MICK’S GREEN MACHINE
THE LATEST PROJECT FROM CLINT MOORE
This month’s “creation” belongs to Mick Grace of Avon, Illinois. Clint originally ordered this truck as just a “stock” truck to put on the lot. Mick stopped in one day to see what they had for sale and this green machine really grabbed him. Within five minutes, he decided that he just had to have it! Clint is always happy when one of his “babies” goes to a good home.
Mick (43) and his two twin brothers, Monte and Matt, all grew up riding in their dad’s truck. Today, Monte runs a truck and Matt runs trains for the railroad. After graduating from high school, Mick bought his first truck - a 1977 IHC 4070B cabover with a Cummins and a 9-speed. Mick used that truck to pull an end dump with grain and other ag products.
Throughout his trucking career, which is now pushing 25 years, Mick has owned eight trucks and, for the most part, hauled liquid ag products all over the Midwest. After that first COE, Mick went through three IHC conventionals, then switched over to a KW W900. In 1999, Mick bought a new Peterbilt and never looked back.
After running that 1999 Peterbilt for several years, Mick traded it in for a new 2005 model with a flat top. This 2005 Pete was the truck he traded in for the “Green Machine” pictured here. Like we said before, once Mick saw this cool truck sitting on the lot, he decided that he just couldn’t live without it.
The 2011 Peterbilt 389 was ordered with a pre-emission Cummins ISX 525, an 18-speed transmission, 294” wheelbase, a car-hauler front axle with air-ride, Pete LowLeaf suspension, and loaded to the gills with extras. The truck also has a factory two-color paint scheme featuring Dark Wood Fern over Light Wood Fern and a metallic frame. Clint tried to get several of his previous customers to order this paint style, but none of them wanted it, so he just did it himself when ordering this truck for the lot.
Mick had Clint install one of his Bad Bowtie Sunvisors, seven bullet cab lights, stainless cab and sleeper extensions, and stainless steel low rider half fenders, mounted with a set of Clint’s hidden fender brackets. Clint’s dad chopped the air cleaner lids, and then the guys mounted a painted, flush-mount deck plate.
Not wanting to waste any time, Mick picked up the truck on a Wednesday and took it to the Greenbelt Service Center in Eldon, Iowa. Once there, the guys mounted a hydropac system (to run the PTO on the trailer) and a roof-mounted, painted-to-match Qualcomm unit. By Thursday evening, Mick was working the truck.
Mick and his wife Deb have two grown kids that are already out of the house - Zach (23) works for the railroad, and Chelsea (19) is still figuring everything out. Everyone loves Mick’s new truck. On Saturdays, Deb even helps out by giving the interior a thorough sponge bath. Mick, who is known for his cleanliness, has always taken great care of his trucks, and this one, it seems, will be no different!
~ 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) 484-7768. You can also visit his website at www.custombilt4.com and check out pictures of other custom trucks he has built.