We first discovered this '02 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD Duramax diesel at a car show in Orlando, Florida. As part of the afternoon's entertainment, several 4x4 pickups stepped up to a truck tug-of-war challenge. About halfway through, Joe Cochran of Clermont, Florida, entered his Chevy pickup in the competition. The straps were attached, the starter gave the signal, and Cochran pulled the top competitor backward across the line with hardly any effort.
Joe Cochran's four-door Chevy has it all. With plenty of style for truck shows, awesome pulling power for tugs of war, four doors for friends, and a world-class audio/visual system for long trips, this muscular Silverado is a true diesel-powered machine.
As each successive driver pulled up, Cochran repeated his effortless domination of the event, with competitors bouncing and skidding in a futile attempt to avoid being dragged backward into the loser's circle. The last pull was with the former top competitor, a crowd favorite who was eager to prove he was driving the stronger rig. Unfortunately, the 6.6L Duramax in Cochran's truck-along with the Dana 60 axle up front and the AAM 1150 in the rear-proved way too much for the competition. The sickening crunch of the opponent's driveline as it shattered on the floor told the crowd there was a new sheriff in town. The event showed that Cochran's truck was more than just another pretty face, and we would soon find there were even more surprises in store as we got a closer look at this awesome machine.
Cochran created the truck in 2005 as part hobby, part his own birthday gift, and part rolling calling card for his business, Xtensive Autoworx. He has been involved in motorsports almost half his life, getting his first four-wheel-drive, S-10, extended-cab pickup at age 15. His shop does a little bit of everything, but he specializes in the things that most other shops consider too difficult-like chassis fabrication, rollcages, modifying frames, radical stereo installations, and more. It was natural for him to create his own personal performance vehicle because there's no better way to demonstrate the capabilities of his shop.
Drivetrain Upgrades
Everything is heavy-duty underneath, right down to the polished differential covers on the front and rear axles, adding structural strength to the housings. A six-trumpet air horn underneath lets folks know Cochran is in town.
Cochran chose the Chevrolet because of the body style, the plush interior compared with other makes, and the overall reliability of the brand. One of the major changes was to replace the independent front suspension with a solid axle while ensuring that the conversion was as factory-like as possible. He created his own solid-axle conversion by using a combination of shackle hangers, springs, and parts from Off Road Unlimited. He built his own brackets and spring plates, giving each his own spin. The four custom-fabricated shock hoops are neatly symmetrical, holding two Edelbrock shocks along with their remote reservoirs. The steering drag link and tie rod were built from 1 3/8-inch chromoly tubing with 3/4-inch chromoly rod end joints that are stronger, maintenance-free, and allow a steeper angle than a ball-and-socket steering joint. The front driveshaft required offsetU-joints and was built by Tom Wood's Custom Drive Shafts, while the extended rear aluminum shaft came from JE Reel Driveline Solutions. The factory NVG263 transfer case has a slip-yoke-eliminator kit on the front output and an indexing ring that allowed Cochran to choose a shallower driveline angle.
The front axle is a Dana 60 from a '79 Ford F-350, chosen for the driver-side front differential offset and its high-pinion architecture. All the internals were rebuilt using Dana Spicer bearings and seals with Grade 8 hardware. The axleshafts were updated with 35-spline inner and outer Yukon components. The rear axle is the factory AAM unit, fitted with Yukon 5.13 gears to match the ones in the front axle. Cochran selected Atlas Spring Company's extra-long front leaf springs(6 inches longer than the standard) for the best flex and a smoother ride.
Although aftermarket parts could have done the job, Cochran chose to make his own symmetrical shock hoops for the Edelbrock shocks with remote reservoirs. They are stronger and cleaner-looking, embodying his approach with all the additions on the truck. | 
The front axle is a Dana 60 out of a '79 Ford F-350. It's stronger than the factory IFS and was swapped in with parts from Off Road Unlimited. | 
Out back is an 11 1/2-inch American Axle 14-bolt that's been smoothed and painted for a unique look. |