This month’s creation was built for Mike Breckenridge (53) of Acampo, CA. Mike learned hard work pays off at an early age, and he has been “hustle’n” since he was in seventh grade. Married to his wife Tina for 25 years, they have one daughter Ericka (24) that works at a local oil company. She also has a degree and a side hustle, as an Esthetician Technician. I guess the fruit does not fall far from the tree.
Growing up in a trucking family, Mike’s dad Bob Breckenridge drove a truck for 24 years, hauling from a Sugar Mill in their hometown of Clarksburg, CA, which earned him his “Sugar Daddy” CB handle. Mike went out with his dad any time he could when he was a kid and still cherishes those memories. Now in his 80s and retired, Mike likes to visit with his dad and talk about all their old trucking times.
One of his dad’s coworkers named Stan Williams was a huge influence on Mike. Stan always kept his trucks super clean, and if anyone asked him to drive a truck that was dirty, he washed it before he left. Unfortunately, Stan died at the early age of 57, and probably didn’t even know how much he inspired Mike, who has been called “pretty particular” and other things. To this day, Mike prides himself in keeping whatever he is driving clean and never wants to be caught “riding dirty” by anyone.
During the summer of his seventh-grade year, Mike started working in the tomato fields, laying drain pipes. Eventually he quit that and went to work for Garcia Brothers Trucking and Sugar Beet Harvesting, driving a tractor and rolling sugar beets. He made enough money to buy himself a ‘56 Chevy pickup and then a ‘70 Chevelle (he regrets selling them both in his 20s). By his Junior year in high school, he had a CDL license and was hauling freight after school and during the summer breaks. There was no doubt with Mike – he knew what he wanted to do – and was already doing it.
Everything happens for a reason. Which brings up his wife, Tina. They went to the same school when they were little, but she later moved to Sacramento and they lost touch. Then, during a get together with friends, they ran into each other again. Also, she is the only child of Gary and Ellen “Reason” (imagine that)!
After driving other people’s trucks for years, an opportunity came up for Mike to buy his own. In 2014 he purchased a new 2015 Peterbilt 389 standard hood off a lot. He loved this truck, kept it clean, and modified it to make it his own. When it came time to order a truck just what he wanted, he went to the local dealer and talked to them, but then Tina said, “Why don’t you call Clint Moore?” Mike has always been a huge 10-4 Magazine fan and loves seeing the trucks we build at KC Peterbilt and reading the stories, so he called me, and we hit it right off – Mike is a treat, and Tina is pretty awesome, too.
The truck is a 2021 Peterbilt 389 with a 48” flat top and a 565-hp X15, a 13-speed, and a modest wheelbase. The color was a special gray Mike picked, which we matched up with a deep burgundy frame. Once the truck came in, Jared got assigned the job of dolling it all up.
Starting out with a House of Air front air ride kit from Mike Horst, Jared also added one of my body drop kits, hid the DEF tank, installed a visor and cab skirts from Bub, four extra grill bars, and an 18” bumper. My dad chopped the screens on the strapless breathers, which were also fitted with lights (front and back), and then 7” dummy stacks, LED cab lights, Hogebuilt half fenders, and a smooth deck plate were added. The truck ended up with a nice clean look.
Tina’s dad Gary unfortunately passed away of cancer in August 2020, and because of the pandemic, the funeral was postponed until a later date – which just happened to be the same date that Mike had planned his trip to KC to pick up this new truck. Needless to say, Mike wasn’t able to make the trip, so he sent his good friend Jimmy Stretch to KC for him. And when Jimmy got back from KC, his friend Matt Stinson did an awesome job installing the PTO pump to help get Mike ready for work (he pulls a tanker).
Picking the truck up in the late fall, the colors of the trees, as seen in the pictures, was awesome and made for a beautiful backdrop. If you see Mike out and about, hooked to his polished tanker, give him a shout. The dash plaque on this one reads “CUSTOM BUILT FOR STRAIGHT HUSTLE’N” because that is what Mike has been doing his entire life!