DEFEND YOUR RIDE: Flip At The Coral Gables Farmers Market

Q: Hi Flip! Cool Ford and great Kettle Corn truck. Tell us about your ride. Have you been in the kettle corn business long?

A: I bought it for going on a trip going to Michigan and then the business came later. I wanted something we could use in many different ways. More versatility.

Q: How's it working out for you?

A: It's great for Florida because it's a six-cylinder. If I had to be up in the mountains, you definitely want an eight. The only thing I did change on the truck was, I went to my mechanic and I had them put on heavier shocks in the back. Once I got the trailer, I realized that's going to be a lot of weight. I wanted to start putting water back there and some other things. I talked to my mechanic and we bought these special shocks. It gives me an extra lift, so I can put an extra 1,000 pounds in there.

Q: How far do you drive for work?

A: I drive it back and forth up to Jacksonville about every three months. That is where I get my kettle corn! They don't sell this particular corn here in South Florida. They won't ship it down this far. Everybody likes this corn because it's big and it pops well and there's no waste. I buy the corn seed up in Jacksonville and pop it down here.

Q: How much corn seed will you take in a trip?

A: I'm going to bring back probably about 1,500 pounds of corn! The extra shocks and everything help it along quite a bit. It's a good truck. There's no question.

Q: Anything else you'd like to tell us about your kettle corn ride?

A: I keep it in tip-top shape. You have it, you take care of it, it will last you a long time. The truck runs good. I have no complaints about it.

Q: Would you get the same kind of truck again?

A: My next truck, it's either going to be a 250 Ford with a diesel and, if not, I will switch to a Chevy Silverado 2500. I think I'm going to go with a diesel duramax Allison transmission and that will be the last truck I'll ever buy.