It seems like it always comes down to the final minutes in preparation for a big show. In this case, the 2011 CRAFTSMAN Ultimate Truck Buildout vehicles were being wrenched on right up to the moment they were strapped into the trailer of a Pilot Transport rig and pointed west for the haul to Las Vegas for the SEMA show.
The Hot Rod magazine truck was actually done a day in advance, but a couple of snags had the crew at Lingenfelter Performance Engineering working on the Diesel Power magazine truck while the Pilot driver loaded the Hot Rod truck into the trailer.
The wrap up on the Hot Rod truck included the addition of a sliding track system to mount a CRAFTSMAN tool box in the bed under the locking Extang three-piece hard tonneau cover. Paramount Restyling carbon-fiber mirror and door-handle covers will also applied for a racy look. Then we broke in the rear tires to make sure the MagnaCharger was reaching sufficient boost, which it was.
It seems that more than half the parts for the Diesel Power truck only arrived a few days ago, so the guys tag-teamed the installation. A Warn XR12000 winch and transformer mount were installed on the front while a custom in-bed rack was crafted to hold two CRAFTSMAN tool boxes, a pair of LCD TVs, a CRAFTSMAN air compressor and a shop vac. The front seats were also stuffed inside a set of Katzkin leather covers embroidered with the CRAFTSMAN Ultimate Truck Buildout logo.
While all of that was going on, a pair of N-Fab step bars were bolted to the sides of the truck and the Weld Racing wheels and General Grabber 35x12.50R17LT tires were mounted.
In what turned out to be just 30 days, the Lingenfelter team turned these two good looking Chevrolet Silverado trucks into great looking magazine trucks as part of the CRAFTSMAN Ultimate Truck Buildout. If you're heading for the 2011 SEMA show, you can see the trucks in person. Even if you won't be there, we want you to get involved by going to the CRAFTSMAN Facebook page to vote for the truck that's your favorite. Play the memory challenge game as part of the CRAFTSMAN Ultimate Truck Buildout Sweepstakes each day through November 4 and enter to win a $50 CRAFTSMAN gift cards as well as CRAFTSMAN 53-piece Mechanics Tool Sets.
Watch the video HERE!
The Hot Rod magazine truck has been sitting pretty for a few days thanks to its Western Chassis suspension drop, 22-inch American Racing wheels and General Grabber tires. The last exterior detail the Lingenfelter team installed were a set of carbon-fiber door handle coves by Paramount Restyling.
They also built a track for the CRAFTSMAN tool box in the bed that lets the box slide to be stored at the front of the bed when not in use and pull out onto the tailgate for easy access to the tools when needed. An Extang three-piece tonneau cover keeps things out of sight.
For the front of the Diesel Power truck, a Warn XR12000 winch and Transformer mount were installed. This leaves the front of the truck mostly intact, only replacing the factory tow hooks. This winch will provide sufficient pulling power if we bury ourselves, and will come in handy to extract our friends.
Along the sides, N-Fab nerf bars were installed with subtle steps for both doors. We also like that there's a third step at the bed that will help us reach the tools in the CRAFTSMAN toolboxes. Because the bars are black, they don't stand out visually.
The most intricate modification for the truck was a custom system that Lingenfelter Engineering built for the bed. It mounts a CRAFTSMAN toolbox and an LCD TV on both sides of the truck. At the rear, a CRAFTSMAN air compress rides on one side while a CRAFTSMAN shop vac resides on the other. The whole thing raises and lowers with a hydraulic system and an Extang hard cover is mounted on top.
The final touch for the Diesel Power truck was a set of Katzkin leather seat coves for the front seats. While the Hot Rod truck has white stitching to match the exterior truck color, this ruck gets red stitching.
The next time you see these trucks, they will be at the SEMA Show!