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Monica's 2015 F-350 is definitely the perfect attention grabbing rolling billboard

The truck is used as a daily driver, her business vehicle, and to tote a Polaris RZR UTV for off-road riding with the family. It has helped promote her business and has made her somewhat of a celebrity in the greater Las Vegas area as well as all of Nevada. She really does turn heads when people see her climb out of the cab of that big truck wearing a dress and high heels. There is a reason why she calls the truck “Big Sexy.”

She also volunteered that she meets prospective clients at car shows and having the truck helps her build confidence with custom car owners.

“I have special knowledge and experience on how to help guide clients who own custom vehicles when inquiring about insurance and the repair process during a claim,” she said.

Holds Special Knowledge On Heavy Duty Trucks

She got interested in big heavy-duty trucks growing up in Big Sky Country in Dillon, Montana.

“I grew up in big trucks,” said Monica. “My parents owned trucks living in the Big Sky Country and when my husband Damon and I first met, one of the first vehicles I owned was a Ford F-150. My first Super Duty was a 2001 Ford F-250 with a standard transmission that I bought about 10 years ago when I opened my insurance business.”

That first heavy-duty truck served as a canvas for a plethora of custom enhancements.

“My husband and I did quite a bit of aftermarket customization to it and put a full vehicle wrap on it to help market my business,” Monica continued. “It did wonderful things for my business. So we decided to build another truck that would be even bigger and more eye catching.”

She sold the 2001 Ford F-250 and contacted a Ford dealership and told them she wanted a new and improved Super Duty. The dealership ordered her a 2015 Ford F-350 straight off the Ford assembly line built to her specifications and it was delivered in May 2014.

“I wanted to maximize my business opportunity and I knew I wasn’t going to purchase something small. I wanted something big and bold that would make a statement. Most of my local competition and colleagues drive your average sedans or a small SUV. I wanted something that stood out.”

She never considered any other brand of truck except a Ford. That’s because she enjoyed owning a Ford F-150 and Ford F-250. She also explained that she is impressed with the truck’s power and she likes the size of the cab on the F-350.

“The Ford cab is very comfortable and appealing, which makes it the best,” she said.

Upon delivery, she knew she would be fulfilling her vision of her customized dream truck. Her wish list included many upgrades that would require the expertise of several shops and vendors.

She found the shops that could help her build her dream truck through contacts from her business.

“I work with a lot of body shops and a lot of aftermarket shops because of my business and my clients. It was helpful knowing people in the industry. One of my contacts is with Sudden Impact, who has a wonderful working relationship with me. They have helped repair many of my client’s vehicles that have been customized. The shop owner got me in touch with another local company called 4 The Truck and they did the majority of the labor-intensive work.”

She and her husband chose the products installed on the truck. They selected products from familiar top-rated companies that they had great past experiences with. For example, the truck includes the K&N HP-4005 oil filter as well as a K&N 63-2582 air intake system.

Monica Gubler with her custom 2015 Ford F-350 also known as "Big Sexy"

“One of my best contacts works with my client Best In The Desert, the largest off-road racing association in the U.S. They have a great relationship with Ford and have a lot of knowledge about the Ford Super Duty and the many different aftermarket products available. They were a great influence on the products that we selected,” said Monica.

Another influence that was a great resource on products and manufacturers was the founder of Silver State Classic Racing, which is an Open Road Rally Event that closes 90 miles of Nevada State Route 318 between Lund and Hiko, Nevada.

And then there was SEMA

“SEMA 2014 opened up a lot of doors for us, too,” noted Damon. “Once we had a spot reserved in the SEMA show, many aftermarket manufacturers jumped on board and offered their products and assistance. They wanted their products displayed on the truck, especially after they saw the magnitude of what we were building. What they saw was not only bolt-on products but a lot of one of a kind truly custom systems like the overload air bag system, which is 100-percent custom; and front bumper and matching roof rack."

“We were the first at SEMA to have frenched in lights that were flush even on the custom built front bumper and grill as well as the custom built roof rack. Now you can find almost every manufacturer displaying the flush-mounted frenched in lights. You could say, we were a trendsetter,” said Damon.

They Had A Vision

Monica and Damon had a vision of what they wanted the truck to look like before they bought it. They hired KEG Media in Fort Smith, Arkansas, to create a rendering, which they used to entice manufacturers to become a build partner and to provide products as sponsors.

