Saturday, September 03, 2005

Trucks

How can anyone justify owning a big-assed truck? I like them, but I feel bad about it. I have a big-assed truck. A 1978 Chevy K20. It has been modestly fixed up: forest green, black spoked rims w/33's, with a charcoal and titanium gray interior. I had a Jacobs' Pro Street ignition a while back until it gave out it's last digital command to fire 80,000 volts right out in the middle of nowhere. It was fun while it lasted. I've done my share of testing the limits of my truck--seeing just how high I can climb up S.O.B., a famed climb that has claimed more than a few lives, as well as taking it other places it didn't fit or shouldn't go. Mainly, I built it up the way I use it: for utility and for rugged adventure and it's been paid off for eons. Most SUV's & trucks now are merely shiney, overpriced phallic symbols.

Why say "merely" when modern trucks are in every way superior to an old beater? First of all, it's not the truck, but what the owner's use their trucks for. Trucks and SUV's have become status symbols--enough said. The people who could use such fine machines are priced out (kind of like Mc Mansions on wheels). What on earth do you need a truck or SUV for if all you do is cruise to the Maverick for Dews or whatever, groceries, and general transport? Unless you regularly tow a big trailer, you don't need a Duramax, Powerstroke, or Cummings with a Banks' Six-Pack and propane injection to get laid, go to Albertson's, or play (sub)urban hillbilly. Try an older truck, or a smaller truck out if you need something for the occasional move or trip to the dump. If you also go up into the hills and beat up on it you aren't destroying a $30,000-$75,000 investment. Think of how bad you'd feel if you really messed up a brand new truck after making a commitment to pay off that huge auto loan, high insurance, taxes, and most of all, gas costs.

Aesthetics are key: Don't trailer queen (pimp) your truck for crying out loud; this only ruins it. Would you cut the balls off of a prized rodeo bull, cut off it's legs, or put it on stilts? Then why put monster wheels and meats (tires) on your rig? I'm not even going into the whole lowrider issue.

Unless you really go deep mudding (the chance of never seeing your truck again)don't put 38's or 44's on. You are only making your rig perform horribly on the street that way. If that's the only place that you use it, don't jack it up so the only friends that can help you load stuff into it are sherpas. Raising the level of your bed only makes your truck worse for doing real world labor.
Bigger tires=more rotating mass and decreased (taller/higher gear) final drive ratio. What this means is you get less torque and horsepower to the ground. Big rims and tires are super heavy static, but once you get them rolling, they become heavier and don't want to stop (don't make me bust out a physics lesson on yo ass). Your stock brakes can't do the job of stopping in time. Big tires will decrease your gas mileage as well as give you less traction for street conditions. Mud tires lack siping--those little grooves and cuts in tires that grip wet/icy asphalt.

Do you think it's cool to slide off the road or slam into the vehicle in front of you because you wanted to appear rugged? Mud tires are excellent in deep snow and off road, but that's only what they're good for dammit! How often do you drive in those conditions? No one will think that you have a diminished capacity in the sack, or otherwise, because your truck isn't eight feet off the ground for no good reason. You only look like a fool who doesn't consider their own safety, as well as other's, by driving a steroid-pumped, circus wagon around town. Do yourself a solid; give that jalopy to someone who wants to go wheelin' for real, and not just pose or feign badassness.


If I had a chance, I'd buy the world a Coke. But, I can't afford to do that right yet. So, for now, I can lay this out for you: If you want to be tough, look better than others, or in general get from point A to point B, buy a normal vehicle that doesn't strain your pocket book, the planet, and decapitate people in accidents. Use steroids if you just gotsta be an enormous prick that people won't be able to take their eyes off of. If you want to assert your status in life, buy a Mercedes or a BMW like the yuppies of old. People think that a fully customized SUV or truck will save them from appearing pretentious, while still waving their cash wad in front of the neighbors. Hey, a truck does not trick people into thinking you are all "down homey" and common. A snob in a pickup is still a snob.. If that's who you are, then be that asshole that everyone hates, because we already hate you anyway. So, why deprive yourself of having a real status symbol and not a "Red Herring Mobile".The Snob with the blinged-out rig: "Honestly, I use it to pull my boat, 'The Shaft of Atlas' and stuff, not to trample lowly serfs under foot." If you need to pull a boat with a truck, then do it without all the parade float crap, capice?

What makes a truck truly beautiful is understatement. K.I.S.S., if you know what I mean. Wear your dents, scratches, and rust with pride: It means you've used your truck. That's what they're for. Wouldn't you think that putting sparkles, or other flare (Badboy and Calvin pissing stickers), on some 501's to be gay? Think about that next time some dude pulls up in a jacked-up, gawdy, Christmas tree ornament--"Where ya going, Liberace?" Enough said!

7 comments:

Mwmw said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Mwmw said...

I can understand wanting to own a big ass truck or even owning a huge SUV. But how can you afford to fill the tank? Take a look at the prices we are paying here in NY.

http://www.newyorkgasprices.com/index.aspx

The Grunt said...

I agree with you. I don't commute with my truck. I'm fortunate, in that, I can walk to work. I imagine that the good old days of lighting off copious amounts of petrol are gone. The thing that's funny is that I still see many people buying brand new pickups despite the price of gas. While new pickups do get around 2 mpg better, the over all expense of owning a new truck is ridiculous. What I think is better, if you can afford it, is have an old truck for doing work and an efficient vehicle for general transport. I live in a semi-rural area. Public transport is nil here. If I lived in a more urban area, there's no doubt I'd use public transport.
I guess it's time to dust off my bike.

The Grunt said...

Holy crap!
I just checked out your link, dabugg. Pretty much paying $4.00 a gallon in some places there. I wonder if the stations are making more than 10% profit on their gas--they shouldn't be. I better start brushing up on my Mad Max--who thought those movies would be prophetic?

Robert Smith said...

http://www.blackletter.org/news/futuresuv.jpg

Thought you might like this...there used to be the ultimate sport utility website (poseur4x4.com) but it's been screwed up by spyware...

Mwmw said...

Ahhh yes! Our local gas prices have gone from approx. $2.87 - $3.68 in a week. How about a little tax relief?
Lately I have been envisioning a mix of scenes between Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089530/ and Escape from New York http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082340/

The Grunt said...

Wow, I think that a left nut would have to be sacrificed to buy one of those "Pilgramages". I hope that's a joke. Good one!

Dabugg, I think your right in your case--"Escape from New York" Maybe you'll get to wear a cool eye patch like Snake did. If I was to model myself after any of those characters in either movie it would be the ferral kid from "The Road Warrior". He was awesome!