Show On The Road - November 2010
RIDIN’ THE RAINBELT
BY TRUCK DRIVER & WRITER BRYAN WELSH
The Pacific Northwest has always been known for its beautiful snow-capped mountains, tree-lined landscapes, short summers and long, wet winters. The region is also the home of the Space Needle, Columbia Gorge and the Oregon Trail. But to me, and many others, the “Rainbelt” is also the home of one of the most overlooked Peterbilts ever to hit the slab! Gary Van Laar of Arlington, WA (north of Seattle) hit the scene with his awesome low and lean ride when it was brand new in 1997, and since then it has sent many of us drivers wandering over onto the rumble strips as we stare in awe and amazement.
Gary started trucking in 1990. After buying a Peterbilt 359, he began hauling produce locally for Nobach Trucking throughout Washington and parts of Canada. A few years later, Gary bought a 1990 Pete 379 with a 63” flat top sleeper from his brother Brian. By then, Gary had started making steady weekly runs, hauling seafood and produce out of Seattle, into California’s Bay Area, making multiple drops almost every trip.
By the late 1990s, it was time for Gary to order a new truck. Always admiring the low 22.5/255 tire and wheel look, which was mostly used by the California hay haulers and tanker companies back then, Gary knew that he wanted his new truck to have this setup. At first he was worried about it being too low, but Dave Frey, a good friend from Pennsylvania that loaded next to Gary every other Thursday at a warehouse in California, convinced Gary to “just do it!” So, with Dave’s advice and tips, Gary went for it.
Around October of 1997, Gary was rollin’ in style with his new (and very low) truck – but that was only the beginning! Before Gary knew it, he was parked in Rod and Kevin Pickett’s shop in Marysville, Washington, surrounded by several friends who were ready to go to work on the ground-breaking rig. Gary described to everybody exactly what he wanted his truck to look like – from how the visor should look to how the elbows should line-up with the bottoms of the steps and tanks – and everything in-between. Like any major build, Gary’s 379 was the result of tons of sweat, time and, most of all, creativity. Embellishing his truck with tastefully-restrained modifications, Gary paved the way for others in regards to the long, low and clean style that still dominates the scene today. But, Gary is always the first one to thank everyone else that helped make his late 90’s vision into a remarkable reality that still turns heads to this very day.
For ten years, Gary could almost always be found running up and down the I-5, so when he decided to start hauling over to Billings, Montana via I-90 every week, it took all of us out here some time to get used to it. But no matter where he goes or which highway he runs, it’s safe to say that his trailblazin’ street rod 379, which was the first of its kind, will always stand out from the crowd and always be looking tops.
Huge thanks go out to Gary and his wife (and their three kiddos) for spending the entire day with my daughter and I – it was a great day we won’t soon forget. So, the next time you see Gary Van Laar and his beautiful blue, black and white combo rolling down the big road, give him a wave and admire that one-of-a-kind rig (and its driver) – just try to stay off the rumble strips!