This is becoming one of our favorite sections. Real trucks, purpose-built on a paycheck budget. If you'd like to submit your truck for Reality Trucks, send your name, hometown and state and description of your truck, along with high-resolution photos, to dteditor@dieseltechmag.com. Remember, if your truck is published, you get a free one-year subscription to Diesel Tech.
Bob Olson
Edgerton, WI
Twins. It's got twins. This 2005 Chevrolet Duramax means business. There aren't many 11-second daily drivers out on the street, but this is one of the few. With a set of Maximized Performance Twin Turbos, ATS twin CP3s and dual TTS lift pumps, this truck is packing just about two of everything. A Suncoast 1057 converter in front of an ATS transmission with ATS Co Pilot that Olson built himself, it'll definitely lay the power down. Try more than 700 hp on the dyno. The truck is equipped with TTS connecting rods, F1 Diesel injectors and EFI Live tuning. 33/13.5r18 Mickey Thompson Baja Claws wrapped around 18-inch Eagle rims sit under the stock suspension.
Andrew Rhyne
Wagoner, OK
Used as a daily driver for hauling hay and farm equipment, this 2005 Dodge 2500 6-speed can definitely get any job done with ease. With 347 hp and 647 ft-lbs of torque in nothing more than a tow tune from a Bully Dog Triple Dog, it's got more than enough for just about every job. Aftermarket parts also include an AFE Stage II intake and a CFM + intake manifold. The truck is lubricated with an assortment of Royal Purple synthetic fluids. To help keep an eye on the vitals, a full set of Di-Pricol gauges help Andrew monitor egts, fuel pressure and boost. The truck sits on a 3-inch KORE Chase lift system and Fox Racing shocks. 35/12.50r17 Hankook DynaPro MT tires mounted on black powdercoated factory alloys get the power to the pavement. The exterior was beefed up with a Tough Country Apache bumper, Advantage Kwik-Draw tonneau cover, Better Built toolbox and Gatorhyde's spray-in liner, along with a set of Go Rhino Dominator II steps.
Adam Brannan
Jacksonville, FL
Holy sweet ride, Batman. It's not every day you see a truck as good-looking as this one. This 2004 F350 6.0 Power Stroke King Ranch is sitting on a 3.5-inch level kit from Fabtech along with its dual stabilizer shock kit. The truck rolls on 22.5-inch Alcoa Classics and Michelin tires. Performance-wise the truck is running custom SCT tuning by Direct Injection Performance, AFE Stage I intake, Bully Dog 4-inch exhaust with muffler and cat deletes, City Diesel intercooler, 190cc injectors from Ryan Casserly, Fass 150/180, regulated return kit, ARP studs, ATS valve work, egr delete, Fluidamper and Seven Sport Comp II series gauges monitor the engine parameters. There is also a dry shot of nitrous on tap if the need arises. The stereo system is far from stock as well with a AVIC-Z2 deck pushing sound, two JL Audio 10-inch subs and a 500 watt JL Audio amp. There is also a 10.4-inch drop down LCD screen to keep passengers entertained.
Shane Gardner
Twin Falls, ID
This isn't any ordinary Dodge Mega-Cab, definitely not one you'd want to mess with at the main street stoplight. As a daily driver, I'm sure it surprises everyone who thinks they've got a chance. With an MPI compound turbo setup, a stage II CP3 pump and a Smarty box stacked on a TS Performance Mp-8, it's a truck you should be worried about. To help hold the power there is a complete built transmission from OPIE. ARP studs, custom 5-inch exhaust, and nine gauges in the cab wrap up the performance mods. Alien Patrol bumpers are used front and rear to keep the Toyota Prias out of the way.
Scott Good
South Hampton, NJ
What do you do with your spare time when you're going to a diesel college? That's easy. Spend time working on your own truck. As a student at Engine City Tech, Good has built this 1999 Dodge Cummins 3500 to make it his own. With more than 150k miles on it you know this truck is a daily driver. Power is supplied through an AFE intake, CFM+ intake manifold, Edge Juice with Attitude, Fass 150/150 pump and custom 4-5-inch exhaust into 7-inch miter cut stacks. A BD Power exhaust brake helps slow things down. The 22.5-inch Alcoa wheels keep it rolling along while helping give it that big diesel truck look. Good said his list of things to do is an upgraded trans, some larger injectors, a hot rod injection pump and a Smarty box.
Dave Woon
Vancouver, WA
Every hard labor construction man needs a tough truck, something to haul cement forms or lumber from the Home Depot store and that's why this 1999 7.3L Power Stroke belongs in our Reality Trucks section. It's a work truck, in every sense of the word. An HD transmission and Dunrite converter send power to the 35-inch tires, which sit under a 4-inch Revtek lift. The truck is powered by a Beans D66 turbo, Dynomite Diesel B-code injectors, DP Tuner chip, Stealth Dual HPOP, AFE Stage II intake, Diesel Innovations regulated return kit, Airdog fuel system, ARP head studs and Comp 910 valve springs. There is a set of ISSPRO gauges in the cab and a Cargo Master lumber rack on the bed.
Tim Beggs
Muskegon, MI
We're all about daily-driven blue-collar trucks at Diesel Tech, which is exactly why this kind of truck will always see press time with us. This 1997 Ford F-350 crew cab 7.3L Power Stroke represents everything we stand for. It has 246,000 miles on it and is still running strong. Beggs started by building his own rear disc brake system, adding a 7.3L Super Duty intercooler, Tymar style intake and a true 5-inch side pipe to use when the camper shell keeps him from using his 6-inch stacks. Autometer gauges monitor egts, boost, transmission temperature, coolant temperature and oil pressure. The truck also has Ford Super Duty AD injectors, a three position Delta Diablo chip, 1.0 A/R exhaust housing and 3-inch down pipe.
Mike McSpadden
Ramona, CA
One of the cleaner Fords we've had sent in to us is this 1999 Ford F250 powered by the 7.3L Power Stroke. McSpadden spent a lot of time and work making the truck his perfect daily driver. Add-ons include a set of Dynomite Diesel Stage III injectors, Garrett GT-38R turbo, Tymar intake, Spearco intercooler, DP Tuner live tuning, Terminator Dual High Pressure Oil pumps and an ITP Diesel regulated return kit outfitted with a high pressure crossover line and fuel bowl delete kit, which receives fuel from a AirDog fuel system. The transmission was built by John Wood and a set of 5-inch Grand Rock Aussie stacks top off the look McSpadden was going for.
Nic Morris
Montpelier, ID
Whoever said the new emission-restricted trucks couldn't be pimped out never met this guy. This 2007.5 6.7 Cummins is loaded with aftermarket parts. It's been modified with an Edge Juice with Attitude, TS Performance Mp8, fuel relief valve shimmed .60 of an inch, Snow Performance Stage 3 water/meth kit, Zex nitrous system, AFE Stage II, 5-inch miter cut black powdercoated stacks and an egr delete. Morris said he's averaging more than 17 mpg on the freeway and figures the truck is around 600 hp with a .088 shot of nitrous. Not bad for an emissions truck that's not supposed to make any power.