Hyundai dai county đồng vàng thân dài 2017

HIGH-RIDIN’ RAM PACKS 530 HP AND 1,240 LB-FT

ÁKIRK COLE’S ’04 SUPER DUTY GETS MAJOR FACE-LIFT FOR SEMA

DESTINATION SEMA! EXPLORING THE INDUSTRY’S MAIN EVENT DREAM IT, BUILD IT

CHEVY 2500HD EMBRACE YOUR STYLE

7.3L FORD EXCURSION WICKED TRANSPORTER

RESULTS! BENCH-TESTING DIY EGR COOLER CLEANING SOLUTIONS

MARCH 2017

8—LUG.COM

CONTENTS MARCH 2017, VOLUME 12, NO.3

FEATURES

SHOP SHOWPIECE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 A major overhaul for Hardcore Trucks’ 6.0L

BLACK MAX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 SILVER STREAK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Duramax done big ’n’ right

A high-ridin’ Ram with 530 hp and 1,240 lb-ft on tap

GOLDILOCKS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

8-LUG TECH

A diesel Excursion gets the wicked touch

SOAK-AND-RINSE SHOOTOUT . . . . . . . . . . 54 EIGHT-LUGGERS OF THE 2016 SEMA SHOW . .38 The ultimate industry gathering turns 50

ON THE COVER: Joe Greeves caught Kirk Cole cruisin’ in his pristine Super Duty in the weeks following its debut at the American Force Wheels booth during the SEMA show.

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We bench-compare five popular diesel EGR cooler cleaning solutions in a two-hour shade-tree test

DEPARTMENTS

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GARAGE

BY MONICA GONDERMAN

■

PHOTOS: MONICA GONDERMAN

SEMA THROUGH THE YEARS

A

s the saying goes, this ain’t my first rodeo. In fact, the 2016 SEMA show marks my 13th consecutive trip to the Las Vegas event—at least. I can come up with digital photographic evidence beginning in 2004 with a few 352x288 Blackberry snapshots of the offshore boats that used to be in the outside area. I’m sure I could wrangle up some 4x6 prints of earlier years somewhere in my collection, but that’s not the point. The point is that I’m getting old. Wait, no, that’s not the point, either. The point is that no matter how many times I’ve been to the show, it never gets old. I hope you feel the same way, too, even if your SEMA count puts mine to shame. It’s always a humbling, exciting adventure for which I’m thankful to be part of.

You know what annoys me? Journalists who complain about how tough their lives are because they have to attend events like

And you thought your 28s were wild!

This is a 30-inch Lexani eight-lug wheel way back at the 2005 show. It was crazy then—and it’s still crazy.

SEMA and have to play with trucks. Really?

If your living is many people’s hobbies, don’t you think you have it made? Anyway…

Although the SEMA show has had its ups and downs over the years, from halfempty halls on one end of the spectrum to overflowing tent halls in adjacent parking lots on the other end, it has remained an industry staple—the pinnacle, premier event for automotive hobbyists, builders, and businessmen. The recent years have been on the crazy-crowded and huge side of the spectrum, which is great for the aftermarket industry as a whole. It’s getting harder and

harder to cover the whole show grounds— even when given a few days! The bottom line is that it’s awesome. Heck, it’s still on my bucket list to have a SEMA truck someday.

In closing, here are a few snapshots I found while reminiscing my SEMA past. While it’s fun to see just how far truck customization has come, let’s not forget that badass builds were also created many decades ago. I have fond memories of the past and anticipate more good times in the future.

–Monica Email me at: mgonderman@enthusiastnetwork.com

Got trucks? I couldn’t resist photographing this quartet of lifted HD trucks at the 2009 show.

There’s no missing the Fab Fours bumper on this smooth-looking Dodge Ram 2500 from the 2007 show. Nice stack, too!

Rigs sporting Snow Performance and Skyjacker products stake out their plots under the shaded Las Vegas Convention Center awning at the 2010 show.

ENGAGE WITH THE 8-LUG COMMUNITY:

This GMC dualie at the 2006 show wears a slick multi-color lame paintjob, a style that was much more prevalent a decade ago than today. I miss it!

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Check out this then-new second-gen Super Duty at the 2008 show.

Diggin’ the color!

• MARCH 2017

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Contact Us: editor@8-lug.com

MAILBAG CRACKING THE CODES I just returned from a month-long tour of the Rockies, towing a 37-foot, fifth-wheel trailer with my ’09 Dodge Ram 3500. The truck’s 6.7L Cummins engine has 67,000 miles on it. After driving into town without the trailer, the Check Engine light came on, and the following diagnostic trouble codes displayed in the information window: P0401, Exhaust gas recirculation low. Insufficient detected; P0420, Catalyst system efficiency below threshold (Bank 1). Can the first code be attributed to a stuck EGR valve? I don’t understand the second code. It’s funny, but after I tow my trailer for a while these problems tend to show up.

Parker French via the Internet A clogged EGR valve is the most likely cause for this type of situation. The valve is clogged with caked-up soot, which is preventing the proper flow of exhaust gases. This is common on trucks that see long periods of light, nontowing, stop-and-go driving that’s interspersed with occasional periods pulling heavy trailers.

Light-duty driving can cause carbon (soot) to accumulate in the EGR cooler. Once the cooler gets really hot under the heavy load, soot is burned and forced downstream to the EGR valve. But, in some instances, there’s so much soot that it restricts the passageway it must flow through to be evacuated.

Our friends at Mobile Diesel Service in Oakland, Oregon, just had a customer’s Ram with a similar issue. “We scanned it and found an insufficient flow fault code P0401,” recalls Shawn Smalley. “That’s normally an indicator of a bad or clogged EGR valve.”

Indeed, the technician found the emissions sensors and EGR valve clogged up with soot. He cleaned everything and installed a good used EGR valve to help save the owner a few bucks.

On a hunch, the tech also removed the front of the EGR cooler as a precautionary measure—and found it completely plugged. The cooler was removed and replaced with a Bostech 699 cooler assembly. Problem solved.

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B Y B R U C E W. S M I T H

If you can remove the EGR valve from your truck’s engine, soak it for a couple of hours in a good cleaning solution. Then take a small, stiff brush and clean out all the passages in the valve around the spool. If you want to try and save a little money and have the time, try cleaning the EGR cooler by filling it with the same cleaner, letting it soak for a few hours (shaking it up a few times during the soak process), then flushing it out with water until it runs clear. A cooler that’s heavily sooted may take a couple of flushings.

Cleaning it could extend the cooler’s longevity.

This is also a good time to use a specialized electronics spray cleaner on the MAP sensor.

MUFFLED WORRIES If I remove the factory muffler from my ’07 Dodge Ram and replace it with an aftermarket unit, will the 6.7L Cummins engine throw codes, or will the new muffler mess anything up?

Edwin Werx via email Change away! For now, at least, everything downstream of the diesel particulate filter (from DPF to the exhaust tip) is free from pollution-control sensors. So, no codes will be activated. By the time the exhaust goes through the turbocharger, catalytic converter, and DPF, there’s not much of an exhaust note left to muffle—or make louder, in your case.

