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| 2010 TOUR: Classy Chassis |
| Gordon White | Wednesday, 19 May, 2010 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Truck Camper Magazine visits Classy Chassis in Valparaiso, Indiana, meets the team, and sits in some very comfortable seats. Did we mention the extremely comfortable seats?  Angela and I recently had the opportunity to experience a brand new 2011 Ford F-350 Lariot. The new diesel engine purred so quietly that we literally had to strain to hear it. This is in sharp contrast to our 1998 Dodge 12-valve Cummins diesel which often makes us strain to hear anything but the engine when it gets going. We love our truck, but it’s anything but quiet. Unfortunately, the other thing we noticed about the new Ford was how flat and unsupportive the Lariot seats were. In this one category, our twelve year old Dodge easily beats the new Ford. As a couple who regularly travels long distances with our truck, we know how important it is to be comfortable when we’re driving. Let’s just say it’s no fun to arrive at the truck camping destination you’ve been dreaming of for months with a sore back, or worse. Been there, done that. Tom Martin, President of Classy Chassis, has been telling me about how supportive and comfortable his custom Classy Chassis truck seats are ever since we first started talking to him. Of course I was so interested in his custom storage beds that I all but ignored his seat related comments and kept on with my custom truck bed questions. When Angela and I arrived at Classy Chassis in Valparaiso, Indiana, Tom wasted no time to put us in his custom seats. But before we sit down and get extremely comfortable, let’s take a walk around the Classy Chassis facility and meet the team.  The Classy Chassis Team: Tom Martin, Laura Martin, Christina Martin, Jonathan Martin, Jim Martin, Ted Griffith, Mark Langley, Richard Bettin, Josh McGriff, Mike Webber, Chuck Kuhn, Ryan Falck, and Mike Szpak.
Before we even stepped foot inside the Classy Chassis showroom and service complex, we were once again admiring their custom trucks. In these photos you can see both new and used Classy Chassis trucks for sale on the Classy Chassis lot (LEFT and CENTER). Tom explained that he regularly buys back Classy Chassis trucks from customers and has them available. He also takes used trucks as trade-ins on new and used Classy Chassis trucks (RIGHT).
The fit and finish and exterior storage opportunities offered by Classy Chassis custom aluminum storage beds is very impressive. These compartments can even be custom configured to hold generators and slide-out trays making them quite versatile. The above custom bed was designed for a fifth-wheel but is similar to the custom bed designed for truck campers.
Anyone who is interested in upgrading their truck interiors is going to find a lot to look at in the Classy Chassis showroom. Tom told us that his customers often end up purchasing a little more than they had planned after visiting the showroom and learning about the full range of Classy Chassis interior and exterior truck services. After spending some time in their showroom and front lot, it’s easy to see how this can happen.
LEFT: A few steps past the showroom begins a series of service bays and booths. In addition to upgrading truck interiors and exteriors, Classy Chassis also offers truck bodywork and services. In this photograph, Chuck Kuhn welds a repair on a stock Ford truck bed. CENTER AND RIGHT: Josh McGriff completes the bodywork on a Jeep and prepares it for the Classy Chassis paintbooth. Josh had just repaired and painted a front hood for a tractor trailer. This is the same paintbooth used for the custom aluminum truck storage beds.
LEFT AND CENTER: Ryan Flack works in truck and interiors and lighting at Classy Chassis. In this photograph, Ryan is applying a window tint on a customer’s truck. Classy Chassis had three trucks in for upgrades and minor body work during our visit. RIGHT: Another service Classy Chassis offers is spray on truck bed liners. This Dodge Ram was getting its bed liner applied in the Classy Chassis bed liner spray booth.
