Better Hold On If You Take This One for a Ride
No matter how often we see trends change, one thing always remains constant. The enthusiasm from the younger generation in our industry to create something new and unique is always the driving force behind industry changes. From vehicle wraps to big wheels and thin tires, the styles are constantly changing, and it’s our job to keep up.
We’ve seen trucks go from lifted to lowered, and the opposite, time and time again. One day it’s powder-coated and the next day it’s chrome, but either way it’s custom and unique, just the way we like it. That’s no different for our good friend Trace Wilks from Albertville, Alabama. After around $45,000 in aftermarket additions on top of a $36,000 truck, this 2007 GMC is his take on the perfect, clean and fast street truck, and we tend to like his style! This 24-year-old diesel truck enthusiast has had a passion for trucks since he was a young kid, and for the past five years he’s been wrenching on his own ride making it perfect one piece at a time with the help of his good friend and local business owner Dylan Moon of Full Moon Diesel.
Trace originally bought this truck with the intentions of making it his daily driver with only 39,000 miles on the dash. What started as a mild transmission upgrade eventually led to this rowdy 1,100-horsepower truck that originally had bone stock internals. The factory 6.6L LBZ Duramax Diesel engine has been intensely modified to handle nearly 1,750 pounds of torque. Machining by Wagler Competition Products in Odon, Indiana, along with a Callies Ultra billet crankshaft and forged Ross pistons, and we’re just the first steps in this nearly unbreakable upgrade. A new camshaft from COMP Cams along with ported and polished heads, Wagler Comp valves and Chrome Molly pushrods gave Trace the confidence he needed in this power producer.
A Forced Inductions 76m turbocharger making 60 PSI of boost pushes air through the Screamin Diesel Performance intake and On3 intercooler. S&S 250% fuel injectors and a Nitrous NX dual kit add around an extra 100-300 hp, which is hard to wrap your head around. All this power is directed to the wheels through an Allison six-speed transmission built by Limitless Diesel and a Suncoast 10531-3D converter with a 3,400 stall speed. Once all these additions have been made, a custom computer tune was created by Unleashed Duramax Tuning using EFI live.
Moving on from the motor, drivetrain, suspension and styling were next on his attention list. Do-all adjustable QA1 shocks were added front and rear along with slotted and drilled EBC brakes and braided steel brake lines. Trace’s wheel choice was a 20×10 Sota Rehab wrapped in 305/50/20 Nitto 420s tires. To make the truck sound as good as it looks, PPE exhaust was bolted on along with a carbon fiber stack from Oldskool Fab. A few body style upgrades include the 3-inch cowl hood, a rear bumper roll pan, recon tail lights and plenty of parts painted to match.
This is one insanely first street truck that has a best quarter-mile ETA of a 10.88 add 130 mph. The curb weight of this screaming diesel is around 6,780 pounds, which is perfect for anyone that likes speed. Check out these pics and let us know your thoughts!