The Accessory Dream Guide Issue 4

ART OKEEFE

For an enthusiasts, Art OKeefe has the ideal job. He has worked at Raven Truck Acces- sories, for 9+ years and he describes his job this way:” I get to do my hobby and get paid for it.” His latest build is a 1984 Toyota Hilux called Team Green. That’s been the name for all of his builds: “the name came from my first truck I built, and just stuck.” When he first bought it, this truck was stock and anything but green. Indeed, Art calls it “very rust- ed”. He chose the Hilux because Toyotas are “tough as hell” and “I’ve built 9 now and know them very well”. Art began to modify and accessorize Team Green by “working from the ground up” and installing a suspension. Although that is where he started on this vehicle, Art is diplo- matic when it comes to advising others about where to begin: “it would all depend on what they were building it for”. Art’s many years of customer service experience show here in that he realizes that each build, like each customer, is unique. Right now, his favourite accessory is his Smittybilt Roof Top Tent. When he installed it, his Hilux felt like his Dream Ride or, as Art states: “I finally built my overlander.” Like most enthusiasts, Art has a great sense of humor. When asked if he had a dream vehicle as a child, Art answered: “Yeah, a dinky car, lol”. There is still a bit of the kid in him when it comes to his latest Hilux: “before I painted it, I gave my kids and their friends markers and had them decorate it. We had a lot of fun watching them draw pictures and write little quotes”. Art jokes that his next add-on for Team Green is also is favourite place to take it, namely “more horse power”. He plans to “get a V8 conversion next summer”. In the meantime, Art spends his time off “overlanding, hunting and fishing.” In many, many ways, Art OKeefe makes the ideal Raven team member. He can install what he sells, he provides experienced advice to a wide range of loyal customers and he is proud of our brand. For instance, when asked why he has the Raven Truck Acces- sories decal on his Hilux, he states: “I’m proud to be on Team Raven and I want people to know that.” Finally, he loves his Dream Ride: “Well I guess I could say, it’s noisy, it’s cold in the winter and it rides like a tank, but you know what? It makes me smile every time I get behind the wheel and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

THE ACCESSORY DREAM GUIDE 23