You Know You're a Gearhead (or Off-Roader) When...This time the letters came pouring in from our loyal readers. Here's what you guys had to say:*...you can tell if your vehicle will pass emissions by smelling the exhaust.*...a trashbag for your seat is the only real top your jeep has.*...your trophy mantle consists of broken four-wheel components from your trail victories.Sam Arneson
by e-mail
*My daughter's name is Carissa Joy (C.J.) and we started with the initials, then found names to fit.Mike Carpenter
by e-mail
*...you have to build another garage just to hold all your parts and have enough clearance to fit your truck inside.*...you spend more money on your vehicle than you do fixing up your home.*...the greasy hand marks on your sandwich you're eating for lunch adds a little flavor. Who says ketchup is better?*...the only time your four-wheel drive gets washed is when it rains or the wife makes you wash it before you go to church.*...your wife complains, saying that you love your vehicles more than you do her.Jeffery Shafferby e-mail
*...when you see a tire on the road or trail you can identify it by the tread and not the name on the sidewall.*...your favorite movie line is, "Roads? Where we're going we don't need roads."*...It takes you all day to go 3 miles and you're not in L.A.*...your wife refers to your 4x4 as "your significant other."*...your first aid kit consists of a can of beer and a tube of grease.Anthony Jacksonby e-mail
Anthony Williamson e-mailed us more than 50 ways you can tell how involved you are in this sport we call 'wheeling. Anthony, are you taking any medication? Here's an excerpt from his list:*Your screen names sounds more like a truck than a person.*"Dana" is no longer a woman.*You're offended when anyone asks, "Is that four-wheel drive?"*The idea of being called "2 big" is desirable.*You long for the smell of mud burning off an exhaust pipe.*You pull all-nighters under a rusty frame getting ready for a rally.*You dream not about if, but when, you can get that 460 or Dana 60.*Your idea of fun consists of replacing front wheel bearings in the dark during a thunderstorm.*You've spent nine hours crawling over a trail for 40 miles to get someplace that would have taken you an hour if you'd stayed on the highway.*Your neighbor knows the ins and outs of off-roading even though he drives a BMW.*Eating isn't as important as getting parts.*You sit at work drawing plans for a four-link suspension.*You try to climb all of the snow piles in the Wal-Mart parking lot.*"ABS" doesn't relate to your stomach; it relates to your brakes.*Your spouse swears they'll bury you in your truck because "there's no way that rust bucket is staying around after you're dead."
See Virtually Everything at SEMA!
Hold on for the ride. You're going to this year's SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Oct. 30-Nov. 2. Log onto www.4wheeloffroad.com and you'll be directed to a special SEMA 2001 Web site where the world of SEMA will unfold. The sights, the sounds, the excitement and more than 620,000 square feet of automotive aftermarket vendors at the largest trade show in the world. The action includes vehicle launches, tricked-out project vehicles, and the hottest new high-performance parts.
Even now, before the show, you can log on for a schedule of events, to preview information, and to see which companies we'll be spotlighting. Once the show begins, we'll take you directly to the show floor with coverage including video clips, product spotlights, a gallery of the show's most awesome vehicles, and news and interviews from the movers and shakers of the automotive aftermarket.
Don't miss the products, personalities, and high-octane happenings at the SEMA Show 2001. The SEMA show site will also link you to your favorite manufacturers and retailers for direct access to information on featured products.