Ever hear of Truk-Rodz? Probably not. Only a few people have. But if Dave Jones has his way, it will become a household word, especially if your "house'' is the sleeping compartment of an over-the-road rig.

Jones and his team at Jones Performance Products Inc. in West Middlesex dreamed up this new product -- custom designed fiberglass hoods for semis that give these huge rigs the look of a classic hot rod.

If that doesn't excite you, it's because you haven't seen one -- or you aren't a semi driver. Most drivers, who are passionate about their rigs, get turned on by the very concept. But even car drivers can't help but be amazed when they see a rig with a Truk-Rodz hood. The brilliant graphics -- checkered flags, flames, eagles' heads -- are enough to catch anyone's eye.

"We're creating a new niche in the trucking industry,'' Jones said. "Until now, the only way to have a customized truck hood was to modify the original hood. It's difficult to do, and it ruins the structural integrity of the hood. We design new custom hoods and mold them from the ground up.''

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