just trucks

Not so fast, say local truck dealers.Truck companies have worked hard over the

years to buck that gas-guzzling stereotype and establishtheir products as fuel-friendly modes of transportation. Newengines, body overhauls and technological advances have kepttrucks ahead of the curve.

“Truck buyers are a very large percentage of our buyers,” saidLarry Sherertz, with Cash’s Baker Chevrolet Cadillac in Marion.“They are so versatile, and there is a lot of room in them.And, of course, the increased fuel economy has gotten to a point that is very customer-friendly.”

Cash’s Baker has had an extended-cab, plug-in hybrid trucksince 2007, and the 2011 Chevrolet Silverado Heavy Duty won thecoveted Motor Trend Truck of the Year award. A shift fromChevy’s old fuel-injector system to electric injectors has helpedimprove the new Silverado’s fuel efficiency.

“They’re always twisting things around a little bit to makethings better,” Sherertz said. “The latest is the advanced fueleconomy. They’re always trying to improve that. They’re alwaystrying to meet or exceed the government ratings or go along withthe guidelines that come out. They try hard to stay as green aspossible.”

Throughout this section, you’llsee selected photos of truckssent in by our readers. Go towwwwww..tthheessoouutthheerrnn..ccoomm//JJuussttTTrruucckkss to view all thephotographs we received.

IINNSSIIDDEEPPrriiddee aanndd jjooyy:: Readers show us their rides

RReessttoorreedd,, vviinnttaaggee oorr ccuussttoomm:: Find out what it takesMMoonnsstteerrss:: Truck shows bring in the fans, some for a good cause

TruckonomicsWith truck manufacturers keeping the economy in mind,saving money at the pump has never looked so rugged

BY JOE SZYNKOWSKIFOR THE SOUTHERN

Trucks have long possessed the capabilities to haul, tow and thunder downthe road. Do you need a vehicle that will carry loads of rock, dirt or debris?Get a truck. Maybe you just like the feeling of driving a little bit higher off

the ground? Get a truck.But if you need a vehicle that will save you some money at the gas pump,

maybe you should look elsewhere.

TTrruucckkoonnoommiiccss:: Read more on Page 2F.


Art Brown’s pride and joy sat untouched ina building on his son’s property for morethan 15 years. The 1970 Chevrolet C-10

was tired. It was a workhorse truck in the oilfields for many years and had twice beenhobbled by blown motors, not to mention a tonof miles. But when Brown retired in 2001, hetold his wife it was time to treat his truck — andhimself — to a total restoration andcustomization.

He brought the truck back to his house, took itapart down to the frame and went to work on it.So much for that retirement.

“It was a lot of work,” said the 70-year-oldRidgway resident. “The whole process tookabout 2 or 2½ years.”

Brown and his son installed a 12-inch, high-rise manifold, an all-electric ignition and twoEdelbrock carburetors. The outside features ahunter green paint job with silver stripes, andthe inside boasts new door panels and a newdashboard. These features, along with manymore improvements, are what helped turn thebeater into a beauty.

“I paid $3,800 for the truck in 1972,” Brown said.“The motor was blown in it, and my father-in-law wasa mechanic at the Chevy shop in town. GM put a newmotor in it, and I bought it. I drove it for quite a while.My son and I went to pumping oil wells in the fieldsand, well, we just took it wherever we wanted to go.”

One of Brown’s favorite touches to the truck is thehalf-inch red Oak flooring that replaced the originalmetal floor.

“I got the wood from a local lumber supplier,” herecalled. “Then I finished it with six coats of stain. It’ssharp-looking.”

Brown has won more than 50 awards since he beganshowing his truck at local events. A fan of auto showsfor many years, Brown actually started his ownfundraising event five years ago to benefit his town’sfire department for which he volunteers. The showalways takes place on the last Sunday in September anddraws an average of 125 vehicles per year.

“I enjoy people coming up and looking at it andasking questions,” Brown said. “It’s got the old three-speed on the column and a lot of people come up andsay, ‘My dad used to have a truck like this. I wish Iwould have kept it.’ I tell them that I had a ’65convertible I wish I would have kept, too.”

Brown has had chances to sell the truck, but he hasput in too much work to let go of his prized possession.He says anyone who has restored and customized atruck can appreciate his loyalty.

As for people looking to delve into the art ofrestoration, Brown offers this advice: “Do not get in ahurry. You don’t necessarily have to buy all originalparts for your truck. There are so many places on theInternet that you can find parts. I bet I called 35 or 40companies to see about their parts. I’ve ordered partsfrom California, Kansas City, Missouri and Florida.Most of them will send you free catalogs, too.”

And what about the money side of restoration?“Oh yeah,” he said, laughing. “Save up lots of it. I

told somebody the last time I checked I had two coffeecans full of bills.”

