Hell On Wheels
Sherry Martinez and crew exorcised the demons of a troublesome truck with some devilish customizations. S herry Martinez's '90 Peterbilt 379 is visually hell on wheels, born from personal trials and tribulations. Martinez says her Pete, the first of three tricked-out trucks in the Mira Loma, Calif.-based Jessica Martinez Trucking fleet, was designed to match the tough times that came with going independent. Its looks reflect the hell me, my husband and my family went through when we first got it, says Martinez, adding they've owned the truck for ten years. Everything that could go wrong with it did. But now it's a part of my life and I wouldn't give it up for any other truck. Martinez and her husband, Paul, flatbed mostly pre-fabricated concrete, such as highway dividers and underground vaults used for sewer, water and power systems. Martinez says she's the last person you'd expect to hop out of that cab. Transforming her truck into a showstopper was a family affair, says Martinez, who took a hands-on approach to customizing her rig. The 425hp Cat engine and the running gear are stock, but that can't be said for the exterior. Martinez, Paul, and Ernie and Jermaine Rubio painted the truck candy cobalt blue in the open shop behind their house, while Southern California pin-striping legend Wild Bill airbrushed ghost flame and skull graphics. The nightmarish theme doesn't end with this Pete's exterior though. Opening the suicide doors installed by Jermaine Rubio reveals more ghost flames and skulls on the interior door panels designed by Isaac Espinoza. We also put in a lot of three-way switches, so it went from one switch operating one thing to one switch operating two or three things. To finish the look, the dash was painted to match the truck's exterior. The Martinez family affinity for custom rigs doesn't end with her truck. Customizing is less of a hobby and more of a lifestyle, she says. We like to look good in whatever we drive. 58 CUSTOM RIGS Winter 2009 HELL ON WHEELS By (Photos by Bruce W. Smith)ASHLEY VICE