World's Longest Pickup Carries 14 Passengers

World's Longest Pickup Carries 14 Passengers PICKUPS Miscellaneous 22-6-8 A Tulsa, Okla., limousine service chauffeurs clients around town in a 40-ft. stretch pickup they say is the world's longest pickup. "My son, Daniel, came up with the idea while we were on our way back from a trip to California when he saw a flashy custom-painted Dodge pickup on the road," explains Jim Nicolotti, who, along with daughter Tricia Roberts, owns Galaxy Limousine and Executive Charter Inc. "He said, æDad, you ought to stretch a pickup.' So we did." Nicolotti started with a 1997 1-ton dually Chevrolet equipped with a 6.45 cu. in. turbo diesel and Crew Cab. He had the customizing done at a Ft. Worth, Texas, shop. The pickup was first cut in half. The frame was then stretched 160 in., giving the truck a 36 ft. wheelbase. The length required a three-section custom-built driveshaft, supported by three separate carrier bearings, to run from the transmission back to the differential. A custom-built 60-gal. auxiliary gas tank installs under a sliding cover on the bed. The interior of the truck, which Jim de-signed himself, is luxurious. It has black leather seating for 14 passengers, four bars, two 13-in. TV's, a VCR, Kenwood stereo, 10 CD changer, fiber optic lighting, a starlit roof that twinkles, power sun roof, and cellular phone. Since the pickup went into service last November, it's become quite an attraction around Tulsa. "It has bookings up through the year 2000," says Nicolotti. "In fact, it's so popular we recently converted a 1998 Ford F-350 pickup into an 18-passenger limo bus." Cost of renting the cowboy limo runs $120 per hour, including tax and tip, and there's a four hour minimum. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Galaxy Limousine and Executive Charter Inc., 7535 South Toledo Ave., Tulsa, Okla. 74136 (ph 918 481-3374; fax 5740).

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