GALLONS GONE I have a ’95 Ford F-350 that’s been my daily driver for more than 15 years, and I hope to drive it for another 40. The odometer shows 185,000 miles. What could cause a sudden drop in fuel economy? The truck has a 7.3L Power Stroke engine that’s set up with a Banks Power PowerPack system.

Its E4OD four-speed automatic transmission is rebuilt. Around town, fuel mileage has always averaged 13.5 mpg. Then I saw it drop to about 12.25 mpg, with no noticeable change in performance. I checked mpg over

several tanks, and the new lower mileage is as consistent as the higher fuel economy was before. I removed the chip from the computer and saw no change, so no apparent malfunction there. I’ve had the ECM checked, and there are no diagnostic trouble codes. Do you have any suggestions?

Charles Renes Tustin, California There are a multitude of possibilities for fuel economy loss without noticeable drops in normal performance. You have to go down the checklist until you find the mileage-sucking culprit. A change in tires or tire size, traffic flow or driving conditions, weather, or fuel with lower cetane all have a negative effect on fuel economy.

Mechanically, the injectors may be partially clogged, which will definitely affect fuel economy without a noticeable difference in power until you’re trying to tow a heavy load. It would be wise to check the condition of the turbocharger up-pipes; even the smallest leak will reduce turbo efficiency and drop mpg. The same goes for the charge-air pipes. Also, check the massair-pressure sensor and the tube that feeds it.

Alec Hembury at Industrial Injection (industrialinjection.com) says, “I have seen a few things cause it. A vacuum leak, brakes dragging somewhere, I even had one where the water pump was starting to go out and load down the engine, causing bad fuel economy. It could even be that the warm-up valve behind the turbo is having issues.”

As for no diagnostic trouble codes being triggered, our friend Mark Gotchall at Oregon Fuel Injection says the ’94-to-’97 Power Stroke engine’s ECM “is not very good at codes when there is a problem. You often have to drive the truck with a scan tool hooked up in order to see what PIDs (parameter IDs) are out of ‘normal’ range.” He also adds the exhaust backpressure sensor could be out of range or the fuel supply pressure not at the level it should be.

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BY TORI TELLEM

LUG NUTS NEW, INTERESTING, AND FUN THINGS ABOUT HD TRUCKS

HERE’S HOW MUCH A ’17 RAM POWER WAGON WILL SET YOU BACK Want to know just how much a ’17 Ram Power Wagon will cost? We have the answer, but we’re gonna go ahead and build up to that payoff. The truck not only looks all-new, it has a host of off-road improvements and a mouth-watering 14.3 inches of ground clearance. It’s built off the 2500 platform, runs the 6.4L Hemi for 410 horses and 429 lb-ft of torque, and has a five-link rear suspension, Bilstein monotube shocks, electric locking diffs both front and rear, 33-inch rubber, a 12,000-pound winch, and a Smart Bar electronic-disconnect sway bar.

And there’s full under-chassis protection.

You can also cough up another few grand to get the Leather & Luxury option, which has safety cameras, power-folding mirrors, adjustable comfort settings, and loads more.

That package will cost you $4,495 atop the MSRP for the truck: $51,695.

HOTTEST TRUCK AND BEST TRUCK FOR 2017?

The “top trending vehicle models” are the basis for the SEMA Hottest Award, which goes to ’17 models that are already garnering a lot of attention from the automotive aftermarket for engineering new products.

Winner of the 2017 Hottest Truck went to the Ford F-Series. Another nod for Ford came from U.S. News & World Report, which named the F-Series the 2017 Best Truck Brand for the second year running. And our sister publication Motor Trend named the ’17 Super Duty its Truck of the Year, the first time the model nabbed this title in the award’s history.

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GM TEAMS WITH IBM FOR ONSTAR WATSON OFFSPRING A “cognitive mobility platform” is what GM is calling OnStar Go, a creation that came out of a partnership with IBM by merging IBM Watson and OnStar for personalized content through the dashboard and other systems supported by OnStar. This could range from paying for fuel from the dash to getting coffee to go. Watson is designed to learn driver preferences, with the data helping OnStar Go build mobile experiences based on interests for that PHOTO: GM person/vehicle. And yes, there’s a creepy factor (or convenience, if your glass is half full) in terms of what it could do once it knows your personality type: “OnStar Go taps Watson Personality Insights and Watson Conversation APIs to remind a working father to pick up diapers and formula at the pharmacy a few miles before his exit, so he won’t have to leave the house again once he gets home.”

CHEVY SILVERADO HD CARHARTT CONCEPT If you know the brand Carhartt and its work jackets, then you have a good understanding of the centerpiece of this concept Silverado. The interior has the signature duck brown garment material in places like the armrests, seats, and door-panel inserts, and, as with the jackets, the seams are triple-stitched. The material was also used for the custom tonneau. Why any of this? “When Carhartt and Chevy started working together on this concept truck, we quickly realized that our mutual respect for hardworking people and the utility they expect from our brands would equal the ultimate truck for anyone who works and plays in the rugged outdoors,” says Tony Ambroza, senior vice president of marketing at Carhartt.

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NEW PERFORMANCE

APP FROM FORD

If track time is your poison, then you’ll want to check out the new Ford Performance App, which incorporates track-based data logging and analytics, plus the ability to share info and capture video. The latest version of Ford SYNC 3 will communicate with your smartphone to grab performance data.

Availability started with the GT, but it will expand to other Ford models.

LUG NUGGETS ■ A light-duty eight-lug pickup is coming

from Ford? We’ll take that rumor.

■ Navistar and Volkswagen Truck & Bus are

collaborating on technology.

■ Ford and Blackberry are working together

on automotive software?

■ Some really not-inspiring stats from the

National Sleep Foundation’s Sleep Health Index, regarding drivers and sleep: Three percent of Americans (that’s about 7 million drivers) had fallen asleep behind the wheel within the two weeks of that survey being taken.

■ FCA has invested $10.4 million in a new Mopar Parts Distribution Center in Romulus, Michigan. This facility is expected to deal with 45 million parts each year and take on 30 inbound trailers and dispatch 40 outbounders every day.

■ BFGoodrich’s T/A radial all-terrain tire turned 40 years old in 2016.

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DIAMONDEYEPERFORMANCE.COM 800-635-9950

B Y B R E T T T. E V A N S

PRODUCT

PARTS THAT CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

PROFILE

TACH SUPPORT

THE DEEP END

Nasty driveline vibrations aren’t just an annoyance. They can cause serious damage to parts such as the transmission housing.

However, Sinister Diesel’s Rear Housing Support provides protection to ’01-to-’16 Duramax-powered 4x4 pickups by preventing cracks in the housing caused by bad U-joints or dented driveshafts. It installs easily in just a few hours using factory bolts, and it’s backed by a lifetime warranty.

