bucket.

Oh, and to keep things fair, only one entry per subscription–or per person. And you must hold a valid CDL at time of the drawing.

This ’98 International 9400, customized by the Boyz at the Chrome Shop Mafia for a segment in the Trick My Truck TV series, will be given to one lucky CDL holder at Overdrive’s Pride & Polish at the Great American Trucking Show, August 20-22 in the Dallas Convention Center.

I’ve seen the truck in person at the Chrome Shop Mafia’s stomping grounds at 4 State Trucks in Joplin, Missouri. It’s a very cool custom rig done up inside and out in the movie theatre motif. We’ll have a feature on The Sequel in the upcoming issue of Custom Rigs (Summer) coming out in mid-May.

So don’t just sit there…enter the sweepstakes. This could be your lucky day! — Bruce Smith / Editor

What I Know About You

A couple times every year our research department sends out surveys to readers in an effort to help us editors figure out who’s reading our magazines. When I first came on-board back in October they came to me and said it was time to find out who was reading Custom Rigs.

So we sat down and came up with a couple dozen questions, the answers to which would help me decide what types of articles you were the most interested.

The research folks e-mailed about 1,500 surveys to readers of both  Custom Rigs’ and Overdrive, our parent magazine. To date, 387 of you responded–and I thank you for taking the time to answer the questions; surveys are not always looked upon as being of any importance by many who get them.

As I’ve said several times in posts and in the magazine, Custom Rigs is literally your magazine. I’m just the driver doing his best to get it where the majority of you want it from an editorial standpoint.

Here’s a little recap of how you answered some of the most important questions:

–78% of you have done exterior upgrades, with changes in marker lights (63%), bumpers (47%), and stacks (44%) the leading the upgrades;

–65% of you have modified the interior, with  toggle switches/knobs (55%), stereo systems (46%) and seats (44%) being the primary focus of your attention.

–Tires (37%) and paint/graphic (36%) were the next items you guys changed, with fenders (32%), wheels (30%), batteries (29%),  visors (29%) and shifters (28%) coming in close in behind.

–More than 60% of you handle at least 3/4 of  such upgrades yourself. (I figured that number would be higher.) Nearly 40%  said you were going to hold on to your present rig and customize it instead of buying or leasing a new one.

–68% of you shop at chrome shops, and 58% do it through the Internet.

— 47% of you attend truck beauty shows, but only 9% actually enter a rig into the competition.

— 70% of you like the overall articles in Custom Rigs offers, but (69%) would like to see more how-to’s, feature rigs (58%), and tech Q&A (43%).

So what  this means to me as the editor is it appears we  need to add a how-to article or two each issue related to customizing lights, paint/graphics, bumpers, sound systems, seating, exhaust and dash upgrades while devoting far less editorial on “beauty show judging”-related topics.

I suspect you’d like more buyer’s guides, too, related to the above topics –and we need to expand the feature rigs we cover while answering more of your technical questions.

Does my synopsis sound about right to you?

If not, fill out that survey and get it in so your vote is counted! Otherwise I have to go on what the numbers are telling me…and they might not always be spot on.– Bruce W. Smith/Editor

Who’s That Masked Man?

Mystery truck rollin' on I-5 in southern Oregon

When our writers and editors are out and about we’re always on the lookout for cool custom rigs.  Last Sunday one of our contributors, LarryWalton,  spotted this bad-boy rollin’ along I-5 near his home in Jacksonville, Oregon, and couldn’t resist snapping a few shots of a custom rig doing what they do best–moving loads.

The questions: Who’s the mystery driver behind the wheel? And, what’s behind Curtain #3?

Maybe we should start some sort of “Mystery Rig” contest? Should you have any contest ideas and prize suggestions, drop me a note! We’re all about having fun around here. –Bruce W. Smith /Editor