Western Haυler – An Industry Leader for 36 Years
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584 – October, 2018
BY MEGAN ULRICH
In 1982, Wayne Bell received a phone call from a friend who had just purchased a brand new Chevrolet crew cab dually chassis asking what kind of magic he could work on it. Bell, who enjoyed customizing his personal vehicles and owned an automotive shop, designed a bed, added running boards, and customized a few other options right there on his Burleson, Texas ranch in his two-bay shop. Upon the truck’s completion, Bell began looking for his own truck to transform. Once he found it, he had it sold before it was even finished. At that very moment, Western Hauler was born.
Business boomed immediately as consumers recognized the usability of the Western Hauler bed. Consequently, Bell needed additional space. Four years after business began, a new, much larger facility in Fort Worth, Texas was created. About that time, Bell’s daughter, Melody, introduced her father to her boyfriend, Larry Roberts. The two men hit it off, and Bell welcomed Roberts to the business in 1986, and to the family as Melody’s husband in 1987.
Roberts told us about one popular trend in cab customization, back in the day, which was referred to as ‘custom stretching’. Not only did the stretched cab provide instant eye appeal, but it also provided more comfort and space for those in the back seat. Western Hauler’s specialties in those early years also included snazzy custom paint jobs. Since then, the list of “creature comforts” Western Hauler boasts has lengthened exponentially. “Exotic patterns and technology advances are a huge new part of our customization today,” Roberts says. “Everyone is interested in new technology – including cameras that let you see all around you while you’re driving and others that let you see your horses as you’re going down the road.”
Click here to read the complete article584 – October, 2018
