Personality Changer

March 2022 Feature Gus Surdu

This article originally appeared in the Winter 2022 issue.

What Sam Scott built with his 2003 RAM 2500 can’t be quantified by how high off the ground the bed sits. You can’t take a quick peek under the hood and understand how the changes made to the Cummins created changes in the owner as well. You’d have to talk to Sam directly to fully comprehend that.

Changing Alongside A Diesel

During my conversation with Sam it became abundantly clear he’s not a flashy kind of guy and his diesel reflects that. Subtle, yet cool. A simple Banks cold air intake and 5-inch straight pipe covers the performance side of the build. Instead of the massive lift you see on many Instagram builds, Sam instead went with a 3-inch Supreme Suspensions level.

Reflecting back on how Sam grew up, things begin to click. His favorite hobby was fishing and while fishing can be a social experience, Sam preferred it as a solo activity. He wasn’t very social and didn’t like presentations in school or spending time around large groups of people. That is, until he got this diesel four years ago.

“I kept myself away from other people,” Sam admitted. “However, with the truck it brought me closer to people. It gave me more of a mindset that I want to have goals and get them done. I use that in my everyday life also, like in school. Doing the truck and going to these shows and talking to people really opened me up and now I can have other friends and talk to people more than I used to.”

Keeping in tune with the theme of this month’s issue, Sam really got serious with his pickup two years ago after coming across a video from a little show you might have heard of called SEMA. He spent the rest of that school day watching SEMA videos, then went home and watched some more.

“From that day my truck has just exploded to what it is now,” he said. “I started saving money for bigger projects.”

His truck now sits on 24x14 Hardcore Off-road HC15 wheels wrapped in 36x14.50r24 Versatyre MXT tires with BDS Suspension shocks, and as he continues to make changes to the truck, he in turn sees changes in himself.

“Throughout building my truck I’ve noticed that it’s completely changed they way I act and who I hang out with,” Sam explained. The simple fact that he runs a truck club is proof of that.

“I now have a great group of friends and buddies who I hang out with almost anytime we can,” says Sam. “We love to just cruise around and get pictures just about everywhere. Driving for us is what clears our minds.”

Light It Up

Sam concerns himself with the cosmetic side of the build and spends less time in the performance realm. Along with a lot of color-matching, that cosmetic focus led to a lot of light upgrades.

One of Sam’s favorite modifications is his Spyder headlights and taillights with the Cummins logo behind them. Along with that he has a 550-piece starlight headliner and five rock lights in each wheel well.

More Change On The Horizon

A recent trip to Branson, Mo., for Lifted Truck Nationals found Sam in a situation he wasn’t expecting. He had typically stayed in his home state of Nebraska for shows, but he decided to branch out and make the trip. Upon arrival, he found strangers who already knew about him and his diesel. Sam had been noticed.

He has future plans in the works, plans that are sure to get him noticed even more. He wants to change directions and put an 8-inch lift on it and powder it all in chrome red. Additionally, he wants to start paying more attention to the previously neglected engine in order to bump up the horsepower.

His goal is to get a daily driver in order to turn the RAM into a fulltime show truck. Speaking of goals, those are pretty important to him.

“You just have to have goals,” he concluded. “Get those goals done and then have another goal already set up so you have another thing to look forward to. That’s the main thing for me: having goals and I keep wanting to go.”

Sources:

Banks

800-601-8072

www.bankspower.com

BDS Suspension

517-279-2135

www.bds-suspension.com

Hardcore Off-road

330-538-7021

www.hcoffroad.com

Spyder

626-934-8884