‘The finer details’Clyde Shafer of Metropolis agrees with Brown. He

says patience is key.“What I’ve always told everybody when you go to

redo something is to take one particular place or joband work on that until it is finished,” said the originalowner of a 1977 Chevrolet Scottsdale. “Then you findsomething else that needs work. You don’t stand backand try to make it look good all at one time. It’s all inthe finer details.”

Shafer’s frame-off restoration started in 1998 andtook about one year to complete. He chromed out hisengine, installed mirror panels under the hood andreplaced or re-did every part on the truck.

The process came easily to Shafer, who taughtautomotive classes for 31 years at Shawnee CommunityCollege before retiring last year.

“I’ve been around vehicles all my life,” he said. “It’s

funny, we didn’t really restore itthinking it was going to be a showvehicle. We needed it to pull aboat and things like that. But wetook it to a show and won best ofshow right off the bat.”

Shafer and his wife, Trish, drivethe Scottsdale to every showinstead of the more commonmethod of trailer-hauling.

“After people find out that wedrive the truck everywhere insteadof keeping it in a trailer, they willsay, ‘I don’t know how you keep itlooking that good,’” Clyde said.“And I tell them it doesn’t just staylooking good. You have to work onit.”

The Shafers sure practice whatthey preach when it comes to hardwork.

“We get to a show at about 8 a.m., and it takes us until noon toget everything finished,” Trishsaid. “We both have our cleaningjobs before the show. We drive thetruck to all the shows, so even if weclean it at home before the show,we still have to clean it again whenwe get there.”

Trish has taken pictures of everyvehicle at every show the Shafershave attended for the last 10 years.She prints the photos and arrangesthem in binders by shows anddates, and also helps make flyersfor the events, all to spend moretime with Clyde.

“Being with my husband is thebest part,” she said. “There are alot of women who never come tothe shows or don’t want to getinvolved. He loves to do it, and Idon’t want to be just sittingaround at home while he’s at theshows.”

Now that both of them areretired, the Shafers plan onspending even more time showingoff their rich red Chevy — if that’seven possible. Clyde and Trishattend an average of 40 shows persummer.

“The one thing I really enjoyabout going to shows is thecamaraderie that you get when youmeet so many new people,” Trishsaid. “It lasts a lifetime. You getclose to so many people, andbefore the car show season starts,we’ll all be e-mailing each othersaying how we can’t wait to seeeach other again.”

2F THE SOUTHERN ILLINOISAN FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2011 JUST TRUCKS www.thesouthern.com

Patience, pride and plenty of money

Art Brown restored and customized his1970 Chevrolet C-10 (top). ‘It was a lot ofwork,’ he said of the project. The bottomthree photos show Clyde Shafer ofMetropolis and his 1977 Scottsdale Chevy4x4. Shafer shows off his 1977 ChevyScottsdale 4x4 (bottom) on Sept. 12,during the Appletime Show and Shine carshow at Murphysboro’s Riverside Park.

That’s what it takes to customize a pickup

FROM PAGE 1F

Ford’s F-150, the nation’s mostpopular-selling truck for 34consecutive years, underwent anextensive makeover this year. Four all-new engines — the 3.7-liter V6, 5-literV8, 6.2-liter V8 and 3.5-liter V6 thatuses Ford’s EcoBoost twin-turbosystem — were designed to help driversget more money out of their miles. Thenew engines, to go along with thetruck’s industrial look, have made it apopular choice for buyers nationwide.And Southern Illinois is no different.

“They’ve just got a great servicerecord,” said Kern Weshinskey, salesmanager at Vogler Motor Company inCarbondale. “It’s the engineering andthe styling of it that people like. Peoplewho want a truck know the F-150 isgoing to be a great truck.”

In a time when many large companiesare waiting out the recession with cost-cutting measures, Weshinskey has beenimpressed by Ford’s dedication toimproving its fuel performance. Buteven the most fuel-efficient truckscan’t be expected to overcome gasprices that some experts say willcontinue to increase throughout 2011.

“If gas goes up to five bucks a gallon,there aren’t too many vehicles that willaccommodate that,” Weshinskey said.

In another effort to help its cash-strapped consumer base, manyautomobile companies are offeringgenerous incentives to keep sales strongand customers happy.

“With the 2010 models, you could getsix or seven thousand dollars inincentives,” Weshinskey said. “Now youcan get three or five thousand. That’swhat people are looking for.”

Sherertz agrees that incentives havehelped boost business in Marion. Hesaid families looking to implement atruck payment into their monthlybudgets need to take into considerationall aspects of purchasing a new vehicle.

“Depreciation is a lot less on trucksthan cars,” he said. “With all of thethings that trucks can do, it makesthem a very smart purchase for a lot ofpeople in Southern Illinois. It just alldepends on family needs and what theycan afford. With such a wide range ofsizes and prices, a family can findwhatever truck they need.”

Only three miles west of Cash’sBaker, George Lee is seeing great saleson trucks at Marion Toyota. TheTacoma and the Tundra continue to bepopular at the dealership because oftheir versatility and fuel-efficiency.