Greater oil capacity, improved heat transfer, added protection, and improved style are a few of the benefits that come with the new Pacific Performance Engineering DEEP Transmission Pan for the ’03-to-’07 Ford 5R110 transmission. With 6 quarts of added capacity, strengthening side ribs, internal baffles, and a magnetic drain plug, the PPE pan will help keep your transmission operating longer.

Added capacity and those internal baffles help prevent sloshing and keep fluid cooler for improved transmission operation, too.

Sinister Diesel 888-995-1517 • sinisterdiesel.com

Pacific Performance Engineering 714-985-4825 • ppediesel.com

DETAILS, DETAILS Cleaning and polishing your truck’s every nook and cranny is even easier when using the Mothers Speed Line set of car care products. In addition to Speed Clay 2.0 and Speed Spray Wax, which gloss and shine while removing contaminants, the lineup also includes the Speed Line Interior Detailer, all-purpose degreaser, Foaming Glass and Screen aerosol, and Tire Shine, which coats the tire sidewall but won’t sling, brown, or run.

Mothers 714-891-3364 • mothers.com 18

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PRODUCT PROFILE

BRIDGE THE GAP A freer-flowing unit than stock, ProFab Performance’s Pro Flow Duramax short Y-bridge is built the way GM should have done it from the factory. The company claims its 3-inch Y-bridge improves any truck’s performance, and its short design gives it more versatility and flexibility. Powdercoated black for sleek style, it also has a built-in flow diverter for better performance.

ProFab Performance 816-633-8934 • profabperformance.com

BLAST OFF!

Now available for the all-new ’17 Ford F-Series Super Duty, Air Lift’s LoadLifter 5000 helper air spring kit can provide better handling and improved load-carrying characteristics. The LoadLifter 5000 can also be optioned with internal jounce bumpers for even better performance. The air springs install easily with no drilling into the frame required, and Air Lift offers a variety of onboard wired, wireless, and automatic air inflators for the springs, should you want a self-contained package.

Because nothing lasts forever, even the most meticulously maintained trucks will feature some amount of performance degradation over time.

Royal Purple wants to help, and its MaxBlast intake valve cleaner is a fun way to remove some of the gunk that builds up on intake valves.

Combustion deposits can form on intake valves, resulting in power loss, less efficient running, and even pre-ignition.

But Max-Blast (which is sprayed directly into the intake) penetrates those deposits and safely removes them, helping restore performance and proper engine function.

Air Lift 800-248-0892 • airliftcompany.com

Royal Purple 888-382-6300 • royalpurple.com

NEED A LIFT?

SWITCH HITTER Your eight-lug truck has tons of different accessories, each of which can tax your electrical system if you’re not careful. A good power-management tool like the sPOD HD smart switch panel can help keep the juice flowing. The HD uses a billet aluminum housing, and its eight tactile switches are encased in silicone for durability in the dirtiest, toughest environments. Each button is programmable for a variety of functions, and built-in Bluetooth connectivity allows the HD to be controlled by a mobile device. It’s a high-tech way to keep your various electrical accessories at the ready. sPOD 661-775-7799 • 4x4spod.com 20

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Heavy Duty Transmission Pans and Differential Covers Often Copied, Never Duplicated

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BY JASON SANDS

■

PHOTOS: JASON SANDS

A HIGH-RIDIN’ RAM WITH 530 HP AND 1,240 LB-FT ON TAP

SILVER STR STR SILVER ST 22

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The extra-wide 22x14 wheels are American Force Hero hoops, while the truck rides on 355x45R22 Nitto Trail Grappler tires.

ith the diesel industry in full swing, it’s no surprise newer trucks are being modified more and more every day. When it came to the ride Parm Singh of Yuba City, California, wanted, he wasn’t willing to cut any corners. Parm’s ’13 Ram 2500 had the luxury he wanted, but something was still missing. Not content to be one in the crowd, he set about creating a pickup with looks and, of course, power.

W REAK REAK WWW.8-LUG.COM

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The first thing we noticed about the Ram was its elevated stance, which came courtesy of a number of companies. Parm skipped right past the 4-, 6-, and 8-inch lifts, going straight for a 10-inch radius-arm lift kit from Full Throttle Suspension. Designed from the ground up, the kit features a front suspension with extended radius arms, longer coil springs, and a matched pitman arm and drop bracket. The rear suspension has spacers that are offset to keep the axle centered, and all four corners use Full Throttle shocks. The big lift also meant Parm could cram plenty of rubber in the wheelwells—in this case, 355x45R22 Nitto Terra Grapplers mounted on 22x14 American Force wheels.

The new stance necessitated the need for more power, since the Ram’s factory 370hp/800–lb-ft rating wasn’t going to cut it anymore. With the factory turbo supplying a good amount of air, a The factory 370hp Cummins now puts out more than 500 hp at the rear wheels thanks to custom tuning by Hardway Performance.

Torque comes in at more than 1,200 lb-ft thanks to the engine’s large 6.7L displacement.

A few choice modifications were made to help get the most out of the custom tuning. An air intake from AFE was added to make the most out of the factory turbocharger.

At the corners of the Ram are turn signal lights from Switchback, which not only provide a turn signal and running light function but can provide various colors and hues as well.

Parm’s Ram cranks out a good 200 rear-wheel horsepower more than stock, which gets the truck moving in quite a hurry!

“Now that Parm’s built the Ram he wants, what else is there left to do but drive it?”

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SILVER STREAK It’s hard to miss the extensive powdercoating and chrome that grace the undercarriage of Parm’s Ram. Everything from the rear axle tubes and the lift kit to the rear hitch received the Candy Blue treatment. Offsetting the blue are the differential cover, sway bar, brakes, and driveshaft, which are either polished or chromed by West Coast Chrome in Modesto, California.

The Full Throttle Suspension 10-inch lift complete with springs, shocks, and radius arms was installed by Ridin’ High Motorsports in Yuba City, California, which performed most of the work on the truck.

The rear suspension lift consists of powdercoated Candy Blue suspension blocks for the coil springs and chromed shocks from FTS. In addition to the intake and tuning, a 4-inch exhaust from Flo-Pro made the cut.

The exhaust runs under and out on the passenger side, exiting through a 5-inch tip.

SpecSheet ■ YEAR/MAKE/MODEL: ’13 Ram 2500

custom tune was all that was needed to rocket the engine into the stratosphere. WHardway Performance provided the juice for the 6.7L Cummins, and the engine now churns out more than 530 hp at the wheels, along with 1,240 lb-ft of torque.

With a boosted-up 6.7L Cummins cranking out the torque, the factory 68RFE transmission was on borrowed time, so Parm enlisted the help of Brown’s Diesel to install a competition 68RFE from SunCoast Diesel. The SunCoast transmission is far from a simple build and includes a multitude of parts to handle extra horsepower.

From a billet drum and a modified valvebody to a revised clutch and apply plate system, virtually every part of the 68RFE has been modified for extra power-handling capabilities.

Parm has put quite a few miles on his radical Ram since he completed it. Thanks to the extra power, he can outrun most other diesels—as well as some muscle cars! After all, now that Parm’s built the Ram he wants, what else is there left to do but drive it?

