This month’s creation was ordered for Andrew Cronin (43) of Cronin Farms in Meriden, Iowa. We didn’t do all the work here, so they sent me some pics of the truck completed to share. Andrew is the middle child of Tim and Angela Cronin. He has an older sister, Leah, which is in the banking business, and a younger brother, Mathew, that owns a truck and is part owner of Cronin Farms, which is a nice family operation. Growing up around farming, Andrew thought that is what he wanted to do – until he caught the trucking bug and changed his mind!
Most of our friends say they have the trucking bug, but some remember precisely when and where they caught it. Trucking with his uncle Marty at a very young age, uncle got tired, but the load needed to go, so Marty said, “You drive. Just stay on the highway. I need a small nap.” Andrew was so excited, he unknowingly just rolled into a scale and then woke his uncle up, asking, “What do I do now?” Needless to say, Marty didn’t have trouble staying awake the rest of the night.
After graduating high school, Andrew went to community college, planning on going to Iowa State, to finish out an Ag Business degree. But, after just two years of college, Andrew told his dad that he wasn’t really wanting to go there anymore. His dad had just purchased a 1996 IHC 9200 with a Detroit and a small sleeper to pull grain, so he said, “I got this truck, come go to work!” So, they bought a new belt trailer and went to work. Over the years, they slowly grew and added more trucks and great drivers, especially after the pandemic, when things really ramped up.
Married to his wife Valerie for 17 years, the couple has three kids – daughter Tensley (14), son Easton (12), and daughter Kyla (9). I met Andrew through our mutual friend Kyle Wetzel. Andrew had bought one of my body drop kits, and he and a friend stopped by one day to pick it up. Of course, we got to talking, and we hit it right off. Those guys had just started making a nice glass lens package for their close friends, but they were not selling them – they just wanted a better light.
I was one of the “friends” that got some of these lights for a few of my builds, but since then they found a local friend that is going to make those lights, and other cool parts. His name is Clayton, and he is with Van Ek Fabrication in Hull, IA. That is where the name “Iowawegian” came from, as a joke, because they are from Iowa. So, if you want a few good pieces or some of these nice lights, Clayton can hook you up.
While stopping by to visit and pick up a few parts, we got to talking about trucks, and Andrew said he would give me a shot and order something. We were out of 389s, but we could get 589s. Last year he ordered a cool gray one with a flattop, and when it showed up we just put fenders and a few other things on it, then they took it home and finished it. This year, he decided to add another unit, but was interested in an odd color, and he wanted the frame to be the same color. I sent a request to our friends at Axalta, and once the plant approved it, we were able to order the truck pictured here.
We had a good laugh when the truck showed up. I sent Andrew a picture, and he asked, “Is that the ugliest truck you’ve ever seen?” I responded, “Nope!” To which he said, “I will try harder next time.” The truck is a 2026 Peterbilt 589 with a 58” flattop and a factory lift axle. Powered by a Cummins X15 with 2050 torque, an 18-speed, low air, full locking differentials, and all the goodies, it’s a nice unit.
Once the truck arrived, Cody was given the task of doing a few items while Jimmy and the crew painted a few parts and pieces. Cody installed fenders on the lift axle and half-fenders on I-29 brackets over the drives. The cab and sleeper handles were painted to match, and then Andrew took the truck home and finished it. I wanted to thank Cody and our crew at Geis Dealer Group for all they do, and also Andrew and his family, for letting us be a small part of their awesome family business.
Working with Jeff at 12 Ga. Customs, they came up with a new visor, which looks great. Most of the other upgrades were done by Andrew’s shop guy “Squirrel” (Brennan Prentice). Squirrel began washing trucks for Cronin Farms when he was 14, and he just never left. Today he is 30, and he helps Andrew with all his wild ideas.
I use a lot of sayings in my life to help me get through things, with one being, “There are no wrong answers in life, just decisions you make, and then make work.” When I brought that up to Andrew he said, “It’s funny you say that. One day I called my dad and said I am so tired and worn out, I don’t think I can get it all done.” His answer was short, saying, “You’re gonna have to.” Andrew said, “I don’t know why, but it changed my thinking. It’s not hard to do things that have to get done, you just have to do it.” It’s amazing what the human body can do when things just have to get done – it’s a mindset.