Extensive damage from parking lot crash prompts owner-operator car hauler to remake truck

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Updated Feb 9, 2018
Tennessee-based Jeff Bencic made the most of a parking lot accident and made over his 2014 Peterbilt 388 car hauler with a new paint job, accessories and lights.Tennessee-based Jeff Bencic made the most of a parking lot accident and made over his 2014 Peterbilt 388 car hauler with a new paint job, accessories and lights.

Owner-operator Jeff Bencic, who owns Bencic Auto Transport and is leased to Continental Transport, made the most of a mid-2016 truck stop parking lot crash by giving his 2014 Peterbilt 388 car hauler a makeover.

Around 6 a.m. on July 2, 2016, Bencic was woken up by a loud crash and shake when his truck was hit by another driver. The crash did nearly $50,000 worth of front end damage, Bencic says, doing extensive damage to the front bumper, hood, hinge supports for the hood, radiator, air cooler and more. He adds that his head rack was also tweaked in the accident, and it had to be sent off for repairs.

Bencic had the dash of his truck painted to match the outside of the truck, and he plans to have a custom floor put into the truck sometime next year.Bencic had the dash of his truck painted to match the outside of the truck, and he plans to have a custom floor put into the truck sometime next year.

Bencic had been planning to repaint the truck for a while. He had been talking with the body shop at Nashville Peterbilt, and when he called them the day of the accident, they suggested to go ahead with the two-tone paint job while it was in the shop.

“They told me that was the time to go with the two-tone paint if I was going to do it,” he says. “I wasn’t even thinking about that at the time – I was upset about the truck. I had already talked to them about the two-tone paint job I wanted and the cream with purple pearl I wanted, so we went ahead and did it while it was in the shop.”

The Murfreesboro, Tenn.-based trucker kept the original purple color scheme on the truck, but decided to have the roof of the cab, front fenders and the drop skirts painted cream with purple pearl accents that show up when the sun hits it.

Bencic also had the truck’s dash painted to match the color scheme of the truck, and the Cottrell head rack is also painted purple to match the truck. Additionally, on his steer axle, the stainless steel hubs are painted purple to match the rest of the truck as well.

Bencic’s rig before the makeover.Bencic’s rig before the makeover.

After the accident, he added a 20-inch American Eagle front bumper with a lift, 8-inch drop skirts with around 150 lights on each side, and a drop visor. He also added a chrome duck hood ornament for his children, who saw the duck in a truck stop one time, he says.

In the future, Bencic says he plans to add around 1,000 chicken lights to the truck and trailer, finish the underglow on the tractor – which is currently only about halfway done – and have a custom floor put in the cab.

Bencic’s truck was first featured as an Overdrive Reader Rig in March 2016.

More images of Bencic’s truck can be seen in the gallery below:

Jeff Bencic had his 2014 Peterbilt 388 repainted and added some accessories while it was in the...Jeff Bencic had his 2014 Peterbilt 388 repainted and added some accessories while it was in the...

Bencic had his dash painted to match the outside of the truck.Bencic had his dash painted to match the outside of the truck.

The stainless steel wheel hubs of the truck are also painted purple to match the body of the...The stainless steel wheel hubs of the truck are also painted purple to match the body of the...

The truck currently has nearly 300 lights, and Bencic plans to add approximately 1,000 chicken...The truck currently has nearly 300 lights, and Bencic plans to add approximately 1,000 chicken...

Bencic has also added underglow to the rig, which he is planning to add to in the near future.Bencic has also added underglow to the rig, which he is planning to add to in the near future.

Bencic's rig before the makeover.Bencic's rig before the makeover.