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Truck Accessories and SUV Accessories: An Overview and Some History
Trucks and SUVs are of considerable variety and so are the accessories that enhance them. Some people choose their truck or SUV for purely aesthetic reasons, others because of specific performance needs. Which truck will do a better job towing? Which SUV is the most fuel efficient? These are questions that the thoughtful consumer must consider before choosing an SUV or truck. In this way, the consumer makes an informed investment. But extracting the most from this investment requires vigilant maintenance, wise fuel-consumption habits, and investing in performance accessories. Examples of performance accessories are a magnaflow exhaust or an air intake. The last bit is what our site is devoted to, the SUV and Truck Accessory. Of course, we also sell accessories for enhancing the visual appeal of your vehicle. If you're going to turn your truck or SUV into a high-performance machine, you ought to make sure it looks like one! It is interesting to note that such aesthetic enhancements are accounting for more and more of the specialty auto accessory market share. According to SEMA (Speciality Equipment and Marketing Association), the "accessories and appearance" category was the only one to increase its share of the “specialty equipment” market over the last ten years, rising from 51.1% in 1996 to 58.1% in 2005.
Much like the vehicles which they modify, specialty performance equipment and truck accessories enjoy an interesting history. According to the SEMA, the truck accessory industry finds its beginning in the 1930’s. Once motor vehicles became available to a broad base of consumers, a group of enthusiasts (mostly interested in racing and competing in other ways with fellow motorists) quickly emerged. The years leading up to World War II saw racers in the southern Californian deserts forming their own “R&D” (i.e. Research and Development) organizations as they tinkered with stock equipment and made all manners of ad hoc modifications. As with so many other domestic industries, the expansion and standardization of auto accessories was delayed by World War II, which placed unprecedented demands on U.S. resources. Following the war, however, the new expertise acquired from the maintenance of military trucks, coupled with the widespread war-starved consumer desire for new vehicles and innovation, gave birth to a full-fledged truck accessories industry, the sole purpose of which would be to give consumers the freedom to augment/enhance their vehicles as they saw fit (within the limits of the law, of course). The manufacturers you will find at TruckChamp.com, from Bully Dog (performance diesel products) to Westin, Inc. (makers of Westin Nerf Bars), can all claim some share in the history we have briefly touched upon here. Read the entire Truck Champ Truck Accessories Overview and Industry Information Article...
A Brief History of Pickup Trucks and SUVs
There are certain artifacts of Americana which, aside from possessing a fascinating history in their own right, offer a unique vantage point from which their broader cultural milieu can be understood. The pickup truck and the SUV are examples of such. Their presence has been felt in almost every aspect of American culture, from song lyrics to visual art, and even in politics. Who could forget, for instance, when during the 2004 race Senator Fred Thompson (R-Tenn.) summed-up the faults of his opponent with the assertion, “He hasn't spent enough time in a pickup truck."? (For a more extensive treatment of the cultural significance, see this Wikipedia article on Pickup Trucks.
Like many other staples of American culture, e.g. rock-n-roll and pizza, the pickup truck finds its roots on another shore. [netinsert=0.0.1.12.1.4.1] Accordingly, our all-too-brief "off-road" journey through its history shall begin in Australia, where the “ute” (i.e. utility truck) first appeared, and culminate in an introduction to the world of truck accessories and SUV accessories; additions to your vehicle that will enhance its performance, appearance, and longevity...just like a trailer hitch. Read the entire Truck Champ History of Pickups and SUVs...
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