Every once in awhile, you hear about someone who has in some way, shape, or form inspired another individual along the way in this pathway of life. These people who inspire come in many variations: as a teacher, a parent, your child, a work group mentor, and so on. In many cases, the editorial staff of this magazine has inspired more than a few of you to build nicer trucks than what you started out with. If we hadn't, why would you continue to read and purchase this magazine?
Many an editor over the course of this publication's 33 years has inspired people to build newer, more outrageous vehicles than have ever been seen before. Even the current editorial staff of Truckin' was inspired by someone or something they had previously seen in this publication when they were not working here.
Personally, I can remember the day I absolutely fell for a custom truck. I had always been a hot-rod guy and had already built a muscle car that I was driving to and from high school. I also grew up working in the motion-picture business; during my summer breaks, I would drive 3/4- and 1-ton trucks around studio lots and movie sets. There were a few custom work-oriented trucks on set, but nothing like I was to see on that day I fell.
That destined day was in late October, and I had the pleasure of attending an IHBA drag boat race at Lake Puddingston, in San Dimas, California. While I didn't know it at the time, Trader's Truck Accessories was on hand displaying some of their earliest modified 1/2-ton '88 Chevy trucks. All monochromatic in red, the trucks featured roll pans, smooth bumpers, and lowered stances. I had never seen a truck modified like this before, and I was instantly hooked. The all-monochromatic look took its inspirations from European cars, but what a look it was. Even to this day, almost 20 years later, it still looks cool.
It was after seeing that truck, I had to find out what Trader's Truck Accessories was and where they were located. I was an 18-year-old kid driving around and attempting to find their location. When I finally did, wow, I was hooked on that look. After that, I found a publication dedicated exclusively to trucks and the lifestyle geared around these style trucks. Truckin' was that publication and every month I went religiously to the newsstand and bought the magazine always looking for a new Chevy truck that had been "Traderized."
During that time, I started becoming familiar with a particular editor or two. I enjoyed reading what they had to say each and every month. Sometimes it was banter and meaningless, other times inspirational. It had to have been during this time that I actually began envisioning myself working in the magazine business. I wondered, why not do something I was passionate about? After all, I loved trucks, building cars and trucks, writing, and photography.
Regardless, it was reading the pages of Truckin' magazine that made me want to work in this magazine industry. After meeting people who I had previously only read about and seeing their passion shine through, I knew this career goal was the right decision. So, making sense of it all, I simply love the fact that everyone on our editorial staff is making a living at other people's hobbies. For us, the hobby is our passion and our work. Don't you wish everyone had the same type of deal?