The Week's Features

MDOT holds media event highlighting first responder safety

Creativity and eccentricity are the themes of this unit

Market Disruption: Are You Ready?

Are you holding your own against the industry changes?

Towman Rescues Father and Daughter of Bride

Towman gets ’em to the church on time

Rotary Lift Heavy-Duty Two-Post Lifts

Capacities of 16-20,000 lbs. allow lifts to service most trucks

Digital Edition

Events

Baltimore, MD.
Nov. 16-18, 2018

AT ShowPlace

Las Vegas, NV.
May 8-11, 2019

Tow Expo Dallas

Dallas, TX.
August 15-17, 2019

Don't Miss It!

Join American Towman Field Editor Randall Resch as he shows how to avoid sloppy actions on-scene, questionable vehicle operations and chances that tower’s repeatedly take with his “Wreckers in Trouble” seminar, taking place Friday Nov. 16 at 11 a.m. during the American Towman Exposition at the Baltimore Convention Center in Baltimore, Maryland.

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American Towman Magazine Presents the Week in TowingNovember 14 - November 20, 2018

Airbrushed Flames Accentuate New Flatbed

By George Nitti

Flames on tow trucks are a popular theme, even with companies that don't specialize in towing. A-Rite Auto Parts of New Briton, Conn., is one such company. Owned by William Genovese, part of their business is focused on selling and delivering used auto body parts throughout southern New England.

They recently traded in their old white non-descript flatbed and purchased a 2015 International TerraStar with a Jerr-Dan 21' NGAF aluminum carrier. Named "Ghostrider," the truck is emblazoned with flames and used to transport salvaged vehicles.

"The boss wanted to turn some heads with the new design, so he had flames painted on it," said Melissa Gravelle, office manager.

A-Rite's flame-themed graphics were airbrushed rather than wrapped.

"Chet Maura Custom Creations did the airbrushing on short notice, working three days straight and spent hours with the colors," Gravelle said. "We think he did an awesome job."

"I was under a lot of pressure to get the job done in such a short period of time. The work is all freehand and very painstaking," said Maura.

"You hold the airbrush like a pencil or pen and a fine amount of paint comes out," he said. "I used bigger air brushes than I normally do in order to get a realistic style of fire flame and used templates and followed the organic shape of the flame while I was airbrushing."

Maura used red, orange, yellow and white as the truck's colors. The process began with drawing the flames in white on top of the black background and then adding the other colors on top of each other. Maura learned the process by studying other artists and watching YouTube videos.

Look closely, and you'll see the initials of Maura's company imprinted on top of a small skull.

The company motto states "Vehicle's first ride is as good as its last!! We believe every vehicle should go out with a blaze!!"

One could add the words "of glory" on this Jerr-Dan/International flatbed.

Brag @ TIW!
Should your truck be featured here? Send a few pics and your contact information to the editor at bdooley@towman.com. You might even be selected to go in print, too, in American Towman magazine

Camouflaged Wrecker Can’t Hide on the Road

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By George Nitti

It's a paradox that some objects become more visible when they attempt to conceal themselves. Although that may not be the case with soldiers wearing camouflaged battledress or animals that blend in with their natural environment, when you dress up a 1996 Kenworth with a Vulcan 25-ton wrecker in brown-spotted colors, what you get is a highly visible tow truck.

Which is a good thing; enhancing one's marketing objectives by being remembered in the mind of a customer or helping to protect towers from the many hazards of the road.

"The idea came from my father-in-law," said Louie Salinas, the husband of AT Wrecker owner Noelia Lean. "We kind of went crazy on it."

The camouflaged wrap was done by a graphic company in Fort Texas shortly after its purchase from Rocky Mountain Wrecker Sales in Salt Lake City, Utah.

AT Wrecker, located in Alamo, Texas, is the sister company of Corpus Christie-based Apollo Towing and has three trucks that cover light- to heavy-duty towing.

"I work Interstate 281 and Highway 77 and also do a lot of towing in five outlying cities, where we are part of a police rotation," said Salinas. "In 104- to 105-degree temperatures, you've got to love the air conditioning."

Outside of a unique camouflaged wrap that grabs your attention, what else gives visibility is the LCD lighting around the wrecker.

"It has two energy lightbars on the bottom and 16 lights on the side," said Salinas. "They do magic at night; it's like you're working in the daylight. They light up the entire area that I'm working."

(This article originally appeared in the April 22, 2015 edition of Tow Industry Week)

Brag @ TIW!
Should your truck be featured here? Send a few pics and your contact information to the editor at bdooley@towman.com. You might even be selected to go in print, too, in American Towman magazine!

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