From Hot Rod Shop to Truck Parts Brand with Jay Pruitt from Trucks USA | S3 E4

Gearheads n' Gasoline

Gearheads n' Gasoline
From Hot Rod Shop to Truck Parts Brand with Jay Pruitt from Trucks USA | S3 E4
Apr 01, 2026 Season 3 Episode 4
Barry Alt & Eddy Cebreco with Jay Pruitt

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➡️ Red Line Synthetic Oil: redlineoil.com
➡️ AMD: autometaldirect.com

In this episode of the Gearheads n’ Gasoline Podcast, Barry and Eddy Cebrco from AMD sit down with Jay Pruitt of Trucks USA to talk about his journey from growing up in a hot rod family to building a thriving truck bed manufacturing business.

Jay shares how he transitioned from wrenching in a small shop to scaling a business that now focuses on manufacturing, dealer networks, and direct-to-consumer sales. Along the way, the conversation dives into the realities of hiring in today’s market, adapting to social media, and why showing up at events matters more than ever.

They also get into the shift happening in the automotive aftermarket, from wholesale dominance to brand-building, content creation, and customer connection, and how stepping outside your comfort zone can unlock serious growth.

If you're a shop owner, manufacturer, or anyone in the automotive aftermarket trying to grow, this episode is packed with real-world insight, a few laughs, and some hard-earned lessons.

Takeaways:

  • Jay's family has always been involved in automotive culture.
  • You can’t scale working only with your hands
  • Growth comes from products, not just labor
  • Direct-to-consumer is reshaping the aftermarket industry
  • Events build relationships, not just immediate sales
  • Social media is learned, not a natural talent
  • Authentic content outperforms polished, perfect production
  • Don’t build around one loud customer request
  • Shops must invest in training younger talent
  • Customers want complete solutions, not scattered parts
  • Being yourself is your strongest business advantage

Guest Bio:
Jay is 51 and married, a Gearhead for life, a jack of all trades and master of a few. GM truck guy.

Guest:
Jay Pruitt
trucksusa.net
facebook.com/profile.php?id=100070262241538
instagram.com/classictruckbedparts

Host:
Barry Alt, Motorhead Digital
maximizesales@motorheaddigital.com
motorheaddigital.com
facebook.com/Motorhead.Digital
instagram.com/motorhead.digital
linkedin.com/company/motorhead-digital

Guest Co-Host:
Eddy Cebreco, Auto Metal Direct
eddy@autometaldirect.com
autometaldirect.com
facebook.com/AutoMetalDirect
instagram.com/autometaldirect
linkedin.com/company/autometaldirect

Don’t miss an episode from Gearheads n’ Gasoline!

You can reach us at gngoperations@motorheaddigital.com

Episode Artwork From Hot Rod Shop to Truck Parts Brand with Jay Pruitt from Trucks USA | S3 E4 1:07:44 Episode Artwork From Hot Rods to High-Stakes Careers: Transforming Lives with Aaron Valencia | S3 E3 1:14:15 Episode Artwork Creating Unforgettable Client Experiences with Julia Newman from Haus of Stella | S3 E2 1:07:25 Episode Artwork Revving Up for Season Three: Meet our new Guest Co-Hosts | S3 E1 37:03 Episode Artwork T"Eddy Bear Heart with Eddy Cebreco from Auto Metal Direct | S2 E16 1:54:51 Episode Artwork Driven Intention with Katie Abraham from IRONMAN 4X4 | S2 E15 1:23:12 Episode Artwork Leading The Way with Melanie Hellwig White from Hellwig Suspension | S2 E14 1:13:29 Episode Artwork Abenante's Wild Ride with Don Abenante from Retro Fabworks | S2 E13 1:18:51 Episode Artwork Life Changing Driveway Dreams with Tony D'Antonio from D'Antonio Automotive | S2 E12 1:39:52 Episode Artwork Action Authenticity & The Future with Kevin Tetz from Paintucation | S2 E11 1:13:00 Episode Artwork Building Trust Is Non Negotiable with Jason Wenig from The Creative Workshop | S2 E10 1:06:23 Episode Artwork Unmatched Community with Michael Narx | S2 E9 1:16:49 Episode Artwork Employee to Employer with Ron Hinshaw | S2 E8 55:36 Episode Artwork A Driving Force in Engineering with Nushrat Ahmed | S2 E7 55:56 Episode Artwork Inspiring The Next Gen Truck Builders with Chloe Yonker | S2 E6 1:08:50 Episode Artwork Brand Partnerships with Kyle Kuhnhausen | S2 E5 1:17:37 Episode Artwork From Driver to Pilot with Capri Wesley | S2 E4 1:23:35 Episode Artwork Community and Mentorship Matter with Bryan Harrison | S2 E3 1:04:34 Episode Artwork How Rebel Road Hot Rod Garage Thrives in Auto Restoration with Joalda Lopez | S2 E2 1:21:58 Episode Artwork Game-Changing Business Decisions That Drive Success with Jesse Vaughn | S2 E1 1:31:46 Episode Artwork Gearheads n Gasoline with Jesse Henke from JH Restorations | EP: 9 1:17:23 Episode Artwork Gearheads n' Gasoline with Thomas Dickerson from Thomas Performance Engineering | Ep: 8 1:27:20 Episode Artwork Gearheads n' Gasoline with Riley Schlick from Riley's Rebuilds | Ep: 7 1:33:38 Episode Artwork Gearheads n' Gasoline with Kira Daczko from Universal Technical Institute | Ep: 6 1:24:44 Episode Artwork Gearheads n' Gasoline with Russell Jacobs from RJ Cars | Ep: 5 48:11