“KEG Media is the number one rendering firm for SEMA and is well-known in the automotive industry,” noted Damon.

“We approached companies who had the best systems for what we were trying to achieve and the products with the best overall performance,” he continued. “When we contacted the vendors for help with a custom designed product, a lot of them opened their arms to us and put me in touch with their engineering departments so that they could work directly with us on finishing the design to ensure that their product was compatible with the overall vision. The vendors were excited to be involved with our project and wanted to participate in a build of a truck that they knew would be an eye catcher at SEMA.”

Products and Sponsors

The new custom products installed onto the F-350 include:

• EBC disc rotors and pads

• 8” Fabtech front suspension system with 4 link coil over

• Dirt Logic 4.0 coil over shock absorbers

• American Force Storm 22-inch by 12-inch wheels

• Toyo Open Country 37x13.50R22 tires

• 8” Fabtech leaf with airbag rear suspension system

The engine compartment holds a K&N 63-2582 air intake system and K&N HP-4005 oil filter

• Fabtech 2.25 shock absorbers

• Hellwig sway bar

• Titan 50-gallon fuel tank

• K&N AirCharger intake system

• K&N oil filter

• MagnaFlow 5-inch exhaust

• Two XS Power D6500 batteries

• T-Rex grille

• Bushwacker flared fender

• Las Vegas Wrought Iron one-of-a-kind custom built front bumper

• ARE camper shell

• Aleatronix video system with two 9-inch DVD-TVs in the headrests

• Custom painted interior red accents

• Custom front seats with “G” stitched in headrest

• Black leather upholstery with red perforated diamond inserts and red piping

• Royal Purple Oil

Other partners included Knipex, WARN Industries, and ROGUE Racing.

The Gubler Custom 2015 Ford F-350 also totes the family and their Polaris RZRs for off-road riding

“My truck, or as I call her, ‘Big Sexy,’ is a true representation of who I am as a person. This truck is big, bad, red, powerful, tough, beautiful, sexy, and one of a kind. It is an attention grabber and I am very proud to be the operator. People often double take when they see me get out of the driver’s seat in heels, confidently driving such a large vehicle. ‘Big Sexy’ is my mobile billboard for my insurance business and chariot for my family,” concluded Monica.

The design of the RK-3948B intake matches the lines of the Harley engine perfectly

Before we get to the impressive performance and protection aspects of the RK-3948B, let’s look closer at the visual design elements. The unique shape of the intake's frame and filter compliments the lines of the V-twin engine configuration. The intake cap is finished in a subtle matte black that sits as the perfect backdrop for the three chrome accents. Simply put, the look works.

Resting behind that fine looking exterior is an engineered custom aluminum mounting system that allows an increased airflow to the throttle body. The intake has an integrated, internal-run breather system. Sandwiched between the intake mount and the cover is a K&N high-flow air filter element.

K&N's engineers have developed a mounting system that is clean and efficient

So what kind of horsepower boost can you expect from the RK-3948B? K&N’s rigorous in-house testing resulted in an estimated gain of almost 7 horsepower when the intake was installed on an otherwise stock 2017 107ci Harley-Davidson Road Glide. You can see the test protocols and the performance charts on the dyno chart link on the product details page.

That impressive power increase does not come at the expense of engine protection. The K&N filter incorporates the oil-impregnated media that has over four decades of real-world testing and proven protection. When it is time to clean that element, K&N makes a number of kits and cleaning products that make the job simple and convenient.

Everything that is needed for easy installation is included in the RK-3948B kit

The RK-3948B intake fits the models listed below. Check K&N's online application search tool for all of your filtration needs.

2017 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLTRXS ROAD GLIDE SPECIAL 107 CI - All Models
2017 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLTRX ROAD GLIDE 107 CI - All Models
2017 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLTRU ROAD GLIDE ULTRA 107 CI - All Models
2017 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLRT FREEWHEELER 107 CI - All Models
2017 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHXS STREET GLIDE SPECIAL 107 CI - All Models
2017 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHX STREET GLIDE 107 CI - All Models
2017 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHTKL ULTRA LIMITED LOW 107 CI - All Models
2017 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHTK ULTRA LIMITED 107 CI - All Models
2017 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHTCUTG TRI GLIDE ULTRA 107 CI - All Models
2017 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHTCU ELECTRA GLIDE ULTRA CLASSIC 107 CI - All Models
2017 HARLEY DAVIDSON FLHR ROAD KING 107 CI - All Models

The sealed canister contains a 6-layer filter and a foam pre-filter for extra protection

This system is composed of several unique K&N features that keep the engine fed with clean air while resisting dirt, sand, and dust.

