2024 GMC Denali 3500 Transformation

Introducing Dustin’s LBZ Duramax build

Growing up in a small town in the Midwest, trucks have just always been there. Farm rigs, beaters with heaters, your buddy’s dad’s old 7.3 IDI that smelled like leaking diesel fuel and Copenhagen—trucks are deeply rooted in not just where I’m from, but who I am. The first time I drove a pickup truck I was probably barely tall enough to see over the dash, but I remember that feeling. That weight. That noise. That sense that this was different.

But the moment it really locked in would take place in 2003. I remember the first time I saw a Cateye Duramax. The year was 2003 and at the time, I would have just turned 10 years old. I was riding shotgun in my grandfather’s first gen Dodge W250 as we made a quick run into town to the local Fleet Farm for some odds and ends. I don’t remember what we were after that day, but what I do remember was the Chevy Dealership that sat next door to the store. A moment that seemed simple at the time, but would go on to shape the next two decades of my life.

At the time, the all new Cateye Silverado was the coolest thing I had ever seen in my life. The pulled back headlights, the beautiful paint, and who could forget those iconic 16” wheels. Looking back, the truck was likely a low to mid trim level, a truck made for a farmer, contractor, or even a fleet vehicle. But to me, the truck was the pinnacle of modern engineering, and at just 10 years old I told myself that someday I was going to own one of those. It took me 17 years, we made it happen.

On December 20th, 2020 I arrived at a local seller’s shop, signed some paperwork, and drove home in a 2007 Silverado 2500HD. To some, it probably seems trivial. After all, the truck was (at the time) 13 years old. The rockers were rusted, the roof was missing the clear coat, and the factory wheels were corroded enough to make a grown man cry. But it didn’t matter. The keys were in my hand, and when I woke up the next day the truck was still in my driveway, a testament that it was more than just a fever dream – the truck was mine, and now the project started.

Much like everything else in my life, I can’t leave well enough alone, and by the time I clocked in for work the following week I had already put a set of aftermarket wheels and tires on the truck. This would be the jumping off point for what would quickly become a slippery slope of modifications, broken parts, and long nights turning wrenches.

Over the next 18 months the truck would go under a complete transformation and with that, several stages of looks. From a simple wheel and tire setup to installing a new tonneau cover, then onto its first major build stage where we installed the BDS 4.5” lift kit and 22×14 Fittipaldi Forged Wheels. The truck saw a stock front end and street tire look for a number of months before swapping the OEM bumper out with a much more aggressive one from the folks at GridIron Bumper Corp. But that was only the beginning. Rock lights, bigger wheels and tires, traction bars, aftermarket headlights and tailights, cab lights, Air Lift Company load support bags, Amp Power Steps, and more. Every year the mods list continues to grow, and each time the truck just gets better and better – in my opinion anyway. This truck’s been through more phases than a teenager with a Spotify account. And I love it for every single one.

Now let’s be clear here, the truck is NOT perfect. At 285,000 miles this thing has seen its fair share of chaos, and it’s got the scars to prove it. It’s been a northern truck its whole life, and despite my best efforts the General Motors rust virus is real. It needs some paint work, it needs some body work, it needs some interior work, the turbo vanes are sticky, the injectors haze on cold start, the list goes on and on. It’s not perfect, and I love it. It’s the continued culmination of what I can only describe as a lifetime of devotion, dedication, and the pursuit of chasing a childhood dream.

But why am I telling you this? Sure, the story is cool, but the build story on this Duramax is far from over. With the help of Diesel World staff and some amazing industry partners, I am ecstatic to tell you that we’re turning the page in the build saga of this one and are bringing you along for the ride. It’s time for the next chapter of this truck, and we’re going to do it together. Behind the scenes I’ve been working diligently to get a number of parts ready for install on the truck and we’re bringing you, the reader, along for the ride the whole time. From parts installs and reviews to a look behind the scenes of the build process, we’re bringing those of you who are Duramax fans some much needed love. Plus let’s face it, if I put one more box of truck parts in the garage my wife might actually murder me.

While we’ve got some incredible industry partners lined up already, if there’s a brand that you want to see us work with be sure to let us know! And likewise, if you’re reading this as a brand partner and think “Man this thing could really use X part that we make”, please reach out and let us know! Our goal is to make this thing as awesome as possible, and we know that comes from working with folks just like yourself.

Either way, I hope you gals and guys are as excited for this one as I am. I’ve been writing for Diesel World Magazine for a while now, but this time it’s different. This one is personal- It’s an ode to the dreams of a 10 year old in the passenger seat of a pickup truck, the summarized efforts of a young man that never gave up on chasing those dreams with every fiber of his being, and of course, the opportunity to build something incredible while also connecting with the amazing people and brands that we all know call the turbo diesel space home.

Enough out of me, it’s time to get to work. Let’s get our hands dirty.

Photos By Dustin Korth