Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, or to better cover the bases all at once-happy holidays from the entire Truckin' staff! We look forward to the gift-giving season all year long because we have the opportunity to shop around a bit in order to deliver to our readers a comprehensive buyer's guide that will surely help you compile your year-end wish list. We took the ever-present, party-pooping economy into heavy consideration when we began selecting products for this year's holiday guide, which is why we have scoured the market for the greatest truck parts and products under $350. Let's face it, the reality of getting that supercharger or complete paintjob may be out of reach for most of us this year, but that doesn't mean our skimpier bank accounts are completely devoid of a smaller scale allowance for a few performance parts or bolt-on accessories. With that in mind, kick back, grab a cold glass of eggnog, and check out our holiday selection of wallet-friendly goods that are guaranteed to spread some cheer to our end-of-the-year celebrations.
Bright Idea $299.99
Converting the stock halogen headlights to an HID system is probably one of the simplest and coolest ways to set off your truck while it's cruising down the highway. XtraLights' Xenon HID kits are designed to shine three times brighter than halogen bulbs and last 10 times longer as well. The Xenon HID bulbs also consume about 35-percent less power and produce less heat than stock bulbs. Xtralights offers a wide variety of bulb sizes and colors to choose from, so ditch those boring bulbs and upgrade your ride today.
| truckin 2009 Holiday Buyers Guide xtralights
Xtralights
(888) 954-4482
xtralights.com
Weld Wisely $159
For all the DIY guys out there, we thought you'd like to see Hobart's new Bonehead and Hothead XVS solar-assisted, auto-darkening welding helmets that both feature a lightweight design, a 3.74 x 1.57-inch viewing area, and are covered by a two-year warranty. Both models also sport some extremely cool artwork, giving your workspace a dose of additional attitude.
| truckin 2009 Holiday Buyers Guide hobart Welders
Hobart Welders
(877) 462-2781
hobartwelders.com
Grind Beans, Not Gears $14.95
The Busted Knuckle Garage understands that you can't be wrenching on your truck 24/7, so they figured that you could get your custom fix wherever you may be enjoying a steaming cup of java. The bottom of the mug features a real rubber tire base, which provides an anti-slip surface as well as a genuine garage-loving appearance. The supply of these mugs is limited, so get one or two while the getting is still good. If you do happen to miss out, don't fret because The Busted Knuckle Garage offers a huge selection of other gear head goods you'll be sure to want.
| truckin 2009 Holiday Buyers Guide busted Knuckle Garage
Busted Knuckle Garage
(888) 708-0897
bustedknucklegarage.com
Xploding Audio $159.95
Sony Xplod has just added four new in-dash CD receivers to their lineup and the CDX-GT640UI is the definite leader of the pack, as it is filled with an array of must-have features and functions. A few of the new deck's highlights are the RDS (Radio Data System) that delivers artist, track, and song info to the head unit's digital display and the inclusion of a front USB port for easy iPod or iPhone connectivity. The CDX-GT640UI also features a front aux-in connection point, three pre-amp sub outputs, and is satellite and HD radio ready.
| truckin 2009 Holiday Buyers Guide sony Xplod
Sony Xplod
(877) 865-7669
sonystyle.com
Spark Of Creativity $219.95
The OK Spark spark plug sensor is a diagnostic tool that 'sees' inside of your cylinder head to check for an electrical arc, verifying that the plug is igniting while under compression. Truck not starting? Do you have a misfire? Save time by checking both voltage and spark without even removing the spark plug. The industrial-grade design features one-button control and comes with a one-year parts and labor guarantee.
| truckin 2009 Holiday Buyers Guide ok Spark
OK Spark
(866) ok-spark
okspark.com
Everything Restoration $340
For Bezel Kit And Gauges
Classic Parts of America is a true one-stop GM truck shop, and has been for more than 26 years. This cool reproduction bezel kit is manufactured to OEM specifications, as are the majority of Classic Parts' products. The bezel kit is a direct replacement for the '75-'87 models and is available in many trim levels and configurations to better fit your application. Not only does Classic Parts of America offer reproduction interior pieces, but they carry exterior parts and anything else you might need for your '47-'87 Chevy or GM pickup.
