April 18, 2001

Semi-truck thing of beauty

Cade takes first-place at national truck show

By GARRET LEIVA
Herald editor
       Most people would cringe at the thought of driving their polished-chrome show truck through a gravel pit. For Jamie Cade, however, it's just part of the job.
      As a lowboy driver hauling heavy equipment, Cade and his 2000 Kenworth T800 deal with dirt, dust and stone chips on a daily basis. Through the course of a construction season, the triaxle semi-truck will also roll 44,000 miles on the odometer. Given the work environment, this truck isn't expected to win any beauty contests - just don't tell Cade that.
      Representing Elmer's Crane and Dozer of Traverse City, Cade earned a first-place trophy at the Paul K. Young Memorial Truck Beauty Contest last month in Louisville, Ky. The show, named in honor of Mid America Trucking Show founder, Paul Young, drew 150 trucks from around the nation. Cade competed against 12 other contestants in the company-owned Bobtail class.
      While Cade has competed in the show before - taking third-place in the 2000 Pride and Polish Show - he could hardly believe his ears at this year's event.
      "I looked at the other trucks in our class and told my wife 'we'll have a hard time bringing home anything this year'," noted Cade, who attended the three-day show with his wife, Heather and 1 1/2 year old son, Denver.
      "They read the winners for third and second place and we looked at each other. Then they tried pronouncing my name for first place and I was just blown away."
      Judging criteria for semi-truck shows is similar to car venues - small details only at a much larger scale.
      In order to take the first-place trophy back home to Buckley, Cade needed to make an impression in several areas. Three judges examined his truck from exhaust stack tip to frame undercarriage. Points were awarded for condition of paint, undercarriage, glass, tires, engine and interior. Extra touches such as shine and overall use of chrome and stainless steel also factored into the judging.
      Cade even set up a display area that included quarry rocks, company logo carpet and toy gravel trucks. As part of the judging, each driver must explain the purpose of their truck and any special features.
      Working in conjunction with Elmer's owner, Butch Broad, Cade started transforming the truck last March. First came running lights and a few assorted chrome pieces. Next came eight inch chrome exhaust stacks, stainless steel fenders, aluminum wheels, chrome air cleaner tanks and the addition of a third back axle. Other unique touches are train whistle horns and a set of chrome bull horns adorning the radiator.
      "I also have cow bells on the back of the truck because it kind of stands for who I am," said Cade, who raises cattle when he is not hauling construction equipment.
      Since Cade's truck is a daily driver -including more than 400 miles to Kentucky each March - detailing it for a show takes ample elbow grease and chrome polish. From power washing the frame and engine bay to taking home wheels and polishing them inside and out, Cade spends 60 to 80 hours of his own time cleaning the truck. He also touches up the occasional frame rail stone chip with paint.
      "I kind of live, eat and breath trucks. I was born and raised around them and I take pride in keeping the truck clean," Cade said.
      However, when your truck hauls a trailer to shows instead of riding on one, attention to detail can be lost to road grime and Mother Nature. This year, Cade ran into a rain storm 40 miles outside Louisville which meant a massive cleanup effort before the show.
      Luckily, Cade does not mind washing the truck, in fact he often takes his work home on the weekends.
      "My wife always says I take better care of the company truck than my own," said Cade, who often spends Sundays hosing down the Kenworth. "My own truck usually has piles of clothes and boots along with a half-inch of dust on the dash."