This is a question asked and answered at least a thousand times by every magazine editor of an enthusiast-based publication, such as Truckin'. Articles have been written, e-mails have been sent, and voice mail messages have been returned to the hundreds of people and manufacturers whom inquire as to how to get their trucks shot by our editors and placed within these pages. Heck, we even devoted an entire month's theme two issues ago on how to potentially get peoples' vehicles shot and featured, or even placed on the cover. I will provide an outline of that article.
First off, just because you have every aftermarket part's accessory on your truck known to man, doesn't mean it's feature worthy. So you have spent more than $100k on modifying your truck, doesn't make it feature worthy. Or perhaps, a company sponsored the entire build of your truck using all of their parts and accessories they manufacture, doesn't make it feature worthy. Maybe someone told you your truck looked great, doesn't make it feature worthy. And just because this magazine has many large ads put there by companies who placed them there and expect to have trucks they have built featured, doesn't make them feature worthy. Do you start to understand the point, yet?
Probably not, so let me elaborate. A cool, feature or cover worthy truck has just the right it quality. It might be a very elaborate over-the-top truck, or it might be a truck built from junkyard parts that have been properly refreshed through the use of chrome or powdercoating. A great feature worthy truck is built right by attention to detail paid to every aspect of the project build. From the paint, to the correct suspension stance, to the interior and chassis detail-whether it is lifted or lowered-the great feature or cover truck should have a variety of aftermarket components on it, but doesn't necessarily need an entire catalog worth of parts added to make it feature worthy. In those cases, less is more in many regards to strictly bolt-on parts. The same holds true for custom-metal fabrication. If the parts molded or shaped actually look like they were supposed to be there from the start, the odds are, the end result will look better than the stock pieces. However, if the parts take away from the truck's virtual exterior look, most of the time the end result appears very "kit-carish." However, there is an exception to the rule. Not all kit cars or kit trucks look bad. Some kits are well engineered and others are not, just as aftermarket parts for stock vehicles.