NOT "STORE BOUGHT"
THE LATEST PROJECT FROM CLINT MOORE
This month’s “creation” was built for Robert Slaymaker II of Lancaster, PA - and he’s proud to say that it ain’t a “store bought” truck! Toted as “The Milkman’s kid,” his father delivered milk in a tractor-trailer when Robert was a kid. Also, while he was growing up, Robert’s grandfather had a small rock quarry and his uncle was a trucker, so he was exposed to trucking at an early age.
Robert, who is now 43, is famous for saying, “I’m pacing myself!” Following that attitude, he didn’t finish high school saying, “I made it to 10th grade and then decided to pace myself through school.” Shortly thereafter, Robert began his trucking career driving a straight truck hauling eggs to Philadelphia. He did this run, Monday through Friday, for ten years.
After ten years of hauling to local markets and small stores, he got a job at Conestoga Trucking in Lancaster, PA. Owners Mel Weaver and Dennis Simmons took Robert under their wing and helped him get started. Today, he still values their friendship and even parks his truck at their location.
Robert bought his first truck, a Freightliner Classic condo with a 500 Detroit and 13-speed transmission, in 2000. The truck, which he ran for two years pulling a curtain-side trailer for a company called Boyle Bros., was purchased “off the lot” at a local dealership. In 2002, Robert got his own authority and started working at STBI in Honey Brook, PA. His first trip was out west to California, which was the first time he had trucked anywhere outside of the east coast. He was pretty excited, and at that point, he knew that he had found a good home.
In 2003, Robert bought his second truck, which was another Freightliner Classic condo that was bought off the lot. His next truck, purchased in 2006, was a new Peterbilt 379 Extended Hood that was, again, just bought off the lot from a local dealership. His friends started teasing him about how all of his trucks were “store bought” and not anything special.
When it came time to update his truck again, Robert’s friend John Angle gave him one of Clint’s business cards and said, “Call this guy and set up an appointment to meet with him. He will take care of you. Give him 10 minutes and you’ll see why it is worthwhile to take the trip to see him.” And Robert did just that.
Robert called Clint and then ordered a new 2010 Peterbilt 389 Extended Hood with a 70” high roof sleeper, painted Flame Red, to match his 53’ sliding spread axle reefer trailer. Powered by a 525 Cummins ISX hooked to an 18-speed transmission, the truck, which has a 275” wheelbase, also features a LowLeaf suspension and a car hauler front drop axle. Robert stopped by the dealership to meet everybody and to have them check out his trade-in, and at that point decided to let Clint hang all of his goodies, too.
When the truck came in, Clint and his crew at Kansas City Peterbilt went to work. And, as usual, they got the job done. Clint wanted to thank Jesus, Leonard, Brent and Don for staying late several nights and helping to get the truck done. Clint’s dad, of course, helped, too.
Robert wanted a certain-shaped visor, but Clint was unaware of who made one like what he wanted, so he called Mike at Roadworks and had him build it. Mike also built the cab and sleeper skirts, fitting them with a row of M1 LEDs. Clint found an extra stainless full fender laying around the shop and cut it in two with a plasma cutter, creating a set of cool, custom half-fenders. A Taylor wing on the roof and chopped breather lids were a couple of the truck’s final touches.
Once everything was finished, Robert ended up with a truck that looks sort of “store bought” but really isn’t. And to make sure everybody knew that this ain’t no store bought truck, Clint had the dash plate made to say, “Custom Built for Robert Slaymaker II.”
Robert and his wife Barbara have two kids; a 22-year-old son named Kyle who is in the Navy, stationed in San Diego, CA, and a daughter named Crystal, who is 16 going on 32. When Robert met his wife and found out that she was a nurse, he figured that he wouldn’t have to work. I guess that didn’t pan out. But that is okay - Robert Slaymaker loves his new custom built truck.
~ If you would like Clint Moore to order and/or build you a new custom truck, contact him at Kansas City Peterbilt via e-mail at clintmoore@kcpete.com or call him at (913) 441-2888. You can also visit his website at www.custombuiltfor.com and check out pictures of other custom trucks he has built.