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■ OWNER: Parm Singh ■ HOMETOWN: Yuba City, California ■ ODOMETER: 15,000 miles ■ ENGINE: 6.7L Cummins I-6 ■ FUEL: Hardway Performance Tuning ■ AIR: AFE Intake ■ EXHAUST: Flo-Pro 4-inch to 5-inch tip ■ TRANSMISSION: SunCoast Diesel competition 68RFE ■ HORSEPOWER: 530 hp ■ TORQUE: 1,240 lb-ft ■ SUSPENSION: Chromed and powdercoated 10-inch radius-arm lift

from Full Throttle Suspension ■ TIRES: 355x45R22 Nitto Terra Grapplers ■ WHEELS: 22x14 American Force Hero

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GOLDILOCKS A DIESEL EXCURSION GETS THE WICKED TOUCH

BY PHIL GORDON

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PHOTOS: PHIL GORDON

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rom the Big Apple to the Sunshine State—that’s the path Felix Laquidara took. When his father retired from the police force and purchased a trucking company, Felix took over as the main mechanic, learning to put his talents to use by maintaining a transport fleet for the trucking company. After several years, Felix began looking for a new career path. He met his wife and the two agreed to relocate to Cape Coral, Florida, for new possibilities.

The couple decided to purchase a hair salon and, within months, it became one of the most popular in the city. With his instilled truck knowledge, Felix began to seek out a good truck for trans-

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porting salon supplies back and forth. His first choice was a Ford F-150, but that wasn’t ideal for the rainy season and had limited room inside. As luck would have it, he struck gold when he found his ’02 Ford Excursion Limited at a local car dealership.

After purchasing the daily diesel, Felix began looking through magazines to find different ways to make his already-unique Ford stand out even more. While browsing through the pages of 8-Lug magazine, he saw a custom shop located fairly close to him called Wicked Customs in Naples, Florida. Shop owner Jordan Tadysak met with Felix, and with a set plan, the professionals at Wicked got down and dirty transforming the stock Excursion into something worthy of the shop’s reputation.

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GOLDILOCKS A 2.5-inch Wicked suspension lift with chrome Wicked reservoir shocks made for an appropriate front-end stance, while a brushed Wicked steering stabilizer and an SSBC big brake kit rounded out the front. A Kelderman air suspension utilizing two Viair compressors was installed for even more lift. The body was drastically transformed via Fusion color-matched front and rear bumpers with Rigid LED lights and custom enclosures lighting up the new inserts. An ’05 grille shell was color-matched, with the Wicked touch adding a “W” in the center of the grille. The Excursion was updated with ’05 Harley-edition headlights and ’10 working power mirrors with Recon LED markers. The door handles

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were given the billet touch and color-matched for a seamless blend. IPCW LED smoked taillights were added and Hornblasters train horns rounded out the build. A crucial step was adding wheels and tires that would complement the Excursion perfectly.

The combo of choice was 22x10.5 BMF SOTA Death Metal black wheels with 325x50R22 Nitto Trail Grappler tires and West Coast lug nuts.

Inside the Ford, Mario and James from Audio Interventions installed a Sony head unit with an Alpine backup camera. Hertz components were mounted, powered by JL amplifiers throughout.

A built-in Passport radar detector was installed along with an Auto Meter gauge pod and a volt gauge, among other things.

For some added giddy-up, the Excursion’s 7.3L Power Stroke diesel engine was given a Banks air intake, a Bully Dog GT tuner,

“A crucial step was adding wheels and tires that would complement the Excursion perfectly.”

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GOLDILOCKS and a Diamond Eye 4-inch exhaust with an 8-inch stainless steel tip.

A CFM+ intake manifold was dropped in with a BD Diesel clamp and hose kit.

With the success of his salon business, Felix was able to purchase two more hair salons in the Naples, Florida, area. The help from Wicked Customs and the leadership and business prowess of

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Felix became a very good combination in the GoldiLocks build. “I want to thank Jordan from Wicked Customs for his creativity and the quality of work he performed, James and Mario from Audio Interventions for the great sound system and alarm (soldering every wire instead of crimping), and, of course, 8-Lug magazine for giving me a forum to display my truck.”

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1 CLICK EXTREME TRUCK AND TOW BRAKE KIT

BY MONICA GONDERMAN

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P H O T O S : 8 - L U G S TA F F

EIGHT-LUGGERS OF TH

ShowTime Metal Works never fails to go big at SEMA! The Texas-based company built and displayed this beautiful silver Ford Super Duty to debut its STMW-HD front bumper.

THE ULTIMATE INDUSTRY GATHERING TURNS 50

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his report may seem somewhat biased, but in our opinion, HD trucks hands-down dominated the 2016 SEMA show. The upper and lower South Halls and the outdoor areas (think Kelderman, Fusion Bumpers, American Force Wheels, and Specialty Forged Wheels, for example) were particularly dominated by lifted HD trucks. It made our job both easy and hard—easy because there was no shortage of eye candy to photograph, and hard because we didn’t want to miss any. It 38

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was almost mind-blowing to see so many cover-worthy eightluggers in one spot; our cameras almost exploded! Standard to the SEMA show, you become desensitized rather quickly to the grandeur of yet another sky-high HD with a fully powdercoated aftermarket suspension and five-figures in wheels and tires. It’s quite a tantalizing showing of these awesome but often misunderstood trucks. Even within the automotive world, some can’t understand why you’d want to chrome and powdercoat every piece of a truck’s undercarriage and put on big wheels with WWW.8-LUG.COM

HE 2016 SEMA SHOW FORD

BY THE NUMBERS

■ NEW PRODUCTS SHOWCASE: 3,000 new products in 16 categories ■ RIDES ON DISPLAY: 1,500 ■ EXHIBITING COMPANIES: 2,400 ■ BOOTHS: 11,000 ■ DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL BUYERS: 60,000 ■ MEDIA: 3,000 ■ NET SQUARE FEET: 1,181,000 (2015) ■ ATTENDEES: 159,700 (2015)

low-profile tires. For us who get it, it was impossible to fully appreciate the “SEMA crunch” build journey and potentially hundreds of hours that brought each truck to SEMA. But wait, there’s more—much more to the SEMA show than its custom truck and car show aspect we’ve all come to love.

The four-day event was packed full of experiences, educational workshops, contests, exhibitor product demos, industry celebrity appearances, broadcasts, parties, and more prospects than one could ever fully take advantage of. Some of these opportunities WWW.8-LUG.COM

included the Continental Tire Experience, Toyo Tire Treadpass, West Coast Customs Experience, Optima Street Car Alley, Shell Display of Cars, “Ford Out Front” drifting demonstrations, “GM Proving Grounds” hot lap ride-alongs, and last but not least, the SEMA Cruise and SEMA Ignited after party. For those looking to get nerdy, there were more than 50 free business-building seminars.

