Show And Tell

It’s the season for hundreds of truck drivers to spend their weekends in a field showing offtheir precious vehicles. Here, several drivers talk about why they do it – and what goes into making a successful show truc

- Dan Parton

Like many children in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Keven Mortimer watched iconic movies such as Convoy, fell in love with US trucks and dreamed of owning a Kenworth, Peterbilt or Mack. Now, more than 30 years on, he does just that. “Trucks are my thing,” says Mortimer, who runs his own garage. “I’ve always been into the American truck scene.”

Mortimer has been a regular on the truck show scene for some years. His current truck, a 2000 model Kenworth 900L with a Caterpillar 15.3-litre engine, has previously won awards, but he decided on a total revamp over the winter, going with a striking Las Vegas showgirls theme.

“We’ve done it to try and make it unique, which is difficult as there are so many truck designs out there now,” he explains. “We have made it tasteful but it is very different – there is nothing like this truck out there now.”

Mortimer is serious about his hobby: the Kenworth cost £40,000 to buy. Since then, he has spent about another £20,000 customising it. “The paintwork, airbrushing and lacquering cost about £8500 alone,” he says.

Another layer of cost is import taxes. Many of the parts Mortimer has wanted for his truck – such as chrome and lights – have had to be imported from America. “When you do that you have import taxes to pay. Sometimes that’s more expensive than the product you’re buying.”

As well as the money, Mortimer has been putting in the hours too. “I work on it constantly: two to three nights a week plus weekends. It is only me that does it, it’s my passion. It’s about getting it finished and out there and seeing what everyone else thinks about it.”

Passion and dedication