SIMPLE AND POLITE
THE LATEST PROJECT FROM CLINT MOORE
This month’s “creation” was built for Chris Olson of SOS Transportation in Carlton, Oregon. Actually, Chris ordered this custom Peterbilt for one of his longtime drivers, Kelley Hightower. Some might think that this plain white Pete and white trailer are a pretty boring combination, but Chris has always believed that white was, as he puts it, “Simple and polite, yet beautiful.” And Kelley, as you can see by her smile in the picture when she picked up the truck, loves it.
Chris, who claims that he is “old enough to know better, but too young to care,” started out as a bull rider, but, he admits, not a very good one. “I was possibly the worst bull rider in the history of the sport, but I knew how to drink and play cards, so I fit in well.” His fellow bull riders taught him how to drive a truck to help pay for his entry fees, and the rest is history.
Chris started his trucking career 38 years ago with a Freightliner COE and a 38’ Brown drop frame trailer. A few years later, he began pulling for North West Sound, hauling sound equipment for shows and events. Then, the opportunity of a lifetime came along - only he did not know it would become that. In the late 1970s, a young, up-and-coming rock band hired him to go out on tour with them for eight months. 30 years later, he is still hauling for the band - a little group called Van Halen. Today, Chris has nine trucks and twelve custom-made Great Dane trailers, which he runs in all 50 states, 13 provinces and two territories. It’s trucking, just different!
In 1987, Chris’ daughter Stephanie was born and he renamed his company after her (SOS stands for Stephanie Olson Smiles). Stephanie, Chris says, is the best thing that ever happened in his life. After being away at college in Texas for a while, she is now returning to Oregon to continue her studies closer to home.
When Chris met Kelley, she was one of the girls who sold t-shirts at the concerts. Another driver, John “JD” Davis, let her drive his truck in the parking lot every day during a Beach Boys tour, and she eventually got her CDL and started driving. Kelley has worked for Chris for the past five years, and he considers her to be his best lead driver. When it was time to get her a new truck, a friend referred Chris to Clint. When Chris called to “hire” Clint for the job, he had only one request: make Kelley happy. And that is exactly what Clint did.
The 2010 Peterbilt 389 was ordered with a big 70-inch HR sleeper and a short wheelbase (244”) to allow it to get into the tighter venues. Equipped with a 525 Cummins ISX hooked to an 18-speed transmission and 3.36 rears, Clint called this the biggest little truck he ever built, saying, “The frame rails are action-packed!”
When it came to accessories, Kelley knew what she wanted. Clint and his crew installed custom cab and sleeper skirts with 63 M3 LEDs, eight breather lights (front and back), a stainless Turbo Wing on the roof, a Drop Blindout visor, two extra cab lights and four LED load lights. Clint’s dad chopped the air cleaner screens and then Thermo King of K.C. installed a TriPac APU and an Air-Weigh onboard scale system. Chris also ordered Kelley a new custom trailer, built for her particular needs, by Great Dane.
Chris is very happy with the truck, but even happier knowing that Kelley loves it. And it might just be a plain white truck and trailer, but this is the snazziest plain white truck and trailer you will ever see. Besides, when you are parked behind a venue where Van Halen is playing inside, you don’t want the truck that carried the equipment to get more attention than the band!
~ 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.