The Wildest 7.3L Power Stroke-Powered Peterbilt Rat Rod

Brandon Thompson Supercharged 7.3 Rat Rod

One of the best parts of going to all these events across the country is taking a huge lap and seeing what tickles our fancy for a feature. We didn’t even get the chance to take a lap at Ultimate Callout Challenge; we simply heard this enormous racket and had to go see what the hell was making that noise. Just a few rows over we laid eyes on this bagged Peterbilt 359 absolutely screaming. Then we saw a gigantic supercharger (no turbo) on top of its 7.3L Power Stroke. That’s when we knew we had to feature this one.

Brandon Thompson of Diesels and Dirtbags told us that this truck came together with two main ideas: to have something no one else has done and to have the loudest diesel. Having spent the weekend trackside, I can promise you it was in the top 3 loudest on-site, surpassed only by the diesel rail cars. How, you ask? This 2001 7.3L Power Stroke has Zoomie-style headers meant for a big-block on it. They are thunderous. It makes the 7.3 sound like nothing we’ve ever heard, more akin to a gas V-8 with a big blower on it. And just for the sound alone, they get our praise.

The motor has 160/30 Rosewood injectors, a CNC Fab Stage 2 high-pressure oil pump, a Fass Fuel System, a billet intake manifold and headers both machined in-house by Diesels and Dirtbags, and obviously the towering 6-71 supercharger. They also designed the deck plate as well as the intake runner supports in-house. Finally, the motor features a Hydra from Power Hungry Performance and is tuned by JeliBuilt, AA Design, and Power Hungry Performance. We can’t wait to see what this thing puts down on the dyno once it’s properly dialed in. As far as the transmission goes, you can find a ZF5 that features the Diesels and Dirtbags short throw shift kit and their super clean billet shifter that matches the Peterbilt cab.

The frame and many other things on this truck are one-off custom pieces. Village Customs essentially built it around the motor, ensuring a perfect fit for everything. The front drive axle came out of an 80s Winnebago, and the rear axle is a Dana 70 from an 80s Winnebago as well. The steering box is from a 2001 Super Duty, and a highlight of this build is the entire steering engineering itself. It’s super clean, heavy-duty, and thoughtfully done. You know it works well because they turn 38-inch tires with 16-inch Alcoas on them with ease. Fun fact about the Alcoas: to get the proper semi-look, Diesels and Dirtbags machined out the existing holes in each wheel face.

The factory Peterbilt grille has been chopped, shortened, and reattached to better fit the dimensions of the truck. If you haven’t noticed yet, it’s strictly just the cab of a 359. No hood. No tanks. No bumpers. No fenders. So, things like a factory grille had to be adjusted to maintain the vision. Pinstriping by Mikey did the pinstriping and graphics, and we absolutely love how the graphics on the motor turned out, but you can’t miss the tow hook! The Wreckmaster 444 was acquired from a friend of Brandon’s, and it fits this truck perfectly. Inside the cab you can find Legacy leather semi seats that provide the perfect cushion while you row gears on the custom-made aluminum pedals.

This thing is sick, and we’re thankful that Diesels and Dirtbags made time for us before we all made the trek home. Brandon told us that “getting out there every day and working with his guys, keeping the morale high, and having a good time doing what we love” was his favorite part of the build. And that just about sums up the entire truck building experience.

At the end of the day, we get to do some cool stuff, and we have to remind ourselves how fortunate we are. Brandon also reminded us that “anything can happen with the right mindset and the right tools. Just remember you can’t do it yourself; you need a couple guys on the same wavelength.” That echoes something we always say; build the community you wish to be a part of. And we appreciate folks like Diesels and Dirtbags for growing the community we all wish to be a part of. Be sure to keep an eye out at various diesel events, especially ones in Florida. You will definitely hear this truck before you see it!

PHOTOS BY MACH1MEDIA