Since everybody loves awards, you better believe the SEMA show acknowledges industry progress. The 2016 SEMA Award Winner for the Hottest Truck was again presented to the Ford F-Series. The MARCH 2017 • 8 ■ LUG

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EIGHT-LUGGERS OF THE 2016 SEMA SHOW New Products Showcase is a huge part of the show, allowing companies to show off their latest and greatest offerings. The 2017 New Product Award winners included: Any Level Lift (Engineered New Product); FX Products’ TrailFX 3.5-inch Bull Bar with Double-Row LED Lightbar (Exterior Accessory Product); Iron Cross Automotive’s Iron Cross Step (Off-Road/4-Wheel Drive Product); and Truck Hero: Extang, TruXedo, BedRug, UnderCover, Advantage, Retrax, BAK Industries, A.R.E. - BedTred Ultra (Van/Pickup/Sport-Utility Product).

No HD trucks made the third SEMA Battle of the Builders Top 21 cut, but a few Chevy Colorados and a ’17 Ford Raptor did.

Although the SEMA automotive festival has morphed into a 1,500-vehicle car and truck show scattered around tire-burning demonstrations and Trophy Trucks freshly crusted from desert racing qualifying, at its core, it is a business trade show that is closed

to the general public. SEMA, which stands for Specialty Equipment Market Association, might be the world’s most epic “business” show, but nonetheless, the point is to connect the industry so business can be done and money can be made. To get into the halls, it takes media, manufacturer, buyer, or exhibitor credentials.

Now celebrating its 50th year, the show that started in the basement of Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles in 1967 with 98 manufacturers and 3,000 people has certainly grown beyond what anyone could have imagined at the time. Since its move to the Las Vegas Convention Center in 1977, it has expanded at a rate only Las Vegas could accommodate. By net square feet, the 2015 SEMA show ranked #5 (after CES, two home furnishing shows, and The Demo Expo) according to the Trade Show News Network.

Now that’s a pretty massive automotive party!

This Ford F-350 dualie named Project Long Haul sported a Kelderman setup and an ArcticFX Graphics wrap and looked spot-on towing a matching fifthwheel trailer.

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There’s big, and then there’s ginormous. You could stand fully upright under this red Ford Super Duty, which had to be arguably the biggest truck at the show. For the sake of perspective, it dwarfed the lifted truck in front of it.

2017 SUPER DUTY

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EIGHT-LUGGERS OF THE 2016 SEMA SHOW 2017 SUPER DUTY

There was no shortage of customized ’17 Super Duty trucks in the American Force Wheels outdoor booth.

Think the factory Ford booth was boring?

Nope. Ford knows what’s up in the aftermarket industry. On display was a ’17 Super Duty built by Mad Industries on 28-inch Fuel Off-Road forged wheels.

You better believe Kelderman was on its game, with a variety of air suspension, bumper, and grille offerings for the brand-new Super Duty.

Jaw-dropping love at first sight. Precision Metal Fab showed off this ’17 Ford F-350 Super Duty built by Auto Truck Service, equipped with PMF’s newest 16-to-18-inch lift. By the way, it was also a Mothers Choice Award Top 10 recipient.

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EIGHT-LUGGERS OF THE 2016 SEMA SHOW GM

There’s nothing wrong with having some fun with the air-ride— we’re talking 20 inches of adjustability to show off the Prismatic Powders Illusion Purple powdercoating. The caddywhompus stance of Southwest Ohio’s All Hustle Motorsports full frame-off ’16 GMC Denali 2500HD build drew attention all week.

Bet you didn’t even notice this Chevy has an extra set of doors!

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EIGHT-LUGGERS OF THE 2016 SEMA SHOW GM

Krazy Kustomz hit the South Hall hard this year with a pair of pristine trucks and a few badass chairs for some proper mid-show relaxing.

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EIGHT-LUGGERS OF THE 2016 SEMA SHOW RAM

Every nut and bolt was replaced, and everything that could be painted or powdercoated was treated accordingly. With the help of New York City’s Richie’s Truck & Auto, Joe Gaynor’s ’13 Ram 2500 was worked over and perfected in the five weeks leading up to the show. Talk about SEMA crunch!

You just don’t see too many single cab trucks on the show circuit, making this Cummins-equipped Ram truck stand out from the herd of four-door rides. We dig it!

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EIGHT-LUGGERS OF THE 2016 SEMA SHOW RAM

The Specialty Forged Wheels booth was packed full of delectable truck specimen.

The simple silver of this Ram’s exterior only highlights its intricately detailed blue belly.

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SLAMMED

While we clamor over the lifted trucks, we’re definitely still suckers for the slammed beasts.

This slammed ’63 Chevy C-10 looks absolutely amazing on 22-inch American Racing A0403 ATX Series Roulette wheels.

Amidst a sea of wrapped trucks, we always stop to appreciate painted trucks.

SUSPENSION

The undercarriage proved to be the perfect canvas for creativity and detail. Most of the HD trucks had spotless combinations of powdercoating, chrome, polish, and other undercarriage modifications.

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B Y B R U C E W. S M I T H

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P H O T O S : B R U C E W. S M I T H

WE BENCH-COMPARE FIVE POPULAR DIESEL EGR COOLER CLEANING SOLUTIONS IN A TWO-HOUR SHADE-TREE TEST

SOAK-AND-RINSE

SHOOTOUT P

lugged exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) coolers are the bane of every diesel pickup owner. These radiators plumbed into the intake system do their job at keeping the air we breathe healthier by cooling and recirculating unburned gases back through the combustion process.

But, in doing their job, the tubes and passages carrying exhaust gases eventually clog up and put a big dent in our wallets when the coolers have to be replaced—which is all too often in the opinion of many owners.

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COSTLY MAINTENANCE Replacing EGR coolers isn’t cheap. We talked to a number of diesel repair shops and found prices vary from around $500 for the leastexpensive removal and replacement to more than $1,600, depending on make and model of the pickup being serviced.

Mark Gotchall at Oregon Fuel Injection in Eugene says it takes about 8 hours to replace the twin coolers on Ford 6.4L engines, while swapping the single on a 6.7L Ford takes half that time, with a

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new cooler costing about $300. Mark says OFI cleans Cummins 6.7L EGR coolers whenever they can, which takes about 8.5 hours labor for the removal, cleaning, and reinstallation.

Foy Anderson at Texas Diesel Injection in San Antonio and Michael Dunks at Dunks Performance in Eugene, Oregon, say although exchanging GM and Ram trucks’ EGR coolers is easy from a time standpoint, the cost of some replacement coolers can be an eyeopener for a diesel owner who hasn’t had such work done before.

For example, Cummins’ 6.7L EGR coolers are like gold, costing upward of $1,500 from a Chrysler dealer, while some 6.6L Duramax coolers fetch more than $600 from GM. (Shopping from online sources can cut those prices, but they are still a hit on the wallet.)

CHEAPER ALTERNATIVE When DIY owners are faced with such parts costs, some start thinking about cleaning as an alternative. That’s a reasonable idea; EGR coolers are like radiators, only they use water to cool hot exhaust gases, instead of air to lower the hot water’s temperature.

That means they can be cleaned like a radiator.

