This Red '99 Dodge Ram just so happened to be one of the nicest vehicles we spotted at the recent TS Performance Outlaw race. The owner, Gus Farmer, runs Farmboys Diesel Performance in Monroe, North Carolina, which explains the truck's good looks, but how does it run? Well, the answer is pretty darn good. At TS, the truck ran an easy 11.51 at 118 mph, although it has dipped into the 11.40s in the past. What makes this truck different from other race trucks is that it still maintains a full leather interior and weighs about 6,700 pounds. It also retains a VP44 pump, although the engine has mixed and matched quite a few parts from the newer common-rail engine into its bloodline.
This bright red Ram leaves the line as good