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On this episode of Dirt Every Day, Fred Williams calls in all his friends to help put his 1986 Chevy Army truck back together for a big adventure to a big state. They add a big-block engine, big portal axles, and a big new suspension to clear really big 42-inch Maxxis tires. Then Fred and Mark from Daystar Products head to Alaska where they take their two army trucks on a four-wheeling adventure and see the highlights of Alaska, the biggest state in the nation. Fred puts his freshly revamped truck to the test and renames it the Alaskan Army Truck, while Mark shows off his 720hp Dodge Power Wagon—all while attempting to get their trucks onto a frozen glacier.
New Giant ARI Sleeper
This is a new 2017 Volvo VNL64T300 with an 168-inch ARI Legacy II RBSD sleeper — a big luxury sleeper unit by the company — and power to match: an I-Shift 12-Speed, with 550 horses.
ARI is probably the first name that you think of when you think of custom legacy sleepers for semi trucks, although there are some strong competitors, each with their own unique style differences, besides the benefits of various companies just based on close proximity of their factory location. ARI has been at it a long time, and they started out with a goal of providing custom sleeper market options better than any at the time.
They had experience coming in, as four of the seven original ARI-ers worked in the custom sleeper industry before starting their own company. The other three brought other experience to the table though: two worked in the RV industry and the third was an owner-operator. You can see how this team had a lot of bases covered going in.
ARI states that while there are other custom sleeper manufacturers (and we feature some of their great work here on this site as well), they maintain one goal which sets them apart from them all:
“[A] strong commitment to the customer and, because one of our original founders was an owner operator, we understand what it’s like to be broke down in Montana in the winter season while knowing that a few extra minutes in engineering or in production may have prevented down time. We understand that down time does not pay the bills. With our sleepers, we try to take the worry out of owning one and we honestly believe we build the best sleepers on the road.”
For more of ARI’s work, find them in our directory of custom sleeper builders.
Upgraded Sleeper Options Include:
- Volvo High Cab Conversion with Walk Through Boot Opening
- Side Entry Door with Manual 3rd Step & Stepwell Layout to PS
- Flip Down Flush Floor
- Flip up Counter, and LED Grab Handle
- Bed Dinette with Self-Storing Table
- Self-Storing Cushions & Bed Struts
- Oversized Bed with 54” Mattress
- Walnut Hardwood and Dinette Bases
- Microwave Convection Oven
- Medicine Cabinet with Mirror and Adjustable Shelf
- Upgrade to Solid Surface Countertops and Gaucho Table.
Here’s the inside of this custom sleeper job, as well as a few more examples of the recent work ARI is doing.
Mack H63
Some old iron for you guys all here. It’s a Mack H63. The 1950s brought significant advancements from Mack, including the G, H and B models. The G series featured an all-aluminum cab for light weight H Models. The 62 has the same body as the 63 but came with a gas engine.
From what I can tell, this Mack semi cabover was shot by Dick Copello, who said of the truck, “This guy used to run coast to coast; haven’t seen him in years. This shot in 1993.”
According to klintan, who has been active informing us all about big trucks for years now, “This truck is featured in one of Stan Holtzman´s books. It´s a 1957 H-63 with a 264″ wb and a 525hp Caterpillar engine. Owned by Joe Mustang since 1959(!)”
Tommiegunn54, who knows the owner, also had something to say about this truck and the guy: “I met him around 1977 at the old union 76 choke and puke on I45 north in Houston. Joe was pulling for ETMF Diamond Division SCAT, at that time .The truck at that time had a 270 Cat with a Mack triplex trans.,consider to be one of the premiere 5×3 progressive boxes in the industry,at that time ,also i had to throw that in there for the KW KID he is such a MACK fan .Joe was a neat old timer ,he ran a lot of houston to santa fe springs, calif.”