First is the canister itself. At less than two feet long, the canister can be mounted virtually anywhere on the vehicle, in either a horizontal or vertical manner. The canister comes with two saddle clamps with mounting hardware for quick installation. And it’s lightweight. Despite the sealed protection it offers the air filter, the entire canister assembly, loaded with filter and adapters weighs just 13 pounds.

The canister carries a matte black finish, providing a sophisticated look, and carries a subtle K&N logo, showing everyone that you are serious about your performance.

Universal off-road air intake comes complete with two different sized velocity stacks

Inside the canister is a unique K&N double filtration system. The primary filter is a RU-5064 which is specially designed for off-road application. The RU-5064 features twice as many layers of treated red cotton filter media than the typical K&N filter. At nearly a foot long, the tapered conical air filter provides plenty of air flow, up to about 350 CFM as seen in K&N testing. That’s plenty for most SxS, UTVs, and four-cylinder off-road racers. Racers with larger engines can run two canisters for a total of about 700 CFM.

The pleated K&N RU-5064 conical air filter provides additional surface area for increased airfllow

As with other K&N air filters, both the RU-5064 filter element and 25-5167 foam filter are washable and reusable. The RU-5064 can be cleaned with K&N 99-5000 filter care service kit at up to 50,000 mile service intervals, depending on driving conditions. The 25-5167 foam wrap can be washed with soap and water.

Plus the K&N RU-5064 air filter included is designed to last for the lifetime of your vehicle, which K&N guarantees will perform with the K&N 10-Year/Million Mile Limited Warranty.

Athena packs all you need to survive in the urban jungle (photo Johnathan Anderson)

Hargreaves, a certified motorcycle mechanic and master craftsman, has created a custom that exudes rugged cool in every detail. The "Athena" build started life as a common 1977 Yamaha 650 twin. However, it was lucky enough to end up in Hargreaves' artistic hands, where it was transformed into the mythological goddess she is now. So what's in a name?

"Of course, the theme of Greek mythology is a core reason (for the name)," said Hargreaves. "Athena is the goddess of wisdom and craft. Of course, she is known more commonly as the goddess of war. The bike is an amalgamation of all three. It's a Swiss army knife. It's a rolling survival kit."

A Swiss army knife indeed. Athena's list of 'blades' is utterly amazing.

Dave Hargreaves is a busy man with his Cerberus Moto DIY shop and his custom bike building

On the electrical front, Hargreaves ensured adequate charging with a permanent magnet alternator (PMA) in the build. That is particularly important when you hear the gadgetry Athena is packing. It has a very trick high-output HID and LED lighting system. The main headlight is removable and will operate independently from the motorcycle as a spotlight or a signal light.

There is an onboard solar generator for emergency 110v power in one of the ammo-box panniers. That same box also carries 4 LiPo4 batteries, a charge controller, inverter, and tool roll. The Yamaha is controlled with a keyless ignition and features a GPS speedometer and navigation unit. There is even a small CB radio on board with tuned external antennae.

Hargreaves trusts K&N filters on all of his custom motorcycles and Athena is no different

"The bike does not rely on complicated electronics to operate," said Hargreaves. "When the bike is in 'storage mode,' it has a total electric cut off. The electronic items that are on board are protected in this fashion."

Anyone who has ever seen the movie Mad Max knows how important fuel capacity will be post-apocalypse. Athena has tank-mounted auxiliary fuel cells to store more of the vital juice. When you need to stop for some sustenance, the Yamaha has a concealed camp kitchen, a survival pack, and a fold out work station stored in one of its detachable panniers.

In keeping with the self-reliance theme, Athena breathes through two high-performance, washable K&N pod filters. It is not by chance that K&N is a part of the project.

Athena wears a full rack system for mounting almost anything to the tank and tail

On the exhaust side, Athena features hand-built stainless headers and pipes. That un-muffled exhaust certainly indicates that there will be no decibel-level limitations in the dystopian future.

Even though Athena is chock-full of modern, high-tech features, it's what the build is at its core that most satisfies Hargreaves.

