In our continued effort to capture all that is cool in the minitruckin' world, we packed up our gear and took a trip north. You see, lately the CenCal (Central California) and NorCal (Northern California) scenes have been blowing up big time. With huge companies like AVS, FBI, and Slam Specialties all playing key roles in helping the minitruckin' community grow, we knew we had to get an inside look at the action. Even though it was a weeknight when we arrived, the turnout was amazing. Everyone came out to support each other and the hospitality was second to none. Check it out for yourselves! For more information, contact the companies listed.
AVS hosted a Fresno Invasion open house/cruise night--mind you, it was on a Wednesday night--and we still had more than 100 rides and hundreds of people came out from the woodwork to hang out and share some of their rides with us.
Manager Nick (far left) and...
Manager Nick (far left) and the rest of the AVS crew handle it all, from making switch boxes to sales to shipping and receiving.
Jeff isn't as mean as he looks....
Jeff isn't as mean as he looks. As the owner and operator of AVS, Jeff began with the stereo side and quickly got addicted to air.
AVS is one of the largest...
AVS is one of the largest suppliers of reliable 'bag parts in the West. If you need it, they have it!
Adam at Settin' Trendz handles...
Adam at Settin' Trendz handles it all, from 'bags to paint and body to suicide doors.
You might recognize this S-10...
You might recognize this S-10 since it was featured in an issue of MT. AVS and their install shop, Settin' Trendz, handled all of the custom work.
Even their office computer...
Even their office computer screens are on the air!
Slam Specialties gave us a...
Slam Specialties gave us a top-secret tour of their factory. Even though we can't show you everything, here's a good look at how Slam puts out one of the best air bags money can buy.
See, we told you, top sec...
See, we told you, top secret.
All Slam 'bags begin their...
All Slam 'bags begin their lives as rolls of "special" rubber.
Slam Specialties got their...
Slam Specialties got their start in the air industry with the Air Jack. Essentially, it's an air bag made to lift low-slung vehicles for repairs.
Slam is even working on prototyping...
Slam is even working on prototyping strut bags for certain applications.
This is a plastic injection...
This is a plastic injection molding machine that's used to manufacture plastic parts like the internal bump stops, etc.
After each 'bag was built,...
After each 'bag was built, it was tested to ensure that it lived up to the Slam name.
All the pieces were built...
All the pieces were built in-house by using state-of-the-art equipment.
Nick Solakian runs Slam Specialties...
Nick Solakian runs Slam Specialties and focuses on new product development and staying ahead of the competition.
Like we mentioned earlier, even though it was a week night and not the weekend, people still drove from as far as 4 hours away to come and hang out with fellow minitruckers.
Lookin' like the strip of...
Lookin' like the strip of Greeneville, there were sparks all night and not one ticket. However, locals warned us that normally there would be cops and tickets galore.
Like we mentioned earlier,...
Like we mentioned earlier, even though it was a week night and not the weekend, people still drove from as far as 4 hours away to come and hang out with fellow minitruckers.
Vince and the Choppin' Block...
Vince and the Choppin' Block crew were bustin' out big and ready to show the world what they were made of. Stay tuned for more on the Choppin' Block.