“Originally the Ford came from Texas to Michigan for a transmission swap,” jokes truck builder Gerry Hilder. “It got the nickname ‘The Texas Snowball’ for what happened next.” You see, when the classic pickup made the trip North, the build team noticed a little rust, before Garry knew it, the body was off, and the frame was getting sand blasted.
Breaking the Mold with a 3,600-lb, 1,800-hp 4×4 Ram
While there are 8- and 9-second diesels out there, most still tip the scales at 5,000 to 6,000 pounds. Jean Pierre Libert (JP for short) had a different idea about how to build a diesel drag truck. He knew he could make power, but he wondered—do diesels need to weigh nearly 3 tons? He set forth to find out.
In the diesel industry, Cummins swaps are nothing new. However, the unwritten rules of engagement in performing a Cummins swap dictate that Duramax-powered trucks are off-limits. Put simply: you just don’t go there. Until now…
From what we know of the builds coming out of Drifters Garage, every one of them is a standout. We first took notice of Ron’s creation, nicknamed “Crimson Beast”, at the 21st Annual Brothers Classic Chevy and GMC truck show in Orange County in July 2019. Completely enamored with what was in front of us, we stopped and asked Ron exactly what it was.
In the spring of 2020, no 1,500hp 6.0L Power Stroke had ever gone 5’s in the eighth-mile. Several were knocking on the door, but all had yet to officially pull off the feat. All of that changed in May, however, when Austin Denny and Charlie Fish met at our first COVID ‘660 drag race at Wagler Motorsports Park.
Many gearheads have the story about the truck that got away, or the one they sold and later regretted. Thirty-five-year-old Erosion Solutions foreman Jason Gunn is no different—the Athens, Tennesse, resident drove a 1990 D250 while he was in high school. Selling it later, this new truck would be the replacement for his first love.
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