Lee said fuel-efficiency is a popularselling-point for customers, but safetyis even more so.

“This year all of our trucks come withthe 5-star safety system standard,” Leesaid. “That includes the vehicle’sstability control, traction control, brakeassistance, side air bags.”

Mike Fiorenzi of Auffenberg Chryslerin Herrin said the safety features andoverall dependability of the Dodge Ramand Dakota were the reasons that lastyear’s truck sales accounted for 63 percent of the dealership’s salesrevenues. “A lot of people say that theDodge Ram Diesel is the best diesel onthe road,” he said. “It’s got the famous5.7 hemi engine. Just all the differentcabs and variations you can get with theRam make it our most popular truck.”

Even though gas mileage is improvingin truck production, Fiorenzi sayscustomers know what they’re gettingwhen they buy a truck, especially adiesel. “I would say that most peoplewho want to buy a big truck want themto pull a boat or something like that,”Fiorenzi said. “I don’t think gas mileageis really part of the equation. Mostpeople don’t ask you about gas mileagewhen they’re looking for a bigger truck.”

Gas mileage and trucks may not bethe perfect pair, but as many SouthernIllinois dealerships have seen, companiesare making advances to find somecommon ground with consumers whoare looking for any relief they can get.

Not splurging on a new truck this year?Some phone calls to local mechanicsproduced these tips on making yourpick-up more fuel-efficient.

Don’t buck the basics: It’s Truck 101 —if you take care of your truck, your truckwill take care of you. Routinely changingyour oil, along with your air and oilfilters, will keep your truck runningsmoothly. Regular tune-ups will alsolead to high-quality performance,keeping your fuel efficiency at top-notch.

Treasure your treads: Your tires canhave a big impact on your truck’s fuelefficiency. Making sure you have thecorrect size tire is an important factor, aslarger tires can lead to decreased gasmileage. Always make sure your tires areaired up to the proper levels.

Lighten the load: Reducing the weightthat you are lugging around town willprove beneficial in the long run.Accessories like heavy bumpers orsuper-sized brush guards weigh downyour truck and could negatively impactyour truck’s performance.

Cover up: The shape and design oftruck beds disrupts the flow of air andcan create gas-guzzling effects.Installing a truck bed cover will helpkeep the air from slowing down yourtruck and its fuel efficiency.

— Joe Szynkowski

Running on fumes? TRUCKONOMICS: Today’s trucks are more fuel-efficient than ever

THE SOUTHERN ILLINOISAN FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2011 3F

2010 JEEP WRANGLERUNLIMITED SAHARA STK# 0J452

Body Color Flares, Pwr EquipmentMSRP: $30,775WEEKS PRICE:

$26,9992010 CHRYSLER

TOWN & COUNTRY STK# 0C768 • Pwr Sliders, DVD

MSRP: $31,030WEEKS PRICE:$23,908

2011 DODGE DURANGOAll New 3rd Row, AWD

NOW IN STOCK!!2010 CHRYSLER 300

STK# 0C890 • Touring, Roof, Wheels, LeatherMSRP: $33,585

WEEKS PRICE:$26,997

2011 CHEVY CRUZESTK# 1H941 • All New, Up to 40 MPG!MSRP: $18,100WEEKS PRICE:$16,404 OR $23436 Per Mo

2010 CHEVY COLORADOSTK# 0H975 • Auto, Good MPGMSRP: $18,860WEEKS PRICE:$15,730

2011 CHEVY MALIBUSTK# 1H895 • 33 MPG, OnStarMSRP: $23,025WEEKS PRICE:$19,499** OR $28183 Per Mo

2011 CHEVY CORVETTE COUPESTK# 1H616 • 3LT, Automatic, Nav, Chrome WheelsMSRP: $61,345SAVE OVER$9,400 OFF MSRP**

*PRICE MAY INCLUDE ALLY OR GM FIN.BONUS CASH. .**INCLUDES OWNER LOYALTY PRICES INCLUDE ALL AVAILABLE REBATES. PAYMENTS BASED ON 10% OF SELLING PRICE DOWN PLUS TAX, TITLE, AND LIC @ 4.9% FOR 72 MOS. ALL REBATES MAY NOT APPLY FOR EVERY CUSTOMER. PICTURES MAY NOT REFLECT ACTUAL VEHICLE. DEALER NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS. TAX, TITLE, LIC. AND DOC FEE ARE EXTRA. THE MSRP MAY NOT BE THE PRICE AT WHICH THE VEHICLE IS SOLD IN THE TRADE AREA. SALE PRICES ARE ON IN STOCK VEHICLES. SEE DEALER FOR DETAILS.