The difference—and it’s a big one—is radiators flow water through the vanes while EGR coolers flow exhaust gas carrying carbon and residuals of diesel fuel that’s gone through the combustion process.

Diesel exhaust is nasty stuff, and if the cleaning job isn’t thorough, any crud left behind in the process will speed up the blocking of the EGR cooler passages, bringing you right back to the same dilemma.

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This plugged-up 6.7L Ford Power Stroke EGR cooler was retrieved from a diesel service shop’s scrap pile for use as our test subject.

Here is the shade-tree bench test, with sliced sections of the EGR cooler and glass bowls at the ready. Our five contenders, left to right: Purple Power, Piston Kleen, Mopar EGR System Cleaner, Simple Green, and NAPA’s MAC’s 6402 Carburetor Cleaner. Jackstands are there to hold the PVC pipe that suspends the sections in the solutions.

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SOAK-AND-RINSE SHOOTOUT

Lance Deal, a friend who cut the EGR cooler into sections for us, shows off his handiwork. A power hacksaw sure beats doing this by hand!

Splash down! Within a minute of the cooler slices being dunked, each of the liquids starts turning darker in color as it eats away at the crud and carbon, some more so than the others.

The best way to clean an EGR cooler is using ultrasonic cleaning technology offered by some radiator and other specialty repair shops around the country. It’s not that expensive, costing around $125, but it isn’t a service you’ll find in every town.

Another alternative, and the one we are exploring here, is cleaning the cooler the old-fashioned way: filling it with a cleaning solution, letting it sit for several hours, periodically shaking during the soak, and rinsing it out. If the water runs clear, that’s as good a job your liquid cleaner is going to do.

But the big question remains: What did the cleaning solution actually do inside the cooler? That’s what we wanted to find out with a test of our own.

CLEANERS AND DEGREASERS There are dozens of cleaners, degreasers, and specialty solvents.

We chose the five products used in our bench test based on input from contacts at different diesel shops and DIYers whom we’ve spoken with about cleaning EGR coolers.

Here are the products we purchased for the test: Clean-Rite’s Purple Power is a purple liquid with the primary ingredient being diethylene glycol monobutyl ether. It’s a biodegradable, nonabrasive, nonflammable, phosphate-free, industrialstrength cleaner/degreaser. Price: Approximately $5/gallon.

NAPA’s MAC’s 6402 Carburetor Cleaner is a pale-yellow liquid that’s a mixture of petroleum products including 2-butoxyethanol and naphthalene, so it’s very flammable and toxic. Price: Approximately $25/gallon.

Simple Green All-Purpose Cleaner is a nontoxic, noncorrosive, biodegradable product with a green hue. Primarily, it’s water with ethoxylated alcohol and a little citric acid and sodium citrate as main ingredients. Price: Approximately $17/gallon.

Mopar EGR System Cleaner is a concentrated solvent with isotridecanol, ethoxylated 9043-30-5, 2-propanol, and other ingredients.

Recommended dilution with water is 1:4. Price: $25/liter.

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We emulated water going through a cooler core by lushing each section with only the power of a garden hose after the two-hour soak.

Orison Marketing’s Piston Kleen is a hazy-clear, water-based cleaner designed to remove baked-on carbon, oils, and greases.

It’s nonflammable, non-VOC, nontoxic, and biodegradable. Price: Approximately $15/gallon.

BENCH TEST We decided the best way to see what was happening inside an EGR cooler was to have a little fun and do our own shade-tree test using these five cooler-cleaner contenders.

We took a plugged EGR cooler from a 6.7L Ford Power Stroke, sliced it into 1-inch-thick sections, and immersed each in one of the five different cleaning solutions for two hours. We used the products WWW.8-LUG.COM

SOAK-AND-RINSE SHOOTOUT

Purple Power was able to remove nearly all the carbon and gunk from the cooler core in two hours. The plugged sections (bottom two rows in photo) were not immersed in solution. Also note the slivers from the hacksaw may make some of the tubes appear partially blocked.

Mopar EGR System Cleaner requires a 1:4 dilution in water. Results of our two-hour soak test show it’s not very effective if used for this type of cleaning, leaving a lot of residue in the EGR cooler cross section.

Piston Kleen’s instructions say to soak the parts from 2 to 24 hours. We did the minimum, yet results show how effective this cleaning solution is for removing carbon and residue from diesel exhaust gas.

Even though the carburetor cleaner is potent, it just didn’t seem to cut through the soot and gunk, giving results that are very similar to the Mopar product.

full strength except for Mopar’s EGR system cleaner, which has to be diluted 1:4 with water.

Each cross section was immersed so the top two rows were sitting above the solution, which allowed us to compare cleaning effectiveness. The test was done on a warm, 75-degree day in direct sun.

At the end of the 120-minute soak, we pulled the test sections out, rinsed them under running water from a garden hose, and compared the results. What we discovered was surprising.

THE RESULTS One conclusion from this little backyard pour-off is that the price of a cleaning solution doesn’t necessarily reflect its effectiveness. For example, the most expensive product we tested, Mopar EGR System Cleaner, barely made a dent in removing the oily residue and soot, performing only marginally better than industrial-strength carburetor cleaner.

Simple Green, which one shop says it uses mixed 50/50 with hot water to clean EGR coolers and valves, was the worst performer in 58

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Simple Green easily handles a lot of different cleaning jobs around the shop. However, it didn’t make much of a dent on this cross section of the EGR cooler when used in its concentrated form.

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our evaluation, barely removing any exhaust residue and carbon buildup.

The big surprise is the least-expensive cleaner/degreaser we tested, Purple Power. It started eating away at the diesel crud the moment we dropped the test section into the bowl. Purple Power is

going to be our go-to cleaner if we only have a few hours to spend on flushing out a plugged EGR cooler.

Piston Kleen was a very close second, showing it dissolves carbon and black crud right down to the bare metal. It appears to work a little slower than Purple Power, and we suspect it will remove all the crud in an EGR cooler if it’s left soaking overnight.

We’re also putting the jug on our solvent shelf right next to Purple Power.

Our impromptu bench test showed either of these two products will do the job for a DIYer as an alternative to throwing a pluggedup EGR cooler in the scrap pile.

PRODUCT PROFILE:

Mopar Parts & Accessories mopar.com Napa Chemicals MAC’s 800-538-6272 napaonline.com Piston Kleen/Orison Marketing 800-460-2403 orisonmarketing.com

Purple Power/Clean-Rite 800-828-1860 clean-rite.com Simple Green 800-228-0709 simplegreen.com

And the winner is…Purple Power! It’s the least expensive of the five products we tried, yet it seems to have an affinity for attacking and breaking down the crud that plugs EGR coolers.

Orison Marketing’s Piston Kleen and CleanRite’s Purple Power seem to be strong choices for those who want to clean their diesel pickup’s EGR cooler instead of replacing it. At least that’s what our little backyard pour-off revealed. Your results may vary.

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We’ll supply the parts...

