Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/114712
CUSTOM RIGS Yamko No. 136 By James Jaillet Photos by Bruce W. Smith J ohn Gonzales and longtime colleague and current boss Frank Gomez take a humble approach to the building of custom trucks. Rockwood Products made the 388's hardwood floor, dash and shifter, and the truck's gauges have chrome bezels. The steering wheel is a oneoff custom wood design. That's not to say they don't like some flash and purple-on-black flames, but the trucks they've built at Yamko Truck Lines are inspired by the duo's built-onsweat careers in the trucking industry. They both started out as drivers, working their way up to their current roles as owner (Gomez) and manager (Gonzales) of Long Beach, Calif.-based Yamko. The 2009 Peterbilt 388 here – "No. 136" as it's known to the container hauler – is one of two that Gomez used in 2007 to lure Gonzales from working the Long Beach port to his company. They spec'd the trucks with black- cherry paint jobs and brought Dynaflex on as sponsor of their custom work. They started building in preparation for the 2011 Great West Truck Show, and from there it's been a never-ending process of upgrading and tweaking, with most of the work done in Yamko's yard. The truck's interior received a makeover done with Rockwood Products' flooring and dash, as well as the latest in electronics. The exterior got the teal, pearl, pink and purple flame treatment, along with bunches of lights, a Valley Chrome bumper, custom deckplate and Dynaflex exhaust. "Everything I've always done had a teal with pink, and I've always loved those colors with a purplish background – it's a perfect match," says John Gonzales, manager of Yamko Truck Lines. He blended a few colors together to create the teal, pearl and pink flames that lie on top of his black-cherry hood, and he had Rush Truck Center apply the scheme. 52 | Overdrive | March 2013 Yamko_Opening Page.indd 52 2/27/13 11:33 PM