This 2006 Dodge Ram Became One of the Most Recognized Diesel Builds in History

Up-Close and Personal with One of the Most Insane Builds in Diesel History

Here at Diesel World, we’ve seen A LOT of builds, and it’s pretty rare that we find one that truly stops us in our tracks. But this one might just take the metaphorical cake of what it means to build a truly unique truck. Meet Garret Niss’ 2006 Dodge Ram 2500. We’d call it incredible, but we’re not sure that covers it.

Now, before you assume this is just another overbuilt showpiece destined for a trailer and a life spent in climate-controlled garages, let us clear that up: this truck has roots—real roots. Garret bought this thing at 16 years old off Craigslist, back when Moto Metals and a 6-inch lift were all a high school kid needed to feel like king of the parking lot. The truck came up from Texas, arriving in Ohio after football practice one day, and it’s been part of Garret’s life ever since. And like every good diesel truck owner in high school, Garret put this thing through its paces. We’re talking muddy cornfield donuts, dog hair in the backseat from his late pup Maggie, and long-haul road trips with best friends. For Garret, the truck is more than just bolts and steel; it’s a rolling scrapbook and memory bank of miles, smiles, good and hard times, and a journey that anyone who has built a truck can relate to.

Like most builds worth telling stories about, things didn’t start out with a master plan. Originally, when he tore the truck down, Garret figured he’d slap a trans in the truck and keep rolling. That idea didn’t exactly hold up, though. During Thanksgiving break in 2019, Garret and a buddy drove the truck from Ohio to Wyoming. By the time it made its way back home, the original 5.9 Cummins was coming out, and the snowball had officially rolled off the hill.

The next two years were a combination of parts swapping, project delays, and honestly just learning some hard lessons about where not to spend your money. But once Garret linked up with the crew at Firepunk Diesel, things changed. If you know anything about the diesel world, you know names like Lavon Miller and the Firepunk shop out of Plain City, Ohio. These guys don’t do half-measures, and Garret was ready to go all in.

Hours of meetings and countless shop visits later, what they cooked up was more of a mechanical heirloom and art piece than it was a diesel truck. They set the bar as high as it gets: a mix of lowrider, race truck, and show truck influences, with zero shortcuts, no missed bolts, and not a single corner cut. In our opinion, they nailed every single step of this one.

Let’s get into the nitty-gritty. Under the hood is a 2023-built Cummins inline-six, put together by D&J Precision Machine. We’re talking a D&J Enforcer deck plate block, X-beam rods, FSR billet pistons, and a roller cam. Custom-fabricated head mods from Firepunk sit up top. Feeding it all is a D&J Stage 4 intake manifold, and fuel comes courtesy of an Exergy 14mm pump and 400% injectors. The exhaust is a custom Firepunk system dumping out of a 6-inch tip, and this is just the beginning. This truck is, without a doubt, one of the most meticulous builds we’ve ever seen and had the opportunity to cover in the magazine, and we’re honored to bring it to you.

The transmission is a Firepunk Comp Stage 3 48RE, backed up with a DPC converter and a Derale high-flow cooler tucked under the bed. Out back, you’ll find a Firepunk custom-fab back half and a four-link wishbone setup.

The exterior doesn’t just slap you with horsepower either. Painted in Inferno Red Crystal with custom clear, shot by Jacob Neuschwander, it walks the line between aggressive and refined. The wheels are Liberty Forge LBTY31s in a healthy 20×14 size, wrapped in Mickey Thompson Sportsman S/Rs. Does it rub a little? Yeah, but that’s just part of the personality. All around the truck, AlphaRex lighting keeps things tidy. As we look at the interior of the truck, you’ll find the same amount of care and attention to detail, like a full center console running from the dash to the rear cab with twin subs—because loud trucks deserve loud music.

For us, though, this build is more than just the looks and performance; it’s about the intangible stuff. Garret built this thing because he wanted a truck that wasn’t just cool today but one that would still be cool decades from now, and it shows. His attention to detail is in everything you see, with every bolt and every wire tucked just right—it’s all part of bringing that vision to life. When asked what he’d change about the truck now, Garret’s answer was simple: nothing. The OG, as he calls it, is exactly where it should be.

From a Craigslist farm truck to one of the most recognized builds in the scene today, Garret Niss’ Ram 2500 isn’t just a build; it’s a legacy on wheels. And in a world full of fast fades and trend-hopping, that’s about as rare as it gets.

2006 Dodge Ram 2500

Owner

Garrett Niss
Los Angeles, CA
Mansfield, Ohio

ENGINE & POWERTRAIN

• Engine:

>  Year: 2023

>  Make: Cummins

>  Type: Inline 6, 6.8L (D&J Enforcer)

>  Mods:

–  Built by D&J Precision Machine, Cambridge, OH
D&J X-beam connecting rods (1” longer), FSR Billet Pistons, Total Seal Rings
Fully iron sleeved block with fire rings
D&J HD Girdle
Tool Steel Wrist Pins
Flat Tappet Cam
D&J Roller Camshaft w/ billet Hamilton Lifters
Tubular custom fabricated head by Firepunk
D&J Stage 4 intake manifold
Exergy HMM Stroker pump
Exergy 400% over injectors
Custom Firepunk fabricated headers
Firepunk 6” Exhaust Diameter
ARP 9/16 Head and Main Studs
Billet freeze plugs
Tilly pushrods for HD deck plate
T6 S480 over 5.2 Wimer Compound Turbos

• Transmission:

Firepunk Stage 3 48RE
Firepunk Ant Eater
DPC Torque Converter
Derale High Flow Transmission Cooler (under bed)

• Axles:

>  Front:
Firepunk Fab Custom Ford 9” Front Axle
Spider Trax
Ultimate Knuckles
Moser Housing
Moser Center Section
Moser 35 spline axle shafts

>   Rear:

Firepunk Fab Custom Ford 9” Front Axle
Moser full floater housing
Moser 40 spline axle shafts
5 lug conversion
Wilwood 6-Piston Brakes (Front and Rear)
Aftermarket Billet Brake Resevior

Chassis & Suspension

• Factory 2006 Frame with FirePunk tubular back half/4 link
• AFCO Racing Shocks
• Flaming River Steering Box
• Mickey Thompson Sportsman S/R (31x18x20)
• Liberty Forged L807 31, Size 20×14
• Firepunk Custom Fab Fuel Cell

Body & Paint

• Factory Red (Inferno Red Crystal) with Custom Clear
• OEM Sport bumper
• Alpharex Headlights
• Alpharex Taillights
• Automatic bed cover by Firepunk Fab
• Forged LED rock lighting

Interior & Stereo

• Sparco Seats
• AIM MXP Data Logger w/ GPS Module
• Full center console stretched from dash to rear of cab
• Two Subwoofers in Center Console