10-4 Magazine - For Today's Trucker

ERIC CRAIN’S HEAVY HITTER
The Latest Project from Truck Builder Clint Moore

This month’s “creation” was built for Eric Crain of Anchor Heavy Hauling based in Kansas City, Kansas. Eric (31) is the son of Clint’s good friend Jim Crain and, as Clint put it, “If you know me, you know Jim.” Eric and Jim are both class acts. Following in the footsteps of his father, Eric has spent his entire life around beautiful trucks and big machinery. When it was time for Eric to upgrade his rig, he called Clint.

Eric’s first truck was a 1986 Peterbilt 359 Extended Hood that he purchased used. His next truck was a 1998 Peterbilt 379 with a 48-inch sleeper. His latest truck, before purchasing this new one, was a 2000 Peterbilt 379 with a 48-inch flattop, a C-16 with a retarder and Jakes, 6x4 two stick and 2-speed rears. He is going to keep this truck for the longer trips and use his new one for runs closer to home.

The new truck, featured here, is a 2007 Peterbilt 379 Extended Hood with a 36-inch Unibilt sleeper, a 20,000 lb. front axle, 46,000 lb. 2-speed rears and a pusher axle. The powertrain includes a factory 625 Cat with both a retarder and Jakes and an 18-speed overdrive main box with a factory installed 4-speed auxiliary. This baby has a gear for every occasion!

When it comes to paint colors, Anchor trucks are all blue, except for old #107, dad’s pride and joy - a 1980 Peterbilt 359 Extended Hood with a 3408 Cat, a 6x4 transmission and a 312-inch wheelbase. This truck is silver and has an “old school” paint job featuring blue and gold stripes. Eric and all of his friends thought it would be cool to paint his new truck similar to his dad’s rig, so they ordered it in silver.

Once the truck arrived, Clint and his crew went to work. They reskinned the right side door with no peep hole, added some cab lights, replaced the grille and added some extra bars, installed stainless steel “bicycle” fenders, a drop visor and 7-inch pipes. Clint, with help from the guys at Anchor, also changed the headlights to double 359s, painted the fuel and air tanks, added a custom headache rack and deck plate made by Brunners, custom breather lights, stainless steel cab and sleeper blanks, and numerous other items. Eric designed and laid out the two-striped paint scheme and provided many of the measurements (which made Clint’s job easier), and then the truck was painted.

Shortly after delivering the truck, Clint was excited to see it in action. On one of its maiden voyages, Eric used it haul a 175,000-lb. Caterpillar D-11 dozer on his 13-axle setup (see photo). The entire gross weight of the load was over 275,000 pounds. This truck was not built to show - it was built to work - and it was cool for Clint to see it looking so good while doing its job.

Eric is a perfectionist in all that he does. He has a lot of pride in his trucking company and keeps his trucks spotless. And although he has followed in his father’s footsteps, Eric stands alone. And once you get to know him, he’s no longer thought of as Jim’s son - he’s just Eric Crain.