What Makes A Rig

Part of the reason I didn't specify in our site description as to what a rig is, is because the rig qualifications have varied a bit over the years, depending on which rig enthusiast you talk to. I'll try to sum this up as quick as possible so anyone new to the world of rigs can start to understand and get involved.

A "Rig," is a truck. A work truck. Whether or not the Rig owner uses it for work is up to him, but its important that the Rig show signs of a life full of service thruout the years. It's that old Dodge you see parked on the driveway of a neighbor's house you pass every day on the way to work. It's old (circa late 1960s to as late as early 90s but on a case by case basis when you get to that late a decade), but not too old lest it be considered a "Classic," and get put to pasture on a trailer for Goodguys car shows. It's beat up, rusty, perhaps has some primer mixed in with the extremely faded paint job complete with the pinstripes or decals that were a fashion statement for this vehicle back in its heyday. While there certainly is not much monetary or status symbol value to this vehicle, you can't help but notice it when you drive by. It stands out, speaking of a long, rich history of hauls and pulls with each scratch on the truck bed, and dent in the fender.

Not just any old truck is a rig, however. There are many features to appreciate on a rig that could go on for pages, so I'll focus on a few disqualifications:

1. No trailer hitch/ball: We've had many otherwise EXCELLENT rigs lose status because they didn't have a ready towing apparatus. A Rig MUST be ready to pull at any given moment. Even if the hitch is there, but the ball isn't, you're out.

2. No tailgate: Very similar to disqualification #1. A rig must be ready to haul at any time, and not having a tailgate would severely hinder this. A good rig owner knows there is more to life than gas mileage.

3. No Customization: Having a truck this old would cause case for things to be replaced. This is expected and encouraged, but it's often tempting for one to semi restore a vehicle after decades of use to sort of give it a rebirth. This blurs the line of "Rig," your do anything, take any abuse vehicle you can depend on with a "classic" you start to get afraid to take certain places and certainly don't want to haul your buddy's old, non functioning washer and dryer to the dump with. This is something that needs to be reviewed on a case by case basis to determine if this line is crossed, but basically once the truck is being upgraded with things that could increase its sales value, it starts to not be a rig.

4. No Four Wheel Drive: This is a somewhat controversial element. While a 4x4 adds to the rough-and-readiness of a truck, it could potentially give it what we like to call a sense of "uppitiness." Being lifted would certainly put it in the "customized" realm, and would make it lose its everyday work truck appeal. This also raises the resale value in many cases, which goes against the idea of a rig. We've made exceptions many times for this in areas where Four Wheel Drive is necessary just to get around, so this is not set in stone, but definitely a deal breaker in the Rig Spotter's home base of the SF Bay Area.

Man, this is long, and I've only scratched the surface. Once things get going, and the explinations have gotten out of the way, they're be a lot more fun postings with pictures and commentary, which is what this is really supposed to be all about. For now, here's perhaps one of the best rig sightings I've ever made in Monterey, CA.