‘10 DODGE JOURNEY

‘07 HONDA ODYSSEY

‘05 CHEVROLET SILVERADO

‘07 FORD F-150

‘03 CHEVROLET TAHOE ‘01 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN ‘99 FORD CROWN VICTORIA ‘99 DODGE RAM 1500

‘07 DODGE NITRO SLT ‘06 TOYOTA SIENNA XLE ‘04 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER

‘09 DODGE RAM 1500 ‘09 CHEVROLET SILVERADO ‘08 LINCOLN MKX FWD ‘08 FORD EXPLORERSTK# 13203RD ROW SEATSXT

STK# 0C569A8800 MILESLIKE NEW, CLEAN

STK# 1H763A1500, 4X4, CREW CAB, 56K MI, CLEAN

STK# 1J891ACREW CABLARIAT, LEATHER

STK# 1303A3RD ROWLOCAL TRADE

STK# 1219B1500, LEATHER, 4X4 CNTR BUCKETS

STK# 0H554DPOLICECAR

STK# 1271ALONG BEDV8

STK# 0D534AR/T, 4X4, LEATHERROOF, WHEELS

STK# 1H758BLIMITEDLEATHER, DVD

STK# 1J912ALOCAL TRADELS

STK# 1H776ACREW CAB, 4X4ONLY 21K MI

STK# 0H020ALTZ, 12K MILIKE NEW

STK# 1287A20IN WHLS, ROOFONLY 32K MI

STK# OD359BADRENALINE15K MI, ROOF

$18,995

$21,995

$21,995

$26,995

$10,995 $8,995 $3,995 $4,995

$19,995 $21,495 $9,995

$26,995 $35,995 $28,995 $24,995



Bang. Clank. Buzz.Those are the sounds ofbusiness at Stearns Sales

in Energy, and business is good.The family-owned company

opened in 2005 and sells carand truck accessories,performance parts, trailers andATVs.

“It’s been going pretty goodover the years,” said co-ownerand manager Jeff Stearns.“We’ve just kept continuallygrowing.”

Stearns Sales’ staff membersdon’t just sell products. Theycan custom lift a truck to theextreme or lower one to theground. The business offersmore than 700 different vendorlines, giving its customersplenty of options whenpurchasing anything fromwheels and tires to powerfulperformance parts. But Stearnshas really built its reputation onits ability to take trucks apartand put them back togetheragain.

“We’ll do the small stuff like

the mud flaps or the Nerf bars,”Stearns said. “But then we’llalso get the guys who come inand want everything done totheir truck. Building is what Ienjoy. The design andfabrication are the parts thatare fun to me.”

If you need proof of Stearns’passion for truckreconstruction, look no furtherthan the parking lot at hisbusiness, where three restoredDodge Rams are on display.Stearns morphed one of theDodges — a 1997 Ram 1500 —into a 10-foot monster truck.

“That’s a project that’s beengoing on for about two years,”Stearns said. “It’s got acompletely custom suspension.We’ve done it all in the shop.It’s basically like a monstertruck. We do competitions andmud bogs and stuff like that.And it’s funny, even though it’sso high off the ground, it doesmanage to get muddy. Peopledon’t think it will but it getspretty muddy.”

The monster Dodge wasn’tthe first truck Stearns Salesrestored. The shop completely

re-did co-owner Dale Stearns’1955 Ford F-100 in anastounding seven months.

“That kind of job wouldprobably normally take three tofive years,” said Dale Stearns,Jeff’s father. “I really wanted a’56 Ford, but I bought this oneup in Benton for $4,000. It onlyhad one brake that worked on it.

“It had an old transmissionand motor in it. The interiorhad holes on every corner. Itwas not in good shape at all,”Dale said. “I always wanted torestore a truck but I didn’t havethe talent to do it. My son,brother and nephew at the storedid all of the work.”

The truck was sand-blasted,acid-dipped, taken apart andput back together before beingcustomized with a “sunsetpearl orange” paint job. Theonly original part remaining onthe truck is a front axle. Thevolume of work is what madethe accomplishment such aspecial one to Jeff.

“That was pretty muchunreal,” he said. “We got prettycarried away on that one. Weput a lot of late nights into that.

It basically had every nut andbolt replaced.”

That kind of dedicatedattention to detail is what JeffStearns promises to hiscustomers. But he knows hecouldn’t do it without hissupporting cast.

“It’s pretty much all family atStearns,” he said. “I’ve got twoyounger cousins who work forme. And then my dad, ofcourse, and my uncles help out,too. Everybody’s just willing tochip in to keep everythingrunning.”

‘We’ll do the small stuff like the mud flaps or theNerf bars. But then we’ll also get the guys whocome in and want everything done to their truck.Building is what I enjoy. The design andfabrication are the parts that are fun to me.’

DALE STEARNS, OWNER OF STEARNS SALES IN ENERGY

STEVE JAHNKE / THE SOUTHERNDale Stearns lifts the hood of his 1955 Ford F-100 to reveal afuel-injected 302 engine. Stearns’ shop competely renovatedhis 1955 Ford F-100 pickup truck.