| truckin 2009 Holiday Buyers Guide classic Parts Of America
Classic Parts of America
(800) 471-1678
classicparts.com
Cool Calling $350
Not only will Scosche's BlueFusion Bluetooth enabling device make receiving phone calls much more convenient while behind the wheel, but it will keep you from racking up tickets as well. Here in California, and in a few other states nationwide, a ban on handling cell phones while driving has forced many to resort to those annoying, unfashionable earpieces, but the BlueFusion makes much more sense. It plays calls through the factory stereo system, automatically pairs with your phone when it's powered on, and installs in minutes without any cutting or splicing of the factory wiring.
| truckin 2009 Holiday Buyers Guide scosche
Scosche
(800) 363-4490
scosche.com
Drop Yours $135
DJM Suspension has introduced their new 2-inch drop coils for '07-and-later Chevy pickup and SUV models. The coils have been redesigned around GM's new late-model strut suspension configuration and will improve the look and ride quality for a price that would be impossible to refuse. DJM has been a trusted name in suspension for quite some time now, and the quality of their products are never disappointing.
| truckin 2009 Holiday Buyers Guide djm Suspensions
DJM Suspension
(800) 237-6748
djmsuspension.com
Cooling Control $114.95
Dakota Digital's brand-new PAC-2700 electric fan controller was designed to make the most out of any application running an electric fan. The 70-amp relay equipped controller has more than enough power to feed the most needy of electric fans, and best of all, it is fully programmable. The PAC-2700 features a 'fan on' and 'fan off' function that can be custom set to better suit an individual application or personal preference. Dakota Digital's electric fan controller also features a cool, blue LED temp display and is backed by a 24-month warranty.
| truckin 2009 Holiday Buyers Guide dakota Digital
Dakota Digital
(888) 200-8969
dakotadigital.com
Tight Tubes $296.06
Hedman Hedders' new Tight Tube Hedders feature the flattest, 4-into-1 collector on the market that produces just as much power as a standard collector, while still providing maximum clearance. The Tight Tube Hedders are perfect for applications with narrow framerails and are available for Chevy small-block, big-block, and Mopar engines. Hedman offers a great-looking, highly-durable HTC ceramic/metallic coating for all of their Tight Tube models, but uncoated versions are also available and come with a much smaller price tag.
| truckin 2009 Holiday Buyers Guide hedman Hedders
Hedman Hedders
(562) 921-0404
hedmanperformancegroup.com
Number One Glove $40.95
When you're messing around with heavy machinery in the garage, hand protection is of utmost importance. Mechanix Wear knows that an avid wrench-turner demands a high-performance, comfortable work glove and they have fused both in their new M-Pact 2 glove. The M-Pact 2 has been anatomically designed and includes such features as tapered stretch side panels that form comfortably between the fingers for an unsurpassed feel. Molded neoprene cuffs offer a snug fit around the wrists and impact-absorbing molded rubber finger protection and extremely reinforced knuckle guards offer the best in safety and reliability.
| truckin 2009 Holiday Buyers Guide mechanix Wear
Mechanix Wear
(800) 222-4296
mechanix.com
Garage Décor $14.95
Genuine Hotrod Hardware should be your first place to look for vintage auto decorations and accessories, such as this retro, laser-cut and powdercoated GMC truck sign. Although this sign is one of the coolest items to hang in your garage, office, or just about any room in the house, Genuine Hotrod Hardware has plenty more styles in stock and loads of other products ready to ship out before the holidays.
| truckin 2009 Holiday Buyers Guide genuine Hotrod Hardware
Genuine Hotrod Hardware
(800) 575-7932
genuinehotrod.com
Bolt-On Billet $174.95 Carriage Works loves the '09 Ford F-150 and it shows with their selection of billet grilles for one of America's most popular fullsize trucks. Available in brushed, black, and polished finishes, Carriage Works' billet grilles feature 1/8-inch-thick bars and install in about 30 minutes for a quick and inexpensive upgrade that will definitely attract attention.
| truckin 2009 Holiday Buyers Guide carriage Works
Carriage Works
cwgrilles.com
Take Cover $39.95
Tuckers Classic Auto Parts is offering their very cool, highly polished and chromed plated valve covers at a steal of a deal. The covers are available in embossed '327', '350', and '454' options to better fit your small-block'58-'86 and '65 Chevy big-block V-8. Dress up your truck's engine with style without breaking the bank.
