The Rise of 4×4 Barbie: Pleasant Cook’s Custom Duramax Journey

Not to Be Underestimated

It’s a Barbie world. Well, at least for Pleasant Cook it is— but appearances can be deceiving. Even with the cute name and the blonde locks of a Mattel toy, when it comes to trucks, she’s not playing around. Besides piloting a customized 2015 Chevy 2500 HD Duramax, she’s a real beast on the track when manning her 1/3-scale mini monster truck.

MINI MONSTER

How did a diminutive doll from a small town in Missouri become such a hardcore driver? Pleasant was discovered about three years ago when she brought her 2008 black-and-pink Chevy mini monster truck, called “Southern Crush,” to a 4 Wheel Jamboree in Indianapolis, Indiana. There, her life changed dramatically.

Vision Wheel, now the main sponsor for her mini truck, noticed the crowds Pleasant and her truck drew. A few weeks later, Pleasant signed her first contract to represent Vision Wheel. BFG and Discount Tire also came on board as sub-sponsors for the season as well.

Pleasant immediately began traveling to shows all over the country, performing in her mini monster truck alongside well- known names such as Bigfoot, Avenger, Bounty Hunter, and Raminator. She was also doing many displays and attending several truck meets with her Chevy. Her motto: “Be pretty. Play dirty.”

While her daily driver at the time was a lifted, pink-and-black 2008 Chevy 1500, she decided it was time to get a diesel and purchased a 2015 Chevy 2500 HD Duramax. This rig would also be a big help in towing her mini monster trucks to shows all over the country.

SEMA DREAMS

Then about a month later, Pleasant received a call from her sponsor, Vision Wheel, about making a SEMA appear- ance. Like the previous year, she would be displaying the two mini monster trucks in the company’s booth, along with her sign- ing posters. But, this time they also made mention of putting her new Chevy in one of their booths as well.

“This was a dream come true for me!” she exclaimed. “This is any truck owner’s dream of get- ting into SEMA.” One small prob- lem though: it needed some serious customization to stand out from the crowd—and all in just a matter of a few months. That’s not much time to spiff up a pickup.

So the truck was immediately put in her family’s off-road shop and stripped completely to the frame to start on the painting, which included the frame-in black metallic. Next, lacking experience in building a SEMA show rig, she started reaching out to the truck world and getting advice from veteran builders for the right approach in contacting sponsors.

Drawing from her experience on the show circuit, she must have done something right because the response was overwhelming. So many companies were willing to have her represent their products by including them in the buildup that parts were pouring in—and the crunch became real.

“SHE’S A REAL BEAST ON THE TRACK WHEN MANNING HER 1/3-SCALE MINI MONSTER TRUCK”

“It was crazy with only four months until leaving for SEMA, with three trucks to get ready,” Pleasant recalls. “And at the same time, we were traveling from state to state performing in shows. I didn’t see how we could get it all done in time.”

Fortunately, her monster truck’s mechanic and main builder, Charles Schmidt, stayed behind. “He was practically living in our shop getting the truck ready while we traveled,” she says. “On our off time, we were traveling from as far as Ohio to California to pick up parts and getting them back to Missouri.” And this was all while Pleasant was juggling with being a senior in high school and trying to graduate.

Yet, the build program quickly became a whole family effort. Her father, mother, grandparents, uncle—everyone—was chipping in to help. Pleasant had also developed many close relationships with most of her sponsors and leaned on them for support as well.

THE TRUCK

Rough Country shipped her a 7.5-inch lift kit, which was promptly dressed up by Gateway Powder Coating. BFGoodrich supplied a set of 35 x 12.50 KO2 tires to wrap Vision’s Rages rims. While the engine is still a work in progress, the first step in a list of planned upgrades included an EFI Live tuner custom programmed by Kory Willis at PPEI. Exiting from the block is a Flo-Pro 5-inch stainless down pipe. RBP provided exhaust tips, and its RX-3 LED grille and sidesteps (which are ideal for Pleasant climbing aboard while wearing her custom-accented, rhinestone-stud- ded Corral cowboy boots).

Underneath the RBP grille is a Fab Fours Premium bumper, and ditto under the rear of the cargo bed. They were color- matched to the body color by 923 Cus- toms, which also sprayed the mirrors and door handles. The headlights are from plainANsimple, and the winch is a 16,000- lb. Mile Marker unit bracketed by a pair of Monster Hooks Swivel Hooks. (Can you imagine the reaction of a macho diesel dude if 4×4 Barbie pulled him out of a mud bog?)

While Vision Wheel facilitated the need for customizing the Chevy, it had been a dream of Pleasant’s all along to build a truck for SEMA. She never imag- ined that it would happen when she was only 17 years old.

“IT HAD BEEN A DREAM OF PLEASANT’S ALL ALONG TO BUILD A TRUCK FOR SEMA”

PINK, PINK, AND MORE PINK

How did Pleasant come up with the color scheme? “Actually, I’ve always loved the color pink just like every girl,” she ad- mits. “My first truck was a black Chevy and I put pink accents on it and had my mini monster truck painted to match with the same colors.”

But When Pleasant started represent- ing Vision Wheel, that’s when her color preferences kind of changed. “Vision has a signature digital camo on its logo. So when my mini truck was wrapped, I had them do the digital camo in pink and black on a white wrap,” she explains. And when picking out a new Duramax, she got a white one so she could have it wrapped to match her mini. “Vinyl Images came up with a great wrap to match, plus added an overlay of the whole truck with a clear, shimmery chameleon-style vinyl. Just to give it that wow factor for SEMA.”

OFF ROAD LIFE

As for the truck’s moniker, “The 4×4 Barbie” name was actually given to me by one of my Instagram followers,” Pleasant relates. “I took a pic in a Barbie sweatshirt by my truck and this guy commented I look more like a 4×4 Barbie. From then on, it just kind of fit my lifestyle. I’m extremely girly, but love the off-road life. I’m pretty sure people think my real name is Barbie.”

How do all her friends react? “I love driving this truck, which I don’t get to often,” she admits, due to her busy mini monster schedule. “But I’ve had so many great experiences in it. I love the look on young girls’ faces when they see it—it’s like their dream truck. And I’ve had some guys admit they’d rock it too!”

“EVERYONE IN MY FAMILY DRIVES A LIFTED TRUCK SO BEING THE TALLEST IS ALWAYS A COMPETITION BETWEEN US.”

It’s all real personal for Pleasant, since she identifies with the truck: “I feel like this truck represents my personality,” she says. “I wanted to put a Barbie look to it but still keep an off-road image.” That, and a bit of high-tech, using a Ride Controller device for lock-out security and remote starting, among many other wireless functions.

As for the future, “I’m hoping to do a lot of upgrades to the engine, plus maybe putting a straight axle under it and a bigger lift,” she notes. “Everyone in my family drives a lifted truck so being the tallest is always a competition between us.”

Some young women fantasize being Barbie because she has everything. Does that mean Pleasant has her eye on a pink Barbie Corvette? Hardly. After all, this girl’s gone diesel and won’t turn back. DW