From the smallest parts to the biggest overhaulsStearns Sales in Energy has the goods to take care of your truck

PAUL NEWTON / THE SOUTHERNStearns Sales in Energy worked on this 1997 Dodge last winter to turn itinto a monster truck. The truck sits more than 4 feet off of the ground.

1959 Chevy Apache 3100 owned by Don Marks of Marion.

Billy Hall of Zeigler submitted this photo of a 2006 Ford F-150. He said the silver truck is a 4x4, with a 5.4 liter motorwith 35+12.5 tires.

Clyde Jolly of Stonefort submitted this photo of his 1998 International Eagle.

Frank Schemonia of Murphysboro submitted this photo of a1978 Ford F150. The truck was white and rusty when he got it.He removed the bed, built a flat bed and repainted the cab.

Robert and Cindy Parks submitted this photo of a 1957 Chevy3100 Stepside.

T.J. Rutherford of Carterville submitted this photo his Ford F-150 Short Bed. He purchased the truck new in 1992 fromMarion Ford. It has 332,000 miles with the orginal V8 engineand four-speed automatic transmission. ‘Nothing evertrailored and no heavy loads hauled,’ he said.

Jack Taylor of West Frankfort submitted this photo of his 1985Chevrolet Silerverado. It has 78,000 actual miles and is alloriginal. He is the truck’s second owner. Shannon Withrow of Sims owns of this 1995 Peterbilt 379.

THE SOUTHERN ILLINOISAN FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2011 5F


The voicemail greeting on hiscell phone ends, “Thank you,thank you very much.” Hechannels his love for music byentertaining the masses. Andhis vehicle turns headswherever it travels.

But this Elvis’ car of choiceisn’t a pink Cadillac. It’s a blackChevrolet.

Meet John “Big Elvis” Milaniand his 1992 Z-1500.

Milani’s DJ company, Big ElvisRock and Roll Show, performed42 times last year from as farsouth as Metropolis to as farnorth as Albion. He startedplaying tunes at local car shows10 years ago, captivating thecrowds with karaoke andvintage rock ‘n’ roll.

While making a name forhimself on the car-show scene,Milani decided he needed to fitin. That’s why he and hisfiancée, Yolonda Hess, boughtthe Z-1500 from one of hisfriends last summer. After anextensive restoration — onethat is still under way — Milaniand Hess take pride in showingoff their hard work.

“It’s what you would call a

10- or 20-footer,” joked Milani,of Herrin. “It looks real goodfrom about 10 or 20 feet away.Really, it’s not a bad-lookingtruck. Not as bad as it couldhave been. When we firstbought it, I didn’t know if we’dever be able to fix it up the wayI wanted.”

The truck was riddled withdings and dents when Milanibrought it home. Almost oneyear later, it now sports anunderbody light kit thatchanges colors at night, redaccents on the wheels, a frontkit that makes it look like a ’52and a powerful 305 V8 engine.

“It’s an unusual-lookingtruck to say the least,” Hesssaid. “It’s funny when some ofthe older guys come up and say,‘I used to have a truck just likeit.’ They’ll look at it closer andsay, ‘Oh, nevermind.’ Thenthey’ll ask us what year it is andthings like that. It kind ofthrows them off.”

This isn’t the first vehicleMilani has restored. Hecustomized a Ford Escort GTinto Mustang when he wasyounger, had it painted “plumcrazy purple” and showed it atvarious street machine nationalshows.

“I’ll be doing this for as longas I’m doing the DJ business atcar shows,” Milani said. “It’s allabout getting to meet differentpeople. And you really get ideasfor your own vehicles at theshows. You might like the waythis car is painted, but youmight like the interior fromanother one that you see.”

Milani, who works days inmaintenance at GeneralDynamics in Marion, also hosts

his own radio show Thursdaynights on WGGH. He takesrequests for music from the’50s through the ’70s.

“The show streams online soit can really be heard fromanywhere,” Milani said. “We’vehad calls from Phoenix, Floridaand Detroit, even as far away asGermany, England andAustralia.”

The worldwide interest inmusic and vintage vehicles goes

hand in hand, Milani says.“What’s great about the car

and truck community is onceyou get involved, there arealways people willing to help,”he said. “It’s just been a realneat thing to be a part of.”

“If you’re on your way to ashow or at a show and you haveany problems, people are morethan happy to lend a hand,”Hess agreed. “It’s a very tight-knit group of people.”


People who walk pastthe Robert N. BrewerFamily Foundation in

Herrin have been knownto stop, stare and strike upa conversation with staffmembers about this truck.

The 1931 Model A milktruck that sits in thebuilding’s lobby is quite asight, but it is what thered and white classicrepresents that makes itone of a kind. Brewer’sson, Denver, restored thetruck and gave it to himfor a Father’s Day present

in the mid-1990s.“We get a lot of

comments,” said MarieDeLaney, thefoundation’s secretaryand treasurer. “Peoplethat see it come in a lot oftimes off the streets tofind out more about it.It’s such a unique truck.”