"My personal favorite aspect is still the fact that it is a vintage bike, and still looks like one," Hargreaves said. "(It) shakes up the perceptions of what a usable motorcycle can be. Most people see 'old bikes' as nothing more than toys. Athena is not a toy."

K&N is proud to be part of Dave Hargreaves' amazing creation.

Shown here undressed, Athena's lines are classic and clean

Lighting and electronic wizardry abound on the Cerberus Moto custom Yamaha

NASCAR K&N Pro Series West driver Julia Landauer is seventh in the standings after 11 races.

Landauer had a rough start to her second season in the K&N Pro Series West. She joined a new team, the Sunrise Ford team owned by Bob Bruncati. But mechanical problems and broken parts led to some disappointing finishes.

“It’s been tough but character building,” Landauer said.

Despite the rough patches, Landauer is in the top 10 in the K&N Pro Series West standings after 11 races. There are three races remaining on the K&N Pro Series West schedule and Landauer said she has an aggressive strategy for the end of the season.

“It’s been rough. I’m really proud of my guys,” said Landauer, who is in seventh place in the K&N Pro Series West standings. “We’re all used to performing at the front and racing well. They got multiple championships. I’ve got multiple championships. I really appreciate the fresh attitude they come with every race and how collaborative everyone is. It’s a really good crew. It’s just one of those years.

“This is where you grow as a person. You can’t separate racing from life. Try to take the optimistic approach and salvage everything we can for these last three races.”

For the race at Douglas County Speedway, Landauer said her car was strong from the start. It was one of the fastest cars in practice and she qualified sixth. She was less than a tenth of a second off the pole, won by Bill McAnally Racing driver Chris Eggleston.

There were only four cautions in the race. The final restart came on lap 71, leaving nearly 80 laps of green flag racing at the end. Those factors helped Landauer finish in the top five.

“I think it was a couple things. I think we unloaded really strong,” Landauer said. “I was pushing as hard as I could. We took a little bit of a gamble with setup before qualifying and made a change. It worked really well. It was a good effort. It was a really tight field.”

Julia Landauer posted her best finish of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West season at Douglas County.

“I’ve done well on the short tracks,” Landauer said. “We were a little worried going into Evergreen because we knew it was a tough track and we knew the tire drop-off was really aggressive. But we know our short track setup is a little better.”

Landauer started the season with a pair of 12th-place finishes, one in the season opener at Tucson Speedway, in Arizona. The other was at Kern County Raceway, in California. Landauer said she and her new team worked well together, but the car was not responding to the team’s setups.

“Personality wise, I think I meshed with the team pretty quickly,” Landauer said. “I don’t think it was really so much joining the new team that was much of an issue. I felt the guys welcomed me. I feel there was a lot of mutual respect all the way around.

“There are just some things you just can’t control. We were a little baffled, to be honest as to what the slow start was from. Everyone has good years. People keep telling me everyone has really bad years too, maybe this is just our collective not-so-great year. The team is working well together. There is excitement now for these last three races.”

Landauer points to the dual races at Irwindale Speedway in California in March as to when things started turning around. The car ran well at Irwindale, she posted a sixth and 10th place finish, but she said she at least had a top-five car for both races. Something mechanical was off and the car lost power over the last 30 laps of both races.

“The car was awesome,” Landauer said. “We were running third and fourth for a while. A mechanical malfunction caused it to drop like a stone the last 30 laps or so. That was a mechanical problem that we didn’t discover until we got the car back to the shop.”

Her team had more problems at The Orange Show Speedway and Sonoma Raceway in California. The alternator died in the race at The Orange Show and she broke an axle at Sonoma. It resulted in two poor finishes and set her team back in the standings.

“This year, we were running consistently like sixth or seventh,” Landauer said about the race in Sonoma. “I was able to nurse it around the track until we got a caution. We came in and they changed the axle in like record time. But by then, I was just racing by myself. Again, it goes back to bad luck.”

In addition to the race at Meridian Speedway, the K&N Pro Series West will visit All American Speedway in Roseville and return to Kern County Raceway Park in California to end the season.

Julia Landauer has six top-10 finishes in 11 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West races this season.

Landauer said she enjoys having K&N as a supporter of the series and seeing the K&N staff at all the races.

“I think what’s cool about K&N is that they have shown a commitment for so many years now,” Landauer said. “To have that kind of longevity with a series partner is really cool. I like that it’s such a practical company and brand that everyone has the ability to use. That makes it universally attractive.”