Aurora 4000/7500 Twin Turbo Kit Available for Dodge (call for application) Great low end response and torque High powered top end performance Lowered exhaust gas temperatures (EGTs) Improved throttle response Perfectly matched turbocharger balance Boost pressure is adjustable down to 40PSI Everything you need for a simple, fast installation Available in a 3000/5000 Combination 5 Year 500,000 Mile Warranty

AURORA PLUS 4k, 5k, or 7k Turbo Kit ATS Twin Fueler Kit Fits Dodge and GM Better fuel atomization Increased throttle response Faster Spool times Supports larger injections Wider RPM operating range Supports racing & towing applications

Scorpion Turbo System Fits 2011-14 Ford 6.7L Perfect “Drop-In” Replacement system Choice of Aurora 3000 or 4000 turbochargers Lowered exhaust gas temperatures (EGTs) Quicker spool times and increased horsepower 5 Year 500,000 Mile Warranty

Available for Dodge and GM (call for application) Great low end response and torque High powered top end performance Lowered exhaust gas temperatures (EGTs) Improved throttle response Perfectly matched turbocharger balance Great for both towing and racing This kit installs with all the factory emissions left in tact 5 Year 500,000 Mile Warranty

Copilot Transmission Controller Fits Dodge, GM & Ford Control shift characteristics Control torque converter lock-up Push button control Better acceleration 18 mph minimum lockup speed Automatically controls your exhaust brake

ATS Deep Pans Transmission Filter Fitting Replaces cheap plastic fittings Easily installed during a normal service Increases reliability Keeps filter securely in place

Available for Dodge, Ford and GM One inch magnetic drain plug Increased fluid capacity Increase fluid life Lowered fluid temperatures Strengths your transmission case

ATS Diesel Performance sells replacement parts designed to improve a diesel engine’s efficiency and reliability. Some states, specifically California, have strict regulations applicable to parts that you may legally use on your diesel truck. Be sure to review applicable municipal, state, and federal rules before you purchase and install an ATS product to make sure you are in compliance. ATS also designs and manufactures certain parts for offroad and race use only. These parts are not intended for sale in any state, including California, where the items do not comply with local rules.

The ultimate in reliability, dependability and performance Upgraded internal components Increased line pressures CNC laser cut steels ATS formulated and bonded clutch material Increased holding power over stock transmissions For daily driving, competition or towing Transmissions available for Dodge, Ford and GM

160% More combined clutch surface over stock 2 Times more friction surfaces 20% More piston surface area over stock Balanced internal rotating components Increased clamping force Increased reliability Patented square lug design Converters available for Dodge, Ford and GM

WARRANTIED FOR 5 YEARS OR 500,000 MILES

Duramax Manifolds Features: Optimized heat handling Up-pipes steel sleeved bellows section 26% Increase in exhaust flow Lower drive pressure Up-pipe kits available in left or right side, or full configuration

Dodge Manifolds Feature: Manifolds for GM and Dodge Increased reliability with no cracking or warping Lowered exhaust gas temperatures Smoother, less restricted exhaust flow

ATS T3 & T4 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Shortyâ&#x20AC;? Pedestals: For Duramax Easily upgrade your turbo Keeps turbo in factory position For T3 and T4 frames Cast from high silica moly Wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t warp or crack Precision machined

ATS 68 RFE Rebuild KIT Everything you need to rebuild you 68 RFE Pre-assembled drum or unassembled components Proprietary, ATS designed accumulator plate ATS Laser cut and bonded friction plates ATS CoPilot for ultimate converter control

You supply the stories.

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SHOP SHOWPIECE 64

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BY JOE GREEVES

■

PHOTOS: JOE GREEVES

here are lots of reasons to build a cool custom truck, but one of the best is realizing your old reliable daily driver could be a career booster! Kirk Cole and his brother Kyle are longtime truck enthusiasts, working on their own vehicles for years and always helping friends. Those friends spread the word, and it wasn’t long before their talents were recognized with more and more potential customers intrigued by their creativity. Realizing they had the perfect opportunity to turn an avocation into an occupation, the brothers opened Hardcore Trucks Offroad and Performance in Dunedin, Florida. Now in their eighth year, Kirk and Kyle, along with two employees, see an average of 50 vehicles a month, with upgrades ranging from mild to wild. One of the business turning points came after the SEMA show in 2015 when they hit upon the idea of converting Kirk’s

T

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SHOP SHOWPIECE

’04 Ford F-250 daily driver into a truck worthy of being displayed at the November 2016 SEMA show. The complicated undertaking began with contacting American Force in Miami, which agreed to display the completed truck in its booth.

The rejuvenation process on the big Ford began with all-new ’15 sheetmetal. The rotisserie-prepped cab was treated to a late-model front end and bed. Jim’s Body Shop in Seminole, Florida, went to work on the body and paint while the Hardcore team tackled the new chassis. Since big go-power was on the agenda, big stopping power was equally important. They chose an ’06 frame and axles to accommodate the large Wilwood six-piston caliper brakes.

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Custom touches on the chassis included filling all the holes and grinding the welds smooth, then painting it GM Switchblade Silver.

The all-new 17-inch Pre Runner Trailing Arm kit from Precision Metal Fab holds the pair of Ford axles, fitted with 4.56 gears and stabilized by Fox 2.5 Factory Series coilovers and Fox 2.5 bypass shocks. PMF added to the sophistication by creating the custommade steering setup and 34-gallon fuel cell. With SEMA-quality additions in mind, everything underneath was powdercoated by Profab Customs Powder Coating & Hydrographics in Clearwater, Florida. The truck became a roller thanks to 24x16 American Force Bond MP8 wheels wrapped in 40x15.5R24 Nitto Trail Grapplers.

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SHOP SHOWPIECE

More than just another pretty face, this truck hauls. Its original 6.0L Power Stroke diesel was treated to a host of upgrades, beginning with a Barder Stage 3 68mm turbo, No Limit Fabrication cold-air intake kit, and Mishimoto intercooler equipped with Sinister Diesel charge pipes. The WPE Stage 2 ported intake manifold uses ARP studs and runs175/75 Warren Diesel injectors. Fuel needs are supplied by an Aeromotive A1000 fuel pump and AirDog 150-gph lift pump. Dumping spent gases, the ceramic-coated exhaust manifold is connected to a polished 5-inch MBRP pipe ending in a huge 8-inch tip. PSP Diesel supplied the deep sump aluminum oil pan along with its aluminum degas bottle and aluminum wire loom. Gearhead Automotive Performance added icing to the cake with a custom SCT tune. It hasn’t been dyno’d yet, but it is estimated to produce approximately 600 hp. The 150-shot bottle from Nitrous Express in the bed is just the ticket to keep the neighborhood Honda boys in 68

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line! Snyder Performance Engineering was in charge of ensuring the fully built transmission could handle the power, now fitted with billet internals, a DPC billet torque converter, and a Mag-Hytec pan.

Even though the November SEMA deadline was fast approaching, lots of details were still on the list for both interior and exterior upgrades. The lighting package included a 40-inch Rigid Industries lightbar in the Enve grille, Q-Series foglights, and 4-inch backup lights.

