At first glance this truck goes against everything Diesel Tech stands for, the big expensive lift, a tire and wheel combo worth more than most guys' trucks and a fancy airbrushed paint job. The first thought through our minds was this is just another show truck pretending to be a useful daily driven workhorse. However, the `show' in this truck is only skin deep. There is a true hot-rod diesel and hard-working truck living beneath that paint job.
James Brendle, owner of Custom Auto, a diesel performance and accessories shop with three different locations in Idaho, has always been a Diesel Addict and has a deep love for high horsepower diesel trucks. He's become known for going all-out with his trucks. Not only does he build trucks that look good sitting still, but he expects them to also perform well on the street. Case in point: his newest project, a 2008 Chevrolet LMM Duramax.
With his 2005 lowered LLY Duramax in the middle of an engine build and his 2004 Dodge Cummins in the middle of a compound turbo buildup, Brendle found himself driving to and from work in the company's 1999 Chevy cargo van-not exactly what we consider a `sweet ride' for a diesel performance shop owner to be sporting around town in. At that point Brendle decided something needed to be done. He needed something a little cooler to cruise around in so the LMM was bought with promises of leaving it stock. Just like every other Diesel Addict out there, those promises were broken within the first week after its purchase.