The Week's Features

ITRHFM Announces 2019 Hall of Fame Class

Seven of the industry’s finest to be inducted to Hall, October 12

Herring Motor Company keeps classic line alive

Primeritus Financial Services Acquires CARS

Recovery management and technology services now one

Ford’s F-600 Super Duty Cab

Delivers Class 6 capability in a Class 5 Super Duty package

Tandem Tango

Recovery “dance” lifts overturned truck

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August 15-17, 2019

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Dec. 4-8, 2019

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Hear how transportation leaders have driven measurable impact through new, easy-to-deploy programs, and how you can use those same strategies to improve the safety of your fleet. Eleanor Horowitz of Samsara will present “Three Proven Ways to Improve Fleet Safety” at the American Towman Academy during Tow Industry Week, taking place May 8-11 at the South Point Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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American Towman Magazine Presents the Week in TowingApril 17 - April 23, 2019

Tim's Towing POW/MIA Truck

By Mickey Mills

Some guys just intuitively embrace the whole "being of service" concept. The brother's keeper mindset stands out with so many in our industry. When seen in action, I like to point at that guy and say, "There you go, man! Keep up the good work."

Previously, Tow Illustrated highlighted Matt Ballor's Lady Luck tow truck, a pink marvel rolling out of Tim's Towing and Body Shop in Linwood, Mich. The 2001 Ford/Century 211 is dedicated to breast cancer awareness, where a portion of its income is donated to the American Cancer Society.

Ballor is not one to rest on his laurels. After taking Lady Luck to a benefit at a local motorcycle dealership and seeing the good works by the Toys for Tots folks, the idea hit him: "We should do a POW/MIA Truck and dedicate part of the fee to Toys for Tots."

Thought turned to action and the shop crew immediately went to work restoring a 2002 Ford F-450 they recently acquired and a Jerr-Dan HPL-35 salvaged off an old fire-damaged wrecker. When they were done, the POW/MIA truck was born.

"The body came off a burnt-up truck," said Ballor. "We just went through and re-did everything on it—the hydraulics, the electrics and the paint, all done in house."

The Jerr-Dan includes a 10-ton boom with dual 8,000-lbs. Ramsey winches. The unit also has a 3,500-lbs. wheel lift and will be a working truck in Tim's small fleet.

"It's a fantastic thing. To have a small business, independent owner come forward and give up 10 percent of his income is huge," said Jeff Jarvis, the Bay County Toys for Tots coordinator. "It's a beautiful truck, black with the POW/MIA symbol. We're excited to have Tim's Towing as part of the growing Toys for Tots family."

Matt Ballor and the Tim's Towing team is a shining example of going the extra mile to be of service and proving there is room on the bottom line for charity.

On behalf military veterans everywhere, I salute you!

This story originally ran in Tow Industry Week Nov. 2011

Do you have truck graphics that should be featured here on TIW?
Click here to send a few pics and a description to the editor.

Hell Hath No Fury Like This 'Rider'

By George L. Nitti

Hell hath no fury like a tow truck blazing down the road in flames of fire.

Norton's Tow Squad of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which has been in business for nearly 30 years, shows no fear on tough streets in their 2015 Ford F-550-1 and Century 807 wheel lift.

According to senior owner Charles Norton, the inspiration for their intimidating design was based on the movie "Ghost Rider," featuring Nicolas Cage as Johnny Blaze, a demon out for vengeance.

Riding on his motorcycle at night and around evil, Blaze finds his flesh consumed by hellfire, causing his head to become a flaming skull.

Such imagery abounds on Norton's fiery unit, with lightning and thunderbolts to boot.

"Our guy Freddy Sicoli from Killer Kreations designed it," Norton said. "We gave him a blank canvas to work on and this is what he came up with."

Airbrushed and custom-painted, the design reflects an aesthetic that Sicoli says was influenced by "graffiti art, great cars and urban Philadelphia."

The base of the truck is black with hot blues, yellow and orange layered on top. Peering skulls accent the design.
On the side of the truck, the company name in black blends with the truck's hues and evil tenor.

" 'Tow Squad' is the name that my father went with 29 years ago when he started the company," Norton said.

Chains are strung along the side and around the truck, a skullcap of bursting flames is on the hood and "Rider" is written across the bumper.

At last year's American Towman Exposition, the unit garnered a rave response.

"A lot of people were turning their heads and looking at it," Norton said.

As tower fatalities add up, perhaps the Gods have sent Ghost Rider to serve as a symbol of a profession looking for justice for those who have been needlessly lost.

Brag @ TIW!
Should your truck be featured here? Send a few pics and your contact information to the editor at bdooley@towman.com . You might even be selected to go in print, too, in American Towman magazine!

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