Creating a Clean, Reliable Daily Driver
Some people believe more is better. Chances are, these are the same people who have highly modified vehicles that have become semi-reliable transportation. Other folks who rely on their trucks for day-to-day transportation and work have a more simplistic approach. Do enough to personalize the rig, but above all, make sure all the upgrades enhance reliability, rather than compromise it.
That’s exactly the approach that Chad Neimeyer, of Wapakoneta, Ohio, has taken with his 2006 Chevy HD. As the owner of a full-custom ’98 Suburban, Chad decided to take a more moderate approach when building his LBZ Duramax.
The LBZ Duramax looks stone stock but features a modified air intake, PPE programmer and 5-inch, turbo back MBRP exhaust system.
A 5-inch MBRP turbo back exhaust routes out the smoke.
First up was a mild suspension lift consisting of torsion key upgrades, which is essentially a leveling kit. The lift makes just enough room for 35-inch Pro Comp X-Treme All Terrain tires wrapped around beefy, 18-inch Fabtech Tie Rod ends to the Chevy to replace the pencil-sized stock units.
Rolling stock on the rig consists of 35-inch Pro Comp tires wrapped around 18-inch KMC X-D Series wheels.
Dude’s Rod Shop came up with the custom steel bumper–complete with laser-cut Duramax logo and twin light driving lights.
As for the motor, since the LBZ makes great horsepower and torque in stock trim, the mild approach was carried over by modifying the stock air box to flow more air–a trick that Pacific Performance Engineering came up with–and adding a 5-inch MBRP turbo back exhaust system to help with breathing. Programming is handled by a PPE Excelerator, which adds fuel and boost.
Chrome side steps make entry and exist easier.
Another custom bumper replaces the stock out back.
With the mechanicals out of the way, attention turned to appearance and comfort. Dude’s Rod Shop came up with a pair of custom front and rear bumpers for the Chevy. Up front, the beefy bumper features a laser-cut Duramax logo in the center and twin driving lights. A pair of chrome side steps helps with entry and exit. They also offset the black powdercoat of the bumpers. On the inside, the truck is stock as a stone, with the exception of a Pioneer touch screen head unit and a full complement of Kicker speakers.
A-pillar mounted gauges keep track of engine and trans vitals. This is a must for longevity and reliability.
So, why is this truck a feature in [[Diesel World Magazine]]? Because it represents a good segment of our readers who take the simple, low-buck approach to building their trucks.
Chad says his rig is reliable as rain and gets 20 mpg–while still being able to smoke the 35s at will. What more can you ask for in a daily driver?
By Kevin Wilson
Photography: Joe Daniels