It's a Team's Life

Pride & Polish Time GATS

By Linda Caffee
Posted Aug 20th 2019 8:18AM

At the time we entered Pride & Polish we were under the assumption we would have had our truck for several weeks and the truck would be in a more finished state.  It did not work out as planned and as such Bob got done want he could to the outside and I got done what I could to the inside. Is the Cascadia, Big Blue, complete? Not by a long shot. 


What we can do is take in a truck that is clean and has potential. Bob has not let time slip away as he has added four belly boxes and manufactured two aluminum boxes to enclose the back corners above the liftgate.  He made these at home and while on the road we got them installed after he polished them. We also have two side skirts that are at the painters that will go under the sleeper. Those did not get finished in time for this truck show. 


We have Deflecktor wheel covers on the drives they really polish up nice and are great for our aerodynamics. .This is our first twin-screw truck and we sure have noticed a difference in the ride and it is not for the better.  Deflector 


Polished

  • Hoses under hood
    Freight box
    Trim on Freight Box
    Wheels
    Lift Gate
    Anything the judges can reach
    Tires
    Bob’s list looks easy but it is really huge when you think of every crevice and edge that has to be clean and shiny. 

While Bob is working on the outside I will be working on the inside of our ARI sleeper to make it ours. I am not an interior decorator and usually have a very eclectic style of basically if I like it and I have room for it use it. . Not everyone appreciates my style including truck show judges. After the Expedite Expo and some great suggestions from friends, I decided to go with an Americana interior. Now to see if was able to pull it off. My favorite and I do mean my favorite is this rug I bought. 


Cleaned

  • Vents with a Q-Tip
    Wipe down the underside of table and cabinets
    Polish countertops
    Clean spice jars I am planning on leaving out
    Decorate the table with my Disney dishes and placemats
    Polish floor
    Clean Sleeper curtains
    Clean every crevice of our Minimizer seats
    Clean Dash and every knob and close all of the vents
    Put away anything extra that will detract from an orderly truck
    Clean Disney floor mats 
    Clean crevices of brake and throttle pedals
  • The judges are not allowed to open any doors so that helps to hide things. I am still debating on leaving the shower door cracked open so they can look inside. That will depend on if I use it for storage or not. 

It is a lot of work to get ready for a Pride & Polish Truck Show and it is tough to not win anything after all that work. The joy of it though is to see the truck in such a pristine condition and in the company of so many fantastic show trucks. We also get to talk with the attendees that have questions about the truck and about expediting. We unlike many of the other show trucks allow people to get inside our truck and sleeper after the judging as time allows. 


Wish us luck as we head onto the show floor and do our final preparations for Big Blue’s first truck show.  

Bob & Linda Caffee

TeamCaffee

Saint Louis MO

Expediters since January 2005

[email protected]

 

Expediting isn't just trucking, it's a lifestyle;

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Expediting isn't just an adventure, it's a job;

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