In the introduction, I told you that Tom wasted no time in getting us into his custom truck seats. So there we were sitting in a set of Classy Chassis Luxor front seats in a top of the line Classy Chassis 2010 Ford F-450 Lariat. Tom Martin, President of Classy Chassis, was sitting in the back seat presenting the seats to us. To be honest, he really didn’t have to. The incredibly comfortable seats were doing all the talking necessary. At one point during Tom’s presentation, Angela turned to me and said, “If we could just get everyone in these seats, they would want them.” Of course what she was really saying was, “I want them”. And that’s when Tom went for the knock out. It was clear that our backs, legs, and hind quarters were completely sold, so Tom aimed for our minds. Tom said, “Let me tell you how these seats and the other Classy Chassis products could actually make you safer when you drive.” Tom explained how being better supported and more comfortable as you drive allows you to better focus on the road. It was a right hook. Angela was now giving me a look that clearly said, "I really, really want these seats". Before this article looses all objectivity, let’s go through some of the points Tom was presenting to us. Classy Chassis offers two types of custom truck seats, the Luxor and the Executive. The Luxor has kidney and lumbar support that contours to fit your body. The Executive seat is more open for a more spacious fit. Both the Luxor and the Executive are made from soft leather, have special foam padding, and heat. Tom explained that the heat zones are in both the tailbone and lumbar areas. One feature that really caught our attention were the arm rests. Both the passenger and driver’s side seats have arm rests which take stress off your neck. Angela and I were a bit skeptical of this benefit until we got back into our Dodge and found ourselves really missing those arm rests. We did not test the available vibrosonic massage option, but Tom said it stimulates the blood circulation throughout the body while driving. For crew cab truck owners, Classy Chassis also offers back seats that turn into a bed. Tom said that his customers use the rear bed for relaxing, storage, or for a pet’s sleeping area. I’m sure our truck camping cat, Harley, would love it. It's a good thing he wasn't with us during Tom's presentation or he would have been giving me the, "I want these seats" look too.
In between their custom seats, Classy Chassis installs custom center consoles. The console in the Ford Lariot was made from walnut and matched the aesthetics of the truck’s dash well. The Classy Chassis center console offers four large cup holders, two storage compartments with magnetic latches, and a 12-volt plug. The cup holders can accommodate sixty-four ounce drinks, most insulated mugs, and double as handy storage places for things like cell phones and wallets.
Classy Chassis offers solid walnut overhead consoles with front and rear directional reading/map lights, optional CB and weather band radios, and optional flip-down rear DVD entertainment systems. When we questioned the need for a CB and weather band radio, Tom explained that a CB radio is great for listening to nearby truckers who can steer you around traffic jams. He also said a CB offers private channels which are fantastic for communication when traveling in a caravan. And finally, Tom added that the weather band can be particularly useful for getting accurate local weather information while traveling. What interested us the most were the four orange LED light panels which softly illuminate the truck interior for night driving. Tom explained that this type of LED lighting is used by professional truck drivers to equalize the light of on coming traffic at night and reduce glare on the windshield. This helps to improve visibility and reduce eye strain. Tom added that the soft LED lights were particularly helpful for driving at night in the rain when there can be a lot of glare on the windshield. As Tom likes to say, Classis Chassis offers safety with style.
Classy Chassis offers running boards for your truck, but they also offer a power assist step that comes out from under the running boards when you open your truck’s door. This gives you a lower entry step when getting into your truck. We also noticed a light under the step that turns on when the step comes out. Nice touch. We drove away from Classy Chassis dreaming of a new Classy Chassis truck. Angela was impressed by the seats. I was impressed with the seats and aluminum storage beds. Harley was oblivous, but that's nothing new. Perhaps what really impressed us the most was the range of products and services that Classy Chassis provides. It's actually quite a challenge to fully explain what they do. In essence, if you want top-of-the-line luxury, comfort, and safety for your truck, you need to give Classy Chassis a call. And don't forget how amazing their custom aluminum storage beds are either. For more information about Classy Chassis, visit their website at www.classychassistrucks.com and read our interview with Tom Martin, “Tom Martin of Classy Chassis: Storage Beds and Beyond”. To join in the discussion about this article, go to our Facebook or Twitter page. |
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