| truckin 2009 Holiday Buyers Guide tucker Classic Auto Parts
Tucker Classic Auto Parts
(800) 544-1955
tuckerparts.com
Programmable Performance $349.95
Superchips now has the '09 GM 4.8L covered with their all-new GM Flashpaq (part #2865). If you own an '09 Tahoe, Silverado, Sierra, or Yukon, then consider your truck ready to receive impressive horsepower and torque gains. Aside from providing your ride with increased performance, the Superchips Flashpaq also works as a diagnostic scan tool that provides real-time, in-cabin vehicle sensor display, a 0-60 and quarter mile data logger, and much more.
| truckin 2009 Holiday Buyers Guide superchips
Superchips
superchips.com
Gotcha Covered $350 Stillen's urethane front bumper cover for '07-'09 Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra is definitely a great-looking accessory that will add a custom touch to your truck's front end. The high-quality, all-urethane bumper covers are designed to fit like a glove, and they come shipped ready to prep, prime, and paint. Stillen has also attached a limited lifetime warranty to their new aerodynamic accessory-sounds like a great investment to us.
| truckin 2009 Holiday Buyers Guide stillen
Stillen
(866) 250-5542
stillen.com
True Off-Road Style $129.99
Daystar is now offering a select number of their lift and leveling kits in a cool, camouflage finish that will certainly please anyone who is crazy about the outdoors. As of now, Daystar is offering these newly revamped kits for Dodge and Ford applications but hopefully they will expand into the Chevy market soon. Although the camo look is new, the reliable performance still remains the same. The polyurethane construction reduces unwanted suspension sounds that can result from metal-on-metal contact.
| truckin 2009 Holiday Buyers Guide daystar
Daystar
daystarweb.com
Easy-To-Install Tunes $220.00
The size of the Premier TS-S120S2 12-inch shallow-mount subwoofer may be compact, but its audio output sure isn't. With 1,500-max power handling ability and 400 watts of nominal power, the Premier slim sub only needs 31/4 inches of mounting depth in order to deliver its maximum glass shattering bass notes. Mounting one or two of these subs underneath the seats shouldn't be a problem and the aural results will be nothing short of spectacular.
| truckin 2009 Holiday Buyers Guide pioneer
Pioneer
pioneerelectronics.com
Gift 'Bags $89.00
Slam Specialties is proud to offer their SS Series airbags, which feature custom composite construction and a CNC machined 6061-T6 billet port and mounting holes, which perform better than the RE Series 'bags. The 250-psi-rated SS Series 'bags come in 6, 7, and 8-inch sizes and will be a welcomed component to your truck's air-ride suspension system.
| truckin 2009 Holiday Buyers Guide slam Specialties
Slam Specialties
(888) 352-5225
theoriginalslambag.com
Let There Be Light $12.75
We've all been in a situation where more light would have helped us get the job done under the hood while turning the wrenches after daylight hours. Its tough to angle a flashlight at just the right position, but with Bossco International's innovative Luma Lite, that is a problem of the past. The Luma Lite housings are extremely portable, rotate 360 degrees, tilt up 45 degrees, and have a built-in magnetic base and optional Velcro and hat clip attachments to better illuminate on your working area. Luma Lites are available in one, two, or four pack quantities.
| truckin 2009 Holiday Buyers Guide bossco International
Bossco International
(858) 391-9208
bosscointernational.com
Supreme Shine $6.99
Mothers' FX line of cleaning products have been formulated to please the most demanding of automobile owners who demand the best shine and glow from their car or truck. Sure you can buy a single bottle of the FX Synwax or FX tire shine, but getting the entire collection of Mothers FX products is the best way to ensure the cleanest, most sparkling results.
| truckin 2009 Holiday Buyers Guide mothers
Mothers
(714) 891-3364
mothers.com
Ram Air Intake $320.36
K&N Engineering's cold air intake for the '09 Dodge Ram 4.7L (part #63-1529) is a necessity if you expect more performance and MPG from your big truck. K&N's intake systems improve throttle response, are easy to install, and they are 100-percent legal in all 50 states thanks to their CARB certification.
| truckin 2009 Holiday Buyers Guide k And N
K&N
knfilters.com
Bright Bully Light $49.85
Bully Truck Accessories has a great auxiliary lighting source that will surely help while towing or backing up without a trailer connected. The hitch light unit slides directly onto a standard 2-inch ball mount with ease and is equipped with a three-way switch for added convenience.
