The only thing Caterpillars and CATs have ever had in common is an unmistakable shade of industrial yellow paint that's come to symbolize shear strength and durability in machinery and engines. Justin Barnes and Dale Wheeler out of Myrtle Creek, Oregon, must have built their CAT F-150 with some of the same ideals in mind to come up with this fullsize rockcrawler. A stout drivetrain, a cut body, and 42x15-16.5 TSLs follow the trend in low lift/big tires that adds up to just the kind of pickup Caterpillar would build if it was in the light truck business. When these guys were done with the four-month buildup, a coat of the legendary yellow paint seemed appropriate for their creation. OK, the stuff's really cheap too.
Justin and Dale had the entire 4WOR staff checking out their rig, trying to find the one thing that made it stand out. We failed because there isn't any single thing that makes this truck cool. Rather, the beauty of this truck is its absolute simplicity and the attention to detail: rear shocks that are mounted on top of the axletubes for ground clearance, clean wiring, a smooth undercarriage where the drivetrain and exhaust have been tucked up nearly flush with the framerails, and more.
The interior has been left uncluttered, with just two Jazz racing seats and a Tuffy console with a Lokar shifter for the C-6 transmission. Plans call for a full rollcage and some more body trimming. That'll mean a few more coats of the powerful yellow paint, which is good because Caterpillar would never stand for the gray graphics added by the Moab rocks.