We’ve have two full size truck Showroom Showdowns (Ram vs F150 and Ram vs. Titan) and the Ram won both. So this showdown will determine which truck we put up against the mighty Dodge in the final round. The Tundra hasn’t gotten a lot of good press recently, and Silverados outnumber Tundras 10 to 1 on CarDomain, so I’m assuming this may be a lopsided contest. But let’s give it a try anyway. So, which would you choose, the Tundra or the Silverado?

A note on the photos. I’ve been trying to use photos from the manufacturer’s sites. Chevy mostly had glam shots of their 4×4 trucks and Toyota had grittier "work" shots of their 4 x 2 trucks. But for the purpose of this showdown, assume you are comparing two similarly priced and equipped trucks.

The truck has become a staple of today’s automotive culture. Over the last few years, the modding of trucks by hobbyists has taken off, and the aftermarket has kept pace by adding a nearly countless number of options for customizing. They’re gaining traction on CarDomain, too: just about every day, you can find a truck in Recently Updated Rides section that has some wicked mods, or is even show material. Like Robert’s Chevy Silverado: I’ve owned trucks for years and what I can’t believe is the number of bolt-on performance mods and accessories you can get for your truck. This industry is huge! I’d hazard a guess that it’s as big if not bigger than the tuner market. Even the diesel guys are getting into it, making huge horsepower with their already immense diesel trucks.

Trucks are great first vehicles for kids, too, because you can pick up a used one fairly inexpensively, they can be easier to work on than cars, and the aftermarket support is so extensive. Lowered with nice rims or jacked up for four-wheelin’, a truck really can work out well as a functional hobby vehicle. One aspect of the truck subculture I can’t quite figure out, though, is "laying frame." Maybe somebody could shed some light on this one for me, ’cause I just can’t quite figure out why someone would want to ruin a crucial park of their vehicle.

GM will be revealing two new hybrid pickup trucks at Chicago, banking on the idea that truck buyers will be as eager as everyone else to embrace the green-power phenomenon. The Sierra Hybrid pickup is the GMC version of the hybrid Chevy Silverado revealed at the LA Auto Show, and should be available for sale by the end of this year. The radical concept truck (pictured) is the Denali XT, built on a car-like unibody subframe rather than a conventional truck frame, which means it’ll behave more like the Holden Ute than a traditional pickup. Both trucks will use dual-mode hybrid gas-electric technology, alternating between straight electric power and an electric-assisted gas V8 (the Denali’s will be E85-capable, and the Sierra’s 6.0L can drop four cylinders when not under load, with the electric motor making up the difference in power). While another of Chevy’s big hybrids, the Tahoe, won the Green Car of Year Award at the LA Auto Show, don’t expect mpg ratings on these trucks to be mind-blowing.

Frank Oresnik of Medford, Wis. is only 1,200 miles away from a mileage milestone on his 1991 Chevy Silverado. Nope, he’s not about to hit 100,000—he’s already done that ten times over. Thats right, he’s is about to roll his "rock" to the 1,000,000-mile mark. Frank bought the truck in 1996 when it only had a mere 41,000 on it. Since then, he’s used it to deliver seafood across 3 states, racking up and astonishing 85,000 miles a year. Take heed: he claims that he made it to that million-mile mark by getting his oil changed every 3000 miles and sticking with regular maintenance. If that’s the case, then Frank has had over 300 oil changes done to his truck on the original engine. The Guinness world record for highest mileage on a vehicle is car is currently held by Irv Gordon and his 1966 Volvo P1800—the pair have traveled 2.5 million miles since Irv first bought the car the year it was made. What’s the highest mileage you’ve ever personally seen on a vehicle?

Looks like Roush is branching out to GM products. The first will be the Chevrolet Silverado, which was recently caught by spy photographers. The truck’s 6.0-liter Vortec MAX V8 is reported to hit 500 hp with the Roush supercharger. More at Left Lane News.

Two kids street racing caused a serious wreck outside Seattle last night. One driver was taken to the hospital, and the other was taken to jail. Remember, take it to the track. Here’s the news:   

• Israel is joining Sweden in the effort to get off oil. Renault is signed up to help, and they’re shooting for 2020. Paging responsible American leadership: Motor Trend
• It’s been too long since BMW has made a drop-dead sexy car, but their Gran Turismo project could be a perfect apology. Just look at the concept it’s based on: Winding Road
• Will our power grid be able to handle the demand if larger numbers of drivers switch to plug-in hybrids? Um, maybe: CNet
• PETA is giving Chevy props for a new ad where a flex-fuel Silverado is described as vegetarian.    Automotive News
• While McLaren paid a $100 dollar fine for spying on Ferrari last year, their drivers were allowed to finish the season. In the future, that won’t happen: BBC News

The Ford F-150 maintains its #1 ranking on the Cars.com American Made Index, with 80% domestic content (the index takes total sales into account, so some vehicles with a higher domestic content, like the Silverado, are lower on the list). The Toyota Tundra moved up to the #4 spot, but the Camry fell off the list. More at Cars.com.

On another note, Branden’s Saleen F-150 (below) is pretty sweet!

You can’t help but feel terribly sorry for CarDomain member Derek, who had to watch helplessly while his lowrider Silverado burned to the ground. The aftermath, documented on his ride page, ain’t too pretty either. Derek suggests that he has a pretty good idea of who’s to blame for this incident, though it’s easy to see how virtually any undercar-mounted gas tank could cause problems in a vehicle sitting this low to the ground. CarDomain recommends that you always, always carry a fire extinguisher in your ride no matter what, especially if you’ve done any custom work whatsoever. Many engine and under-dash fires, the culprit in the majority of automotive infernos, start with just a short and a little wisp of smoke and are easily containable if you just have the means to put them out. Still, it’s kind of doubtful that one of those little 10" racing extinguishers would stand a chance against a full tank of gas going up in flames. What a shame.

Since 1999, Chevy has been gradually streamlining its Silverado truck, changing the design only ever so slightly for improved aerodynamics. For the next-generation 2007 model, however, they decided to go for a complete redesign. This is usually is a good thing, but when you put the new Silverado next to the Sierra, which one jumps out you?  It seems as though the engineers at Chevy forgot to make the Silverado’s lower bumper flow across nicely like the Sierra guys did. And what is it about the grille that just doesn’t fit?  The horizontal gaps seem too wide, or maybe the whole grille itself is just too prominent.  The fenders seem all wrong too, kind of pushed out instead of flowing with the truck’s lines.  I guess I was really hoping to see the front end from the Tahoe make it to the Chevy truck platform.  Still, there were some things they got right:

-160 Degree rear door openings for the extended cab doors
-Much more ergonomic and stylish interior
-More Horsepower than in previous years, with available variable displacement.

Sounds good, but I guess I’ll just stick with my now "classic" ’99 Silverado.

Think you got what it takes to be a guest blogger? Then post in the CarDomain Garage, and we’ll be in touch. And hey, remember, the opinions expressed above are not necessarily those of the CarDomain staff.