The foundation awardscollege scholarships toHerrin and Marion highschool graduates whohave maintained at least a“C” grade-point average.Preference is given tostudents with financialneed.

“Those are the basic

requirements and we alsoare looking for studentswho have a good, hardwork ethic,” DeLaney said.

That’s where the milktruck comes in.

Brewer began deliveringmilk to Herrin residentswhen he was in sixthgrade, spending a bulk of

his childhood waking upeach morning at 3 a.m.seven days a week. Laterin life, the self-mademillionaire foundedAmerica’s Best Inns and amanagement company.He also established theEncore Development Co.to create quality housing

for seniors.And even 10 years after

his death, Brewercontinues to give back tohis community throughhis foundation that hasawarded college scholar-ships to 389 students.

“The truck is a hugesymbol to the kids whenthey come into the officeto find out how to obtainscholarships,” DeLaneysaid. “We’re very proud ofit. Along with the truck,we’ve got several differentsymbols here that paytribute to Mr. Brewer’spast.”

DeLaney, who began

working with Brewer in1980, said her longtimeemployer would be proudof how the foundation hasgrown over the years.

“I will never meetanother man in mylifetime that could walkbehind him, let alone fillhis shoes,” she said.“There are a lot of peopleout there who have theability to give back, butfor whatever reason, theychoose not to. Mr. Brewerwas the opposite. Heworked very hard, butvery smart and was verypassionate about givingback.”


PAUL NEWTON / THE SOUTHERNThis 1931 Model A milk truck is ondisplay in the lobby of the Robert N.Brewer Family Foundation in Herrin.

Vintage milk truck delivers ‘wow factor’ in Herrin‘We get a lot of comments. People that see itcome in a lot of times off the streets to find outmore about it. It’s such a unique truck.

MARIE DELANEY, SECRETARY AND TREASURER

OF THE ROBERT N. BREWER FAMILY FOUNDATION

Rhonda Graves of Marion submitted this photo of a 1938 International Ford Rat Rod. She said it’stons of fun to drive, and it is a 350 V8 automatic.Gary Moon of Energy submitted this photo of a 1936 Ford Pick-Up.

John ‘Big Elvis’ Milani owns this 1992 Z-1500.

‘Big Elvis’ has a whole lottalove for his Chevrolet truck

THE SOUTHERN ILLINOISAN FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2011 7FJUST TRUCKSwww.thesouthern.com

Scott McAdams of Chester submitted this photo of a 1962 Chevy C10. This is a rare Custom 1962 chevy short bed fleet sidetruck, with 2010 Camaro synergy green paint, a 327 small block engine, Gennie shifter, custom lowered suspension, customgauges, a chrome tilt steering column, white oak bed, foose wheels. It is totally restored from the ground up by McAdams.

Norm Alexander of Harrisburg submitted this photo of a 1934 Ford Pickup. It has an all metalbody, 4-inch chopped top, Chevy 350 motor, .60, mild cam, Edlelbrock 750 Carb, 700Rtransmission, 12-bolt rear with 411 gears and 15-inch ‘wire’ wheels. Sean Bittle of Carbondale submitted this photo of a 1989 GMC K-2500.

Steve Watson of Herrin submitted this photo of his 1952Chevrolet 3100.

Dale Garver of Ava submitted this photo of a 1964 Ford F-100.He said it is step side, mostly orignal, with 60,000 miles, andhis grandfather bought it new.

Rhea Korte of Marion submitted this photo of a 1966 Ford F-100. It is a lime green and white4x4, four-speed with a 302 engine.

Michael Ritter of Carterville submitted this photo of this 1998 Ford F-150 ‘4’ pro.

Herman Pritchett of Goreville submitted this photo of himself with his 1941 Chevy 1/2 Ton truck.It has a 350 Chevy motor and 350 turbo transmission. The 1941 Chevy pickup was the lasttruck built before World War II until 1946. It was rebuilt about 15 years ago. WWW.THESOUTHERN.COM WWW.THESOUTHERN.COM

NEEDED

for the 5th Annual

BIG TRUCK BIG TRUCK N I G H TN I G H TMay 7th @ University Mall

All Trucks & Specialty Vehicles Welcome! Pickups Fire Engines Construction Equipment Farm Tractors & More!

If you have a big truck, and would enjoy letting kids check it out, please contact Brandi Williamson at 529-3147 or [email protected]

Early Intervention for Young Children with Special Needs


Monstertrucks gorollingright into Du QuoinBY JOE SZYNKOWSKIFOR THE SOUTHERN

Not all trucks arecreated equal.

Some are built with thepower to pull. Others areshaped for speed.BIGFOOT wasconstructed to crush.

