The Rolling Fortress

In many ways, Leia Kinzel’s much-loved 1997 Ford F350 Power Stroke, nicknamed The Rolling Fortress, epitomizes her own strength of character. Leia put pen to paper in March of 2013 to seal her enlistment and chase after her dream of working on Black Hawk helicopters, those long, low-profile aircraft used for tactical operations in the Army. When her job, 15T, opened up that April, she jumped into training and was off and running—until her company launched a full battle rattle truck and her hips started experiencing sharp pains several weeks into training. Gritting her teeth, Leia continued to push through until she found she had fractured her hips badly enough to require discharge.

“I'll always regret not being able to do my dream job,” Leia admits, “but I was fortunate to meet my battle buddies who are currently stationed all over the world, most of whom I still talk to on a daily basis.”

Following her release, Leia went back to working on cars side-by-side with her dad, Harry Smith. Harry had owned a maintenance shop called Positive Performance in Akron, Ohio, and always found joy working as a mechanic.

“I used to help him do engine swaps, body work, LoF’s, transmission services, etc,” Leia explains.

Because of this, she was constantly setting the local AutoZone front doorbell ringing in her hunt for more parts for their builds. Already well-acquainted with the employees that worked at the shop, it was here that she first ran into the burly stranger with his ring finger in a brace, ready to greet her with a quip and a smile from behind the counter.

This new employee, a disabled combat veteran from the Air Force, clearly knew his stuff as a diagnostic specialist.

“I noticed customers and his co-workers that were stumped begin to ask him for technical questions about all kinds of issues and he seemed to know his stuff,” Leia explains. “One day I went in there to get some hood pins to hold down the trunk of a $50 beater car I just bought.”

The new employee, Derek Kinzel, asked her what they were for and when she told him, he burst out laughing.

Without missing a beat, Leia cracked jokes about his breaking his ring finger on an exhaust job he did earlier that week, and ever since they hit it off.

What started as the classic greeting, “What's up trunk pins?” turned into, “Can I have your number?” and eventually the big question: “Will you marry me?”

“Since then we've been driving each other crazy for the past eight years!” Leia jokes.

Together, Leia, Derek and Harry have tackled most of the modification work on her first truck.

She proudly says, “I’ve always bled Ford Blue, so naturally my first vehicle was a 351 Modified F250 with a Gear Driven, Super Lopey Lunati hot cam!”

The three of them built the motor so well, it shook the body mounts loose.

“The truck’s long gone, but I still have the heart of the beast in my car hauler awaiting another life!” Leia says.

Currently, Leia happily drives the aforementioned Rolling Fortress, a 7.3L Power Stroke Diesel Crew Cab Dually 4.10 Rear that pulls its weight and then some, thanks to the mods the threesome have pulled off so far.

The gang installed a fifth wheel hitch, built an E4OD and a Class V bumper hitch for hauling, and modified a 4-inch turbo back exhaust. They also added a TS-6 chip with Wildman Tunes for cleaner shifting and an immediate power boost, as well as a 4.10 limited slip rear and Wicked Wheel WW2.

Embellishing on the truck’s classy style, Leia also added sleek projector headlights and an A-Pillar gauge pod for her exhaust gas temperature (EGT), transmission temp, and boost gauges. For convenience sake, the team saw fit to add a WOLO True Firetruck air trumpet and onboard VIAIR 5-gallon system. To wrap everything up, they added low drag-high HP stickers and children’s car seats for their kids Devin and Danni, “for that extra oomph!” as Leia puts it.

Part of the reason she selected this given combo of modifications for The Rolling Fortress comes down to the fact that it doesn’t starve the stock HPOP and is the most a diesel enthusiast can do before the injection system needs more expensive modifications.

“The only mod I took off was the NAPA CAI mod; it leaned out the mix and heated the air too much. The stock airbox flows surprisingly well and cool with this setup,” she says.

Amazingly, The Rolling Fortress also still manages 20 miles per gallon with an estimated 350hp and 500 ft/lbs. of torque.

When they moved from Ohio to Lewisburg, Tenn., towing all of their belongings in a 24-foot enclosed trailer behind them, Leia was pleased with how easily the truck towed the load.

This power was also clearly evidenced, among other times, the day her husband was at work and some guy, “thinking he was hot stuff in his Cummins,” pulled up to her at a red light.

“No one was around—or so I thought—so I showed him who’s boss and blew his doors off. I get a call from my hubby not five minutes afterward that one of his co-workers on lunch ratted me out and saw me whoop all over that poor guy!”

It clearly shows, Leia’s satisfaction runs deep with the performance of her truck.

“With the old girl’s current setup, there’s plenty of power to get the job done!” Leia says.

Though she will be upgrading to a 6.4 L with a 6-speed soon, as she has to admit with a laugh, “One turbo just doesn’t do it for me anymore!” 

To all the ladies out there, Leia advises, “Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty and do it yourself!”

Both before and after her pursuit of a career in the Army, digging deep in the diesel world has always brought Leia a sense of satisfaction. Since being married, this also invites spirited competition between her and her diesel handyman, Derek.

“It’s always a competition with him! We always have to one-up each other!” Leia laughs, and behind the banter is the gratitude that her companion has been a constant source of encouragement to her.

“I'm grateful for the skills and knowledge I gained the short time I was in the Army,” Leia adds, “those of which I'll be able to utilize while I pursue my other dream—of a career in law enforcement.” 

As Leia pushes forward to pursue her latest and greatest dream, it’s clear: the bad guys out there had better clean up before “The Rolling Fortress” of law enforcement hits the streets.

Photos by Leia, Derek, Devin, and Danni Kinzel

Tony Wildman Performance Chips

www.tonywildmanchip.com

TS Performance

270-746-9999

www.tsperformance.com

VIAIR

949-585-0011

www.viaircorp.com

Wildman Tunes

www.tonywildmanchip.com

WOLO

800-645-5808

www.wolo-mfg.com

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