| truckin 2009 Holiday Buyers Guide bully Truck Accessories
Bully Truck Accessories
ballmounthitchlight.com
Billet Gas Cap $260
Ride Tech, formerly Air Ride Technologies, naturally offers a wide selection of air-ride products and related hardware, but they also sell some pretty cool accessories like this billet gas cap. It is available in a traditional billet appearance or a black anodized option. The locking cap comes with two keys and includes all necessary hoses, clamps, fasteners, and it is highly adaptable to custom applications.
| truckin 2009 Holiday Buyers Guide ride Tech
Ride Tech
(812) 482-2932
ridetech.com
Kids At Heart $24.95
Ok, we'll admit it-we still play with model cars. They look cool and they lighten up the office space. Since our model trucks and cars are on visible display on our desks, we figured the next best accessories for them would be Genuine Hot Rod's cool desktop 1:18 scale garage accessories. Surround your models with a full, miniature desktop tech center and go ahead and plan on getting even less work done.
| truckin 2009 Holiday Buyers Guide genuine Hotrod Hardware
Genuine Hotrod Hardware
(800) 575-7932
genuinehotrod.com
30 Minutes To Heaven $349
Sulastic rubber springs do install in about half an hour and once installed, they should reduce vibration by 60-80 precent, shorten braking distances by 10-20 precent, and increase stability by 20-30 precent. Sulastic's rubber springs attach the rear end of the leaf springs and will not affect load capacity, truck height, or void your truck's warranty. With so many applications to chose from, we are simply amazed we haven't seen a product like this on the market sooner.
| truckin 2009 Holiday Buyers Guide sulastic
Sulastic
(408) 239-4527
sulastic.com
Engine, Engine Number 8 $298
Leave it to Airbagit.com to innovate yet another high performing product for your air-ride system. The eight-cylinder, three-position 200-psi Air-Engine V-8 unit comes complete with fittings and harnesses, and requires no assembly whatsoever-just plug in all necessary lines. Aigbagit.com offers a lifetime guarantee on their new Air-Engine units, which means you'll never have to buy another valve again.
| truckin 2009 Holiday Buyers Guide airbagit
Airbagit.com
(800) 842-8789
airbagit.com
Bright Lights $299.95 Recon Accessories offers a great line of quality LED taillights as well as almost any type of auxiliary lighting accessories imaginable to fit your truck. These tails for '07-'08 Dodge Ram 1500 and 2500/3500 models feature Recon's smoked lens option and are made of top-shelf components that will deliver great style and function for years to come. Recon also offers their LED taillight housings in clear, red, dark red, and a darker smoked finish to better suit your truck's attitude. Installation couldn't be easier and the attention these lights attract is amazing.
| truckin 2009 Holiday Buyers Guide recon Accessories
Recon Accessories
(877) 377-3266
gorecon.com
iPod Boom Box $199.95
Compatible with iPhone(tm) and all 4th-generation-and-newer iPods, the Kicker iK350 Digital Docking System portable powerhouse is perfect for theand high frequencies flow from the full-range, 4-inch woofers and 1/2-inch tweeters. It really rocks with a 4.5-inch square reflex subwoofer in the back creating dynamic bass response that brings music and video to life. A specialized Kicker amplifier powers the unique vibe and includes internal digital signal processing with selectable bass or treble to fine-tune to the listener's ears.
| truckin 2009 Holiday Buyers Guide kicker
A lightweight, fully functional remote control is included and an auxiliary-input jack allows the connection of additional media players, CD player, computer or satellite radio units for other entertainment through the premium iKICK(tm) sound system. The extra-long cable easily reaches from a 12-volt power port to anywhere in the car, truck or SUV for instant tailgating at the lake, beach or camp.
Kicker
kicker.com
High Steppin' $258.99
Amp Research has provided a rather ingenious invention with their Power Step running boards, but to make accessing the bed of a stock or lifted truck, the BedStep offers just as much function. The BedStep features a high-strength, die-cast aluminum linkage assembly and a nylon non-skip step pad for safety. Although the BedStep isn't motorized like the Power Step, its no-hands operation is just as quick and easy.
| truckin 2009 Holiday Buyers Guide amp Research
Amp Research
amp-research.com
Hot Headlights $299.95
LMC Truck has incorporated European styling into their new performance projector headlight housings available for late model Ford F-150 applications (Part #42-1613). These headlights feature a cool halo ring around the projector beam and the convex lens throws more light accurately on the road giving you better vision with minimum glare. Fill the housings with brighter halogen bulbs or an HID upgrade for even better road vision.
| truckin 2009 Holiday Buyers Guide lmc Truck
LMC Truck
lmctruck.com