The monster truck thatstarted it all is more than30 years old, and hasbecome a main attractionat derbies and showsacross the world. TheSouthern Illinois Centerin Du Quoin hosted itsfirst E3 Spark PlugsMonster Truck Nationalsevent last year, and willinvite BIGFOOT and fiveof its monster truckbuddies onto the dirttrack Feb. 25 and 26.

Event promoter JessicaHubley said last year’sground-pounding show atDu Quoin was a hit amongfans and drivers.

“We got such a positiveresponse from last year,”said Hubley, withPromotion Company andFamily Events. “Wealmost sold out thatSaturday nightshow…we’re a big fan ofthe venue because it canaccommodate largerevents, and it’s astrategically placedlocation for our schedule.”

Du Quoin is the fifthstop in an 11-dateschedule for the nationals.The show will featuremore than 60,000 poundsof monster-truckmadness competing inside-by-side drags,wheelie competitions andfierce freestyles. Thetrucks that will competeare the original monsterE3 BIGFOOT, StarMarshal, Lucas OilStabilizer, Ironman, DieselRX Airdog andChalkboard Chuck.

“We got a lot offeedback from drivers wholoved the dirt track at DuQuoin last year becausethat’s what they comefrom early in theircareers,” Hubley said. “Weusually play at largerarenas with concretetracks. So the drivers loveperforming at Du Quoin.”

In addition to themonster trucks, theFreestyle Insanity Moto XTeam will feature FMXmotorcycle stunt ridersperforming daring stuntsand jumping up to 50 feetin the air from take-offramps.

Everyone who purchasesa ticket to any of theweekend performances isinvited to come two hours


On just about every weekendfrom the spring to fall,town squares and parking

lots turn into playgrounds fortruck-lovers of SouthernIllinois. From the vintage to thecustomized, trucks of all makesand models are a huge draw tothe local auto shows, which notonly provide an atmosphere offun and excitement but also oneof generosity and good will.

The third annual WestFrankfort Car Show — scheduledfor September — raises funds forindividuals with developmentaldisabilities. Brad Friendcoordinates the event and is alsothe manager of professionalservices at the H Group in WestFrankfort. He said the eventbegan as a fundraiser to offset thegovernment cuts of grants for theorganization’s disabled clients.

“I feel proud and could not dothis without all of the staff whoassist me in donating their timeand efforts in making the show asuccess,” Friend said. “Themonies pay for such things aspizza parties, purchasing turkeysto make a Thanksgiving feast forthe clients, and for the SpecialOlympics basketball team toattend district and state playoffs.”

As coordinator for the autoshow, Friend handles everythingfrom advertising for the eventand judging the contestants, toobtaining food, drinks andprizes. He says the show attracts

a variety of trucks numberingabout 65 per year.

“(Trucks) are a big attractionin our show, and I think theeveryday truck owner likes to seewhat extras can look like on theirtruck, such as the extra chromeand fancy paint jobs,” he said.“We have enjoyed large crowdsand without the trucks I believethe show would not be thesuccess it is.”

The show raises funds bycharging fees for vehicle entries,by offering varying levels ofevent sponsorship andconducting a 50-50 drawing anda silent auction. “To see thefaces of each of the clients at ourworkshop enjoying their pizza orthe basketball players as they aregetting ready to leave for theirgames is priceless,” Friend said.“This is the fundraising event ofthe year. It is physically andemotionally exhausting, but Iwouldn’t trade a minute of thetime I spend on the show.”

The West Frankfort show isnot the only one in SouthernIllinois that donates its proceedsto a good cause. Far from it.Local car-enthusiast and radiohost Chris Hahn updates hiswebsite (www.sicarnews.com)regularly with new showlistings. He has been restoringold squad cars since he retiredfrom the state juvenile justicedepartment in 2008.

“I think the truck portion ofshows has really caught on,”Hahn said. “There seems to be aresurgence in custom trucks and

restoration and that only helpsthe popularity of trucks. Andshows have always been such apopular thing in SouthernIllinois, because most of themare very generous to charitiesand whatever other causesthey’re raising their money for.”

One of Williamson County’slongest-running auto showsdonates all of its proceeds to thecounty’s Shrine Motor Patrol,which sends the money tochildren’s hospitals in St. Louis,Chicago and Cincinnati. Thereare 22 Shriners Hospitals forChildren in the nation, and theytreat children up to age 18 withburns, spinal cord injuries, cleftlip and other conditions.

Stacey Peebels, coordinator forthe Williamson Countychapter’s auto event, sayshelping children is the mostrewarding aspect of putting theshow together.

“I had a child treated at aShriners hospital and being ableto donate our money to them iskind of my way of feeling like I’m

paying them back a little bit,”Peebels said. “That’s how a lot ofour members and the people whoenter the show feel, too.”

The car, truck and motorcycleshow is annually slated for thelast Saturday in July and featuresan auction, door prizes and acash drawing. Last year’s eventdrew 59 vehicles, 16 of whichwere trucks.

