It's no secret that I love my truck. It's my escape vehicle. My ever-growing and improving trophy. It doesn't just take me from A to B. It lets me go from A, over the top of D, around F and M, gives me a place to sleep next to X before continuing on to B all while pulling a trailer and my minions.
Vehicles are part of the guy universe. They represent independence and the ability to control our own destiny. For many, it can be an outward reflection of the hopes and desires of its driver or just their personality. Do they like to ride slow and easy or do they like to go all out…wide open and screaming? Do they prefer a day of leisure or are they seemingly stuck in the blue collar grinder?
After my 2001 Tundra went down and needed to be tapped out, a decision had to be made on what would take its place after more than a decade of waiting and planning. My first new vehicle was the 2014 F350 4×4 crew cab with an 8′ bed. I chose a diesel because I wanted power. 4×4 because I didn't want to limit my range and ability to the edge of the pavement. Crew cab because I was growing an army…er, family. Turns out I'm getting a total of three boys (not including possible future “surprise” babies).
Eventually, as Chelsea skeptically looked on, my “improvements” to the stock truck came. The first officially approved upgrade was the application of a Line-X bed liner as I knew I wanted to protect the truck. Shortly following that, Chelsea actually asked for a Leer truck cap so we might have the ability to sleep in the back when camping. After a long trip in the Utah outback and countless miles over washboard roads, an improved suspension and 6″ lift was given the nod. Not cheap, mind you, and Chelsea made sure to distract herself while the truck was in the shop to keep her mind off of it. To go with the lift, a new set of all terrain tires (larger size, of course) were added to the upgrade courtesy of BF Goodrich.
I recently was allowed to get the upright toolbox I have been needing and was reminded of something while setting it up. Just like a lot of other guys out there, I like to put stickers on things. I've seen a bunch of aviator-wearing guys in the Apple store doing it to their Macbook Air. I already put a bunch of companies I like on my toolbox. Then I thought of my truck. I'd put a sticker or two on my back window before. After meeting Dusty Sexton, who helped make all the upgrades to the truck, I was inspired to do decals to further advertise the companies who have supported us.
I wanted something that would be easy to apply and last a long time while looking good. Just like my tattoos, I'm not a huge fan of color and I like everything to fit in and not stand out too much. A lover of history, I was also inspired by the bomb art on the side of B-25s from WWII and the way their pictures were laid out. Signazon wanted to work with us, so we chose their vehicle Exact Die-Cut decals.
It was easy to load the picture into their printer system online. The Exact Die Cut style – which cuts the design out and removes the background – kept the decal from looking like a cheap sticker. Four of our decals (two for either side of the truck) fit on their 18×24″ layout, and I was able to cut in between them easily to maximize my space and lay them out exactly how I wanted.
With the steady helping hand of my dad, the decals were up in no time. I chose a color about five shades off from the color of my truck to let the decals be subtle and clean looking. Overall, I like the way I they look and pop in different lighting.
Yes sir, my escape vehicle is definitely coming into its own.