2001
Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins - Back To The Future
A
21st-Century Dodge With A 1,237hp Cummins 12-Valve
By
Trevor Reed
photographer:
Trevor Reed
At
the age of 18, Chris Werner of Redding, California,
assigned himself the adult task of buying a brand-new
turbodiesel truck. Trips to nearby Chevy and Ford
dealerships left him feeling like anything but a grown-up.
The salespeople didn't seem to think this kid could
be serious about signing papers for an expensive 3/4-ton
truck. The treatment he received at the Dodge dealership
was another story. When the salesman heard Chris wanted
a turbodiesel, he grabbed the keys to an '01 Ram 2500
with the 24-valve Cummins and said, "Let's go!"
Chris
was instantly hooked on diesel power when the pedal
hit the floor during his testdrive. He got financing,
and in just a few months, that truck received plenty
of upgrades, including a programmer, an exhaust, an
intake, injectors, and a bigger turbo-then he sold it.
Reminiscing about the 15-second quarter-mile terror
he used to own made Chris feel like a has-been (his
words, not ours), so he found another '01 Ram 2500.
It started as a pumped-up 24-valve with blue paint but
has been quickly transformed into the orange-striped,
12-valve kingmaker you see here.
The
1,237HP Cummins
Chris quickly pushed his 24-valve to the limits of the
VP44 injection pump. He decided the only way to get
his horsepower into the four digits was to use a 12-valve
engine, so the computerized Cummins was ditched and
a mechanical 5.9L from a '96 Ram was picked up.
This truck started out as a blue Ram with the 24-valve
Cummins engine. It's seen here sled pulling at the '06
Nor-Cal Diesel Rally.Chris Werner ditched his computerized
24-valve engine to swap in a 12-valve mechanical engine
that's built to make more than 1,200 hp.
Before
the engine was installed, the cylinder head was ported
and polished to improve flow. Air enters the engine
through a large AFE ProGuard filter and feeds into a
custom intake pipe and twin-turbo setup put together
by Brian Garbutt at J&H Performance in Redding.
It's first compressed by a large B-2 turbo and then
travels through custom-welded and polished steel tubes
into a smaller B-1 turbo before being shoved through
the stock '01 intercooler. A large ATS Arc Flow intake
manifold from Ponci's Diesel Center in Fortuna, California,
routes chilled air into the modified head. Fuel is provided
by a custom-built P-pump and modified Stage 4 injectors
by Dynomite Diesel that are designed to combine for
more than 1,000 hp. Exhaust leaves the engine through
an ATS exhaust manifold and into the custom J&H
turbine setup with a large external wastegate to regulate
the giant amounts of boost. So far, with the assistance
of nitrous injection, Chris has scored dyno runs of
1,237 hp with a calculated torque of more than 2,400
lb-ft-and says he still gets 16.5 mpg at 80 mph.
Three
Stages of Nitrous
The laughing gas used to produce more than a ton of
torque comes on in three stages. A relatively small
NOS nozzle mounted between the turbos provides the first
injection. Two NX injectors feeding into the back of
the ATS Arc Flow provide the second and third stages.
The first stage helps light the turbos and cools the
intake charge. The second and third stages use much
larger jets to dump lots of nitrous oxide into the cylinder
head.
Bulletproof
Automatic
The original Dodge automatic transmission had no chance
standing up to more than four times the stock torque
output, so Chris had J&H Performance build a stronger
gearbox. The company put together a full-billet transmission
designed for daily driving on the streets, dyno runs,
dragstrip passes, and maybe even some sled pulling.
It uses a strong Sun Coast torque converter and has
a high-capacity, vented Mag-Hytec aluminum transmission
pan.
Custom
Paint, Stacks, and 20-inch Rims
Chris works in collision repair,
so no matter how much power his truck makes-or which
engine is under the hood-he wants it to look good. That's
why he worked with the folks at Longhair Collision &
Paintworks to transform his plain-blue truck into one
with wild orange scallops and pinstripes. The Grabber
Orange paint starts at the front air dam and travels
past the billet grille inserts, over the top of the
cab, and into the cargo bed. Oranges slashes crisscross
down the sides of the truck and are accented with yellow
and dark-purple pinstripes. The color scheme continues
to the tailgate, where the orange paint terminates in
two final slashes with green striping. Chris didn't
like how most Dodge roll pans leave a gap between the
bumper and the tailgate, so he custom-built his with
sliding latches so it's flush but can be dropped an
inch when the gate needs to be lowered. He also put
a spring-loaded hinge on the license plate so it can
be flipped up for access to the factory trailer hitch.