“There are definitely more carsin the show, but you’ve got a lotof people who are really fond oftheir trucks,” Peebels said. “It’samazing how much they spendon them and how much workthey do to fix them up.”

Peebels works hard to fulfillthe vision of his late father,William, who founded the event13 years ago. “He was theoriginator,” Peebels said. “Ipretty much try to carry on thetradition that he started. It’sgreat that we dedicate the showto honor him. A lot of peoplethat knew him will come out. Wethink he’d be pleased with howwe’re carrying on the tradition.”

A generous groupCoordinators of local car and truck showswork to raise funds for their communities

DETAILS

What: E3 Spark PlugsMonster TruckNationals

When: Friday, Feb. 25(7:30 p.m. with PitParties at 5:30 and 6:45 p.m.) andSaturday Feb. 26 (1 p.m.with Pit Parties at 11a.m. and 12:15 p.m. andagain at 7:30 p.m. withPit Parties at 5:30 and6:45 p.m.)

Where: Southern IllinoisCenter at the Du QuoinState Fair Fairgrounds

Prices: $17-$20 foradults; $10 for children.All tickets are subject to additional facilityfees and servicecharges.

Online: www.ticketmaster.com or www.monsternationals.com

Phone: 888-718-4253through midnight thenight before the event

Box office: Tickets willalso be available at theevent box office the dayof the show.

The third annual West Frankfort Car Show is in September and raises fundsfor individuals with disabilities.

SEE TRUCKS / PAGE 9F

VOGLER FORDCarbondale | 618-457-8135

www.voglerford.com

THE SOUTHERN ILLINOISAN FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2011 9FJUST TRUCKSwww.thesouthern.com

Matt Coffell of Du Quoin submitted this picture of this 1994Ford F-150 Stepside. He said it has customized exterior anddrive train, headers, cam, MSD ignition, K&N intake, stallconverter, 4.10 gears and a Billet grille.

Lane Dierks of Ava submitted this photo of a 1995 ChevySilverado 2500 4x4. ‘This used to my dad’s truck. We used iton the farm and still do today. I got it when he decided to buya newer truck for himself. He let me add a few things on it tomake it stand out a little bit. Those things are a 3-inch lift,alloy rims with Dick Cepek mud country tires, Chrome pushbar and dual exhaust.’

Matt Fry of Madison submitted this photo of a 2005 ChevySilverado 2500HD 4x4 Crew Cab.

Christian Rath of Murphysboro submitted this photo of a 2001 GMC Sonoma. The truck isowner built and driven since purchased new at Foley-Sweitzer in Marion.

James Connell of Mounds submitted this photo of a 1948 Ford F1. It is a photo of JamesConnell in his father’s (James Sr.) truck, along with his wife, Barbara, and their seven children.

Eric Cook of Galatia submitted this photo a 1967 Chevy C-10. He said, ‘My 1967 C-10 longbedfeatures: ppg sunset pearl paint, a shaved antenna, bed stakes, gas filler, rollpan, trim, bored283, noisy Pete Jackson gear drive, jet hot coated headers, aluminum intake, Edelbrock 6504bbl, comp cam, Taylor pro wires, 4:10 gears, Crossover pipe, Hurst four-speed, LINE-X bedliner, no limit custom aluminum gas tank with bed floor filler, louvered tailgate/roll pan, clearlenses, chopped frame ’92 chevy bench seat, gray tweed carpet, tweed/vinyl interior doorpanels and empire custom door cranks.’

Tim Anderson of Marion submitted this photo of a 1999 Chevy Silverado. It has 22-inch wheels, newbumpers and door handles with matching color, lowered back suspension to level out the truck, smokedheadlights and tail lights, and a black bowtie. All the work was done at Vaughns Master Works in Marion.

David Ray of Marion submitted this photo of an old fire truck converted to a mobilewedding chapel, where he and his wife got married.

TRUCKS:Monsters cometo Du Quoin FROM PAGE 8F

before that performanceto a Pit Party/DriverAutograph Session. Themonster truck drivers willmeet the fans, pose forphotos and show off theirmachines.

It’s that intimate fan-driver relationship thathas helped the sport growinto a national sensation.

“Monster trucks are abig draw across alldemographics,” Hubleysaid. “There are the twoto10-year-olds who are fansof the trucks and drivers. Ithink it’s because asopposed to NASCAR,where the drivers are thestars, monster trucksactually take onpersonalities of their own.Then you have your 30and40-year-olds who love itfor the same reason.”

LaDonna Basler of Anna submitted this photo of a 2006 Peterbilt 379. Pictured is Basler ofLKB & Sons Trucking with one of the newest additions to her 13-truck fleet.

Harry Sims of Herrin with his 1956 Ford F100.

Carl ‘Cowboy’ Phillips of Mulkeytown submitted this photo ofhis automatic transmission International truck. It was one ofonly 800 made. AUTO PARTS

10F THE SOUTHERN ILLINOISAN FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2011

just trucks

Documents