Santa does it, Han Solo did it, and it was the first thing Bo and Luke Duke did after they got in it. What do they all have in common? Each named their mode of transportation. Growing up a lot of us watched the “Dukes of Hazzard” just to see the bright orange 1969 Dodge Charger The General Lee. And even in the latest “Star Wars” movie, not only did the Force awaken, but so did Solo’s Millennium Falcon that apparently is still alive and well after all these years. Okay, so Santa is a little different. He didn’t exactly name his sleigh, but he did go to the trouble of naming all his reindeer—just ask any 5-year-old.
So what did you name your truck? Over the years some of our favorite project truck names included Elk Hunter, Honey Badger and Road Treasure, just to name a few.
Elk Hunter
Truck names are fun and can be a good conversation starter too. My kids tend to focus on colors when coming up with truck names and I enlisted them for my last two: Big Blue (navy blue) and Yeti (white). Now for those “closet” owners who are too shy to admit they let their wife name their truck and it’s now referred to as the Cute Little Diesel, we’re not here to judge.
In boating it’s considered bad luck not to name your boat so I guess that’s why so many owners do it. I once saw Kid’s Inheritance III on the back of a nice-looking houseboat, which I’m guessing means those kids won’t see a dime of inheritance when their parents kick the bucket. However, the name itself is interesting if nothing else. Sorry kids, hopefully they at least let you on the houseboat.
While boating might be better known for unique and creative names, the diesel truck segment is not too far behind. Pay close attention this weekend when you head out to your local sled pull and you might be surprised by some of the creative truck names.
In college I drove around in a lime green 1967 pickup that after years of abuse left me with no reverse. (The reverse thing is another story for a different time.) I loved that truck, and not just because it was passed on from my grandpa to my dad and then to me. On campus it was known as the Beast. It was ugly, smoky and loud, but other than that minor detail of not having reverse, it was actually quite dependable. Man, I loved that truck, from the chained down hood to the “Dirty, Mean and Nasty” mud flaps.
While the Beast is responsible for my current love of trucks today, sadly it didn’t make it to the next generation in my family as I ended up selling it before my senior year. If that ’67 truck is still alive today, I hope it still has a name.
This column is dedicated to the Beast, whose time with me was cut short due to a snow bank that came out of nowhere late one Friday night.