Big 5-inch chrome stacks are fed by a turbo-back setup
and exit just behind the cab. The truck's stance was
lowered by 5 inches in the rear and 3 inches in the
front, which leaves just enough room for 20-inch MB
Motori wheels wrapped in Road Hugger XRT 305/50R20 tires
to complete the show-truck look.
Next:
New Pistons and a Better Block
If you think 1,237 hp is enough, then you're not Chris
Werner. After winning dyno competitions all over the
West, he's pulled the engine out of his truck to upgrade
the internal components in the quest for even more power.
He's starting by installing Arias forged pistons to
improve combustion and balancing the crankshaft to reduce
vibrations and maximize power. Chris is also considering
a hotter camshaft and adding a cam bearing to the back
of the engine block. Don't worry if you think that all
sounds crazy, Chris has been known to put "5150" badges
on his truck (referring to the California legal code
for mentally disturbed persons who are a danger to themselves
or others). To keep an eye on his progress and watch
videos, you can go to the Web site dedicated to this
wild truck at www.5150ram.com.
"Chris
has scored dyno runs of 1,237 hp with a calculated torque
of more than 2,400 lb-ft."
The House of Diesel Rages the Party
Article writen by: Matt Emery
Photography by Matt Emery
Issue Date: DB 0708 // Vol 2 // No. 4, Posted On: 8/1/2007
When the diesel pickup first hit the streets back in the
mid-'90s, it immediately became a popular workhorse to pull
trailers, hauling a variety of work-related materials, and
aside from the occasional dualie that was accessorized as
a good-looking tow rig, it wasn't generally regarded as
a potential show vehicle. But, boy, how times have changed.
And although the stout diesel pickups of today do have some
things in common with their more utilitarian predecessors
(engines, beds and the like), they have very little in common
when it comes to creature comforts.
That is partly due to the
OEs waking up to the fact that today's truck buyers won't
put up with the lack of amenities that yesterday's drivers
were forced to face, and if they didn't like it, they had
to do something about their trucks on their own-which is
exactly what happened. Part of that appearance/comfort/performance
puzzle is the emergence of shops such as the House of Diesel
(HOD) (530/222-4940, www.thehouseofdiesel.com).
When the House of Diesel,
based in Redding, California, began operations in 2003,
the company saw this need and made it its priority to turn
everyday diesel pickup trucks into all sorts of killer diesel
pickups, including off-road-capable rigs. HOD also concentrated
on making its diesel trucks good-looking and stylish. So,
when HOD Manager Matt Wilson bought his own '06 Ford F-250,
the crew set about putting all of their ideas into motion.
Based on Ford's Amarillo edition,
this truck is everything that a modern diesel could be,
and a far cry from the original versions that began this
craze. And because so much is now available for the big
diesel pickup, you don't always need a dualie, which, for
a lifted off-road pickup, can be cumbersome. This new Ford
F-250 has an updated suspension, an updated look and a gigantic
stereo system. But more on that later. First, let's look
at the chassis and its upgrades.
The frame is stock, but the
HOD crew shaved off all of what they called "unnecessary
brackets‚¬VbCrLf and whatever else they didn't
want hanging in the way. When there was little to stand
in their way, they added a Donahoe Racing lift kit. The
kit added some much-needed height to the Ford, and with
the Deaver 6-inch rear springs and the Donahoe 7-inch front
coils, the job was nearly done. With the addition of the
multiple Donahoe 12 reservoir shocks up front and the Donahoe
14s out back, things were really coming together.
To give the big rig better
grunt, the Ford 10.5 Sterling rearend and the Dana 50 housing,
found up front, were equipped with 4.10:1 gears. Because
of the added height of the F-250, it was up to the crew
at Redding Driveline Service of Redding, California, to
add a little extra length to the shafts to get them to fit.
When not equipped with the Mattracks rubber track system,
this Ford would roll on tough 37-inch Nitto Mud Grappler
tires that have been mounted into 20x10-inch Lexani Vertec
wheels.
Plenty of power is on tap
with the turbocharged Ford Power Stroke engine, but adding
to that, the HOD crew set about to provide even more power
and torque to the 6.0-liter engine. A number of Bully Dog
performance parts and pieces were installed on the engine.
First they installed a Bully Dog air intake system, as well
as a fully polished 4-inch Bully Dog exhaust system. When
those pieces were in, a Bully Dog Triple Dog computer was
loaded into the stock computer, and the engine upgrade part
of the build was done.
When it came time for the
body modifications, Wilson wanted his truck to have some
of the off-road goodies that he would need when he takes
his rig on the trail. Not that he wants to bang up his rig,
but he did feel that a little protection was in order. To
that end (both ends, actually), Wilson added a set of huge
Road Armor bumpers. The front end features a Stealth Base
bumper with winch, while the rear Base bumper has mounts
for those occasions when he has to pull out a friend who
has become stuck. A sextet of PIAA off-road lights also
were fitted into the front bumper, and there is also a set
of taillight guards just in case things get really out of
hand.
