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Taking a break from the large custom luxury RVs and motorhomes for a bit with this post: Everyone knows convertible cars need a heavier frame, right? Otherwise they don’t have the structural support and basically collapse on themselves. But does that go for rigs as well? They’re already pretty tough frame-wise. The photography here is credit to Roger Snider, who seems devoted to photographing the custom big rig scene.
“I see these trucks as large-scale sculptures that reflect a pop-culture aesthetic of the society they represent. I am really surprised that these trucks, which are so much more detailed than the trucks back [in the ’80s], haven’t been featured in more films and TV today. I hope my photography makes Hollywood wake up and include them again,” Snider said recently to Rides Magazine.
Some of these rigs cost 500,000 dollars. Have you ever seen a couch with 20 subs in it? This truck pictured here belongs to Jeff Botelho. It’s a lowrider semi. It’s a Peterbilt. It’s a custom truck. It’s a convertible. Have you ever seen one before?
This thing started out as a burned out beater of a truck. It was part of the Louisville big-rig build-off, a 90-day Class 8 truck competition.
“I had to finish my other project first,” Botelho told Ride. “It took me five days to overhaul the motor in itself, so I only had 83 days to put this thing together.” That seems like a pretty fast build for a custom semi truck, doesn’t it?
“My dad was always into hot rods, so they’ve been a huge inspiration to me.” Even though we’re taking a break from the luxury motor home scene with this post (and a few others), could you imagine if this convertible was modified into an RV itself? Like if it had a 5th wheel trailer behind it or even if they added a giant convertible ARI studio sleeper or something?