Paint-matched Fusion bumpers enhanced the truck’s rugged looks. At night, the big Ford has 30 Rigid black lights that create an eerie glow, transforming the lifted Ford into an earthbound UFO. After the bed was tricked out with a BedRug and Undercover Flex tonneau cover, Jim’s Body Shop wrapped up the exterior by spraying a custom-mixed House of Kolor Blue Lightning Pearl with Metajuls Effect Pac in the clear. Hairy Plotter Designs handled the sponsor decals.

Moving inside, the truck becomes the perfect road trip ride thanks WWW.8-LUG.COM

SHOP SHOWPIECE to Katzkin black and gray upholstered seats and a black suede headliner. The Pioneer head unit and pair of Alpine amps power the Rockford Fosgate 6x9 door speakers and the pair of 12-inch Phoenix Gold subs located in a custom enclosure behind the rear seat. An Edge CTS2 monitor on the dash keeps track of underhood activity.

We all know timing is everything, and in this case, it was crucial. With the lift kit parts not arriving until mid-August and the coilovers not showing up until the Wednesday before the show, there were lots of late nights—but the end result was worth it.

Kirk’s daily driver was proudly displayed in the outdoor American Force booth at SEMA. Kirk says, “The show itself was overwhelming. There was so much to see, and we especially loved the SEMA Cruise and SEMA Ignited after party.” Back home, Kirk’s daily driver has now become the shop showpiece, a rolling calling card that showcases the talents of the Hardcore Trucks Offroad and Performance team. It’s also the perfect weekend transportation for Kirk, his wife Erin, and their young son Easton, who is always eager to help his dad polish the big family ride.

“The show itself was overwhelming. There was so much to see, and we especially loved the SEMA Cruise and SEMA Ignited after party.” –Kirk Cole

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BY PHIL GORDON

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PHOTOS: PHIL GORDON

DURAMAX DONE BIG ’N’ RIGHT WWW.8-LUG.COM

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BLACK MAX fter you purchase a truck, there are multiple degrees of customization. You can spend years modifying it to be lower or taller than the rest, have crazier paint schemes than ever seen, or boast boomin’ stereo equipment installed throughout every square inch.

Or you can do what Chris Izzard of Ocala, Florida, did. Chris spent his youth watching friends around him build trucks with their own styles, vowing that one day he would have his own and make his individuality stand out. Without any build experience, Chris planned on using every resource he had to make sure that once he had a truck, not only would it be perfect, but it would be done the right way.

As a hard-core Chevrolet man, Chris decided to finally hit the dealership in search of a new Chevy truck. Originally, he was set on purchasing a gasser, but during the courting process, he heard a lifted Duramax drive by the dealership and something clicked. He left a short time later in a brand-new ’11 Chevy Silverado 2500HD LTZ Duramax diesel truck. Chris could barely wait until he got home to start the transformation. On the ride home, he began ordering a set of 24x14 American Force EVO SS wheels with 38x13.50 Nitto Trail Grappler rubber.

A

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Brake Upgrade Kits SIX FABULOUS CHOICES to suit every driving style and budget.

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BLACK MAX

Once the wheels arrived, it was time to finally start the project Chris had been waiting so long to begin. Having researched truck lift kits for several years, he decided to go with a 12-inch Bulletproof Suspension lift kit. He brought the new Chevy to Signature Motorsports in Ocala, where owner Mike Dockery added the lift kit using Atlas 10-inch rear leaf springs and Fox 2.0 reservoir shocks. Looking to squeeze a few more inches out of the lift, Mike fabricated new shock tabs, which essentially extended the A-arms for more travel. Three-inch torsion lift keys were mounted to the front to add just the right touch of aggressive stance.

Chris spends the majority of his time as a delivery driver for Coca-Cola, so the amount of time he has to spend on his truck is quite limited. However, he has put forth his full effort into making the Chevy his own. Chris wishes to thank his friend Austin for constantly motivating him to build this truck and Hypnotic Diesel Performance for the parts. A special thanks goes out to his wife Brooke for all her support and understanding. “One of the most exhilarating feelings is when I have my wife and our son Riley riding in the truck,” Chris tells us. “It truly makes Black Max worth every step of the build.”

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“One of the most exhilarating feelings is when I have my wife and our son Riley riding in the truck.”

–Chris Izzard

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R E G N A D N I L L I T S S EI C A R O T T H G I R R U YO

THE THREAT ISN’T OVER YET. Support the RPM Act and protect racing’s future.

www.SEMA.org/RPMAct

BY MONICA GONDERMAN

BRAGGING

RIGHTS

Want to see your ride featured in Bragging Rights? Please send a highresolution photo and complete list of specs to editor@8-lug.com.

FUTURE FEATURE?

■ YEAR/MAKE/MODEL: ’02 Chevy Silverado 2500HD ■ OWNER: David Chambers ■ HOMETOWN: Stevensville, Maryland ■ ENGINE: 6.6L Duramax V-8

■ TRANSMISSION: Allison 1000 five-speed automatic ■ ODOMETER: 232,000 miles ■ FUEL ECONOMY: 14.6 to 17.8 mpg ■ MODIFICATIONS: Front solid axle swap (’06-and-up F-250 axle), rear

axle truss, and rear radius arms all designed by XXX Traction; Icon 2.5 coilovers and 10-inch Deaver leaf springs for 15 inches of lift in the front and 13 in the rear; 40x15.50 Nitto Mud Grapplers; 22x12 Fuel Big Block wheels; shaved and painted frame; all suspension and axles painted ’15 Corvette Laguna blue; Fleece Performance 66mm Cheetah turbo; EFILive tuned by Fleece Performance; LBZ CP3 and AirDog II 165; cold-air intake; entire interior swapped from an ’07 Cadillac Escalade; re-covered seats and door trim panels; shaved tailgate and welded-in roll pan; custom-made grille and front bumper; custom halo headlights with Morimoto projector retrofits; and bumper-mounted cubes and parking lights ■ OWNER SAYS: “I would love the opportunity to have my truck featured in your magazine. It has been a longtime dream to have it featured, but now it’s to the point where the truck is of high enough caliber to be considered.”

We agree!

RAM TO THE

RESCUE!

■ YEAR/MAKE/MODEL: ’08 Dodge

Ram 3500 4x4 ■ OWNER: Chris Morris ■ HOMETOWN: Fort McMurray,

Alberta, Canada ■ ENGINE: 6.7L Cummins I-6 ■ TRANSMISSION: 68RFE six-speed

automatic ■ ODOMETER: 133,500 miles ■ FUEL ECONOMY: 18 mpg ■ MODIFICATIONS: Tuned by

Smarty, 4-inch Flo-Pro exhaust, Auto Meter pillar gauges, 17-inch XD wheels, 35-inch BFGoodrich A/T KO2 tires, and Iron Cross rear bumper ■ OWNER SAYS: “I bought the truck when it was new, and it never let me down. It also helped evacuate our family out of the Fort McMurray wildfire. Gotta love the 8-foot box!”

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