Speaking of getting out of
hand, the rear window was removed and a custom fiberglass
speaker box was installed in its place. Robert Maul of Redding
must be a wizard with fiberglass, because the panel not
only holds the multiple speakers but it looks great, too.
It even has a cool-looking wrench design incorporated into
the unit. Although the Amarillo-edition
Fords are known for their wild yellow paint scheme, when
the truck had all the various parts and pieces added to
it, it needed paint again. That job was up to the crew (Billy
and Chris) at Longhair Paint Works of Redding, who added
the PPG Blazing Yellow paint to the now much-larger Ford.
As hardcore as the Ford is on the outside, and with the
suspension and engine mods, the inside of the beast is all
creature comfort. The stock Ford Amarillo-edition interior
is about as plush as one can get, and Wilson had no problem
with it. The stereo, however...let's just say that this
is a truck that could cause serious damage at a sound-off
competition.
The head unit is an Alpine
IVA-D310 DVD player that is run through an Alpine digital
processor and an Alpine center channel. There is also an
Alpine navigation system to get to and from the trials.
From there, the signals are bumped up with five Boston GT-24
amplifiers mounted on a custom billet rack on the ceiling,
with twin Boston GT-28 amplifiers on the rear wall that
run the subs. It was Maul again who this time went wild
with the glass to get the multiple speakers and even a TV
monitor into the door panels. The custom front door panel
holds three sets of Boston Pro 60s and an AcceleVision 10.4-inch
monitor in each of the front doors. The rear doors consist
of two sets of Boston Pro 60s and an AcceleVision 10.4-inch
monitor. As if that isn't enough sensory input, the passenger
and driver seats have AcceleVision 7-inch tiltable monitors
in the headrests.
As stated, the rear window
was replaced with the custom box and now houses twin Boston
G-5 12-inch subwoofers and twin Boston 12-inch radiators.
In the center console, you'll find an Apple Mini-Mac computer
with wireless Internet, a mouse, keyboard and iPod adapter.
The speaker box and chassis have red and blue LEDs attached
to a fully programmable, police-style radio. It takes a
lot of juice to run a system such as this, so four Stinger
1700 batteries, along with an 80-amp inverter, power the
stereo. It also takes a lot of knowledge to install a system
such as this, so in addition to his fiberglass work, it
was the multitalented Robert Maul of Redding who did all
the install work. Wilson thanks Boston Acoustic, AcceleVision
and Stinger Wire for wanting to be involved and for helping
with the incredible system found in his truck.
When Wilson went looking for
a truck that would stand out from the crowd, he knew he
found one with the F-250 Amarillo. After all, Ford built
only 1,500 of these Amarillos, and then sold them only in
the seven western states. He and his HOD crew took a truck
that was itself a rare item, and in nine short months turned
it into a one-of-a-kind off-road ripper. This Ford F-250
really rages, and we are not only talking about what it
does to the ears! The House of Diesel is moving into a new
and larger facility and will be in its new home by the time
you read this. So, if you are near its new shop in Redding,
stop by. For all you other guys, know that there is a place
where you can get the best in diesel pickup parts, and with
excellent mechanics to do the job for you. Just tell them
that Diesel Builder sent you. DB
Article from Thunder Roads
Magazine Dec. 2005 written by Billy Wood
THE OFFICIAL
"BAD GIRL" BIKE
Wow! Was all I could say when
I first saw this Motorcycle. I've know Fuzz about 8 yrs.,
all the bikes he's built were outstanding. I told him that
one day I'd like to do a story on him and his craftsmanship.
Last time I talked with him was at the Eazyrider show last
January, well by this last spring Fuzz was well in to his
new project. I got and e-mail from him asking me if I still
wanted to do a piece on his newest bike. In the e-mail were
two pictures of the scooter. My jaw drop to my desk! There
it was the beginning of his latest masterpiece, the pinkest
motorcycle I've ever seen!!! "FUZZ, why a PINK BIKE?"
"Why not", he said, "Women make up about
I/3 of people who ride today and almost NO ONE builds them
with women in mind, so there it is in a nutshell."
In September Fuzz took me to his friend's shop where this
"Bad Girl Bike" was sitting up on the lift. He
was doing some last minute machining to his work of art.
I stood there in awe of his latest creation while this craftsman
did the finishing touches to a heart shape switch plate.
"This just doesn't look right" he said, with it
only being a week away from Street Vibrations in Reno "and
it's got to be perfect! I'm not going to rush this bike.
I'm just going to take it to Palms Springs American Heat
Show instead." (Where he took the First place trophy
and Best of Show.) Then he was off to the Reno Eazyrider
Show, where he took 1st place trophy in the V-Twin Class.
Then down to San Diego where he took a 2nd place in V-Twin
Class. Amazing, three shows and four trophies!!!
Bike built by Fuzz at Ted Mac Creations. Models: Christina
Campbell and Courtney Ray Chassis - Arlen Ness ½
K Rubber Mount Dyna 63.5 mm Spyke Inverted front end. Performance
Machine hand controls. Dakota Digital speedometer. Motor
- 2005 Factory Harley-Davidson 88" Twin cam. Andrews
211 cams and push rods. Mikuni carburetor. Twin Tec. Ignition
/ crane coil. Slash Ness exhaust. Arlen Ness 6 speed transmission
with Easy Clutch. Chrome by San Joaquin Chrome. Arlen Ness
"Evil Seven" wheels. Avon tires - 250x18 rear,
90x21 front. Paint
by Bill Brown - Longhair Designs (Redding).
Seat by Vince Delgato, Seat Works - White Alligator / Purple
Sting Ray. Electrical - Curtis Hibbs.
Article from Street Choppers Magazine March 2006 written
by Greg Friend
THUNDER
MOUNTAIN'S SHOW WINNER
When a company decides to
build a bike to enter in show and grab people's attention,
they try their best to showcase their abilities with no-holds-barred
attitude. Usually, the company is then restricted by budgets
and time, and then end up with a more mild and conservative
bike that is more likely to sell after the show. This was
not the case when Kevin Brooks, owner of Thunder Mountain
Motor Sports in Mount Shasta, California, decided to build
a truly radical show bike. He really went all out and spared
no effort or expense in the process.
Kevin started out by designing
a frame for the new (at the time) Avon 300mm tire. He also
wanted it really long, so he designed a frame with 57degrees
of rake in the neck, 7 inches of stretch in the backbone,
and 6 inches added to the down =tubes. Diamond Chassis was
able to build the frame to Kevin's exact specifications.
Once the frame was back in the TMMS shop, they built an
air dam into the chin of the frame that features oil line
run inside of the frame tubes, plus the frame house one
of TMMS' new oil venting system (patent pending).
The frame needed to become
a roller before he decided on what motor to use, so Kevin
shopped around for a wheel company that had a rim large
enough for the 300mm he planned to use. Xtreme Machine happened
to have their 15th production wheel wide enough for use
with a 300 series tire for sale with matching narrow 21-inch
for the front. Suspension duties were handled by a set of
Legend Air Ride shocks bolted to the swingarm in the rear,
but the front was another job all together. In order to
get his rake and trail within reasonable limits, he was
going to have to have the rake the triple-trees, not to
mention a super long front end as well, way over stock dimensions.
Mean Street was able to accommodate Kevin's needs and fashioned
him a one-off front end 27 inches over with 7 degrees added
to the custom triple-trees for a total rake of 64 degrees.
With truly radical in mind
and a need for a motor in hand, Kevin went straight to one
of top motor builders in the nation, Nigel Patrick of Patrick
Racing. Kevin picked up a fully polished, billet cylinder
and head, a 125ci unit with Patrick Racing's Twin Mukuni
carburetor intake and fit it into the frame. A Patrick Racing
motor has a lot of power and looks incredible by itself,
but it was not enough for Kevin-he had to more radical.
He only had a few choices when it came to something more
radical than a Patrick motor, either a turbo or a supercharger,
so he went with a polished Magnachager supercharger. Providing
spark for the motor is a Nology coil and Crane Hi-4 ignition
system. (For the record, when he runs 118 octane race gas
and 12% nitro methane, the motor puts out over 200hp!) To
get this monster motor's power to the ground, he routed
through a Hitech 4-inch open beltdrive and an Accessories
Unlimited right side drive six-speed transmission.
With the major components
already pieces together on the roller, Kevin and the TMMS
crew got to work on the sheetmetal aspect of the build.
They created a custom oil bag for the electronics and battery,
a crazy stretched gas tank, a unique internally =-strut
rear fender, and the previously mentioned air dam/oil bag.
Custom handlebars and hand controls were created in-house
along with custom pipes and intake for the dual carbs.
After all
the custom sheetmetal was finished, Kevin went to his painter,
Bill "longhair" Brown. He laid multiple coats
of Coral Red, and a variety of Candies to get the deep and
rich color on these pages.
Even the seat is radical with exotic
skin from the land and sea; real alligator skin and stingray.
In the end, all of Kevin's
hard work and careful planning paid off for the bike, now
affectionately named "sinful" for all the sheetmetal's
curves. He entered the bike show contest in Laughlin, Nevada,
in 2005. The bike took Best in show and put Thunder
Mountain Motor Sports on the map.
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