You've probably seen those matchbook covers with the ads that read, "You too can drive a big rig!" They stir visions of manning an 18-wheeled, smoke-belching, gear-grinding behemoth with a country song playing on the radio and an endless ribbon of highway stretching into the sunset.
Then, reality hits. Driving a long-haul big rig can be smelly, hard work for marginal pay-not to mention a relentless string of truck-stop diners with gum-cracking, hair-sprayed waitresses serving up burnt coffee, overcooked burgers, and fries. "Hey Flo, top off my coffee mug, will ya? I'm hauling a hot load to Helena and need to get there by sundown."
 The first performance upgrades...  The first performance upgrades were on the chassis. He lifted the suspension a couple inches in the front, with some Superlift coils, and in the rear with solid suspension plates that fit into the leaf springs. |  The original clutch proved...  The original clutch proved to not be enough for all the torque and weight this truck has. Legault burned it out when he dropped the hammer on the starting line at the strip, so he's now added a stouter double-disc unit to handle the extra power. |  |
Then, Legault got the idea...
Then, Legault got the idea to add those outrageous, 6-inch vertical stacks. The installation was simple enough, taking about a day to cut a hole in the cargo bed and re-route the exhaust pipes. A potentially serious problem arose later on, though, when some luggage slid against the hot pipes and caught fire, causing some minor scorching. "We won't let that happen again," Legault laughs. Since then, he's added a diamond-plate toolbox to protect the pipes and also hold the air compressor for a train horn.
So, the romance fades, and you decide to get a desk job that pays a whole lot more, but drains your soul a single drop at a time. But, that big-wheelin' dream of blowing smoke out chromed exhaust stacks lives on in your secret Walter Mitty world. For all of you who finger those worn matchbook covers and look longingly at Macks, Kenworths, and Peterbilts, check out this big-rig Ram. This sort of long-haul fantasy was the inspiration behind the tow-tractor treatment of a Dodge Ram 3500 4x4, created by Stephane Legault of KSL Motorsports. The roots of his Peterbilt-style pickup go back to his childhood, but the truck also fits right into a very grown-up business operation.
Beginning at the beginning, what prompted Legault to make his Ram look like an 18-wheeler? "When I was a kid, I always wanted a Peterbilt and to be a truck driver," he recalls. "I used to draw pictures of a ranch in the mountains, dreaming about having all sorts of machinery, including a Peterbilt and a helicopter."
Legault went on to become an aircraft mechanic, fulfilling part of his aviation fantasy, but never forgot his fondness for 18-wheelers. He later got into the automatic garage-door business in Calgary, Alberta, and began working on trucks out of his home as sort of a hobby. Like so many start-ups, his personal passion grew eventually into a viable business. Initially, he handled smaller, more practical items needed by farmers and oil-rig workers, such as mudflaps, visors, and running boards. When he began showing up at job sites for his garage-door business with a nicely outfitted truck, he found that advertisement led to more orders.
North American Diesel Power...
North American Diesel Power added a third-generation Super Phat turbo that features a quick-spool turbine housing and dual oversize wastegate passages to 5.9L HO Cummins. Legault says the wastegates allow 45 psi, but with no gates, the boost will max out at 70 psi. The unit also comes with high-speed dual grooved bearings for extreme duty. Other aftermarket engine upgrades included a 160hp PPE programmer, a 130hp Stage IV Predator chip, Stage II Snow Performance water/methanol injection, and an aFe cold-air intake. A Pac exhaust brake helps haul down the pickup from high speeds.
Around that time, Legault came across an '03 Dodge Ram 3500 that had been on the show circuit for Chrysler Canada to promote its new heavy-duty Cummins-powered pickup. It had only 26,000 miles on it, so he made a deal and began to modify it. While the truck has fulfilled a childhood fantasy, it's also helped his business. "I can't believe all the attention it gets, especially when I hit the air horn," he says. Legault still hits the road with his rig, though. "It's not a show girl that I hide," he points out. "It's a daily driver, and I drive it towing a 20-foot trailer up to the Yukon, when I handle contracts in Yellow Knife."
He also made a long run to Las Vegas for the SEMA Show and on the way back added a Taylor race wing to the roof. With the extra down-force from the wing, he couldn't resist hitting the Bonneville Salt Flats, where he opened up the throttle for some triple-digit runs. No records were broken, and he did find that salt will wreak havoc with the engine electronics. After a few wash-downs at some truck-stops along the way, though, everything got back to normal. Hanging out at the Flying J is probably the kind of thing he wanted to do anyway, since Legault is finally living out his fantasy of being a long-haul trucker, just like the big-rig guys.
 A set of Peterbilt mudflaps...  A set of Peterbilt mudflaps and floor mats and Bushwacker fender flares highlight the new rolling stock. Adaptors from TEA Manufacturing allowed Legault to switch from 8- to 10-lug wheels and fit a set of Alcoa 22.5x9-inch wheels on his Dodge. They're shod with 255/70R22.5 Bridgestone M726 deep-lug steers in the front, and 255/70R22.5 Firestone casing with a Bandag deep-lug drive recaps. |  To enhance the illumination,...  To enhance the illumination, Legault bolted on a Carr lightbar with a pair of 9 1/2-inch Lightforce striker off-road lights and dressed the lamps with KS Euro black headlights and APC taillights. The hoodscoop is also from APC, and Lund provided the wiper cowl and sunvisor. |  Thinking ahead to future drivetrain...  Thinking ahead to future drivetrain modifications, Legault threw in a short shifter to tame the long throws of the NV5600 six-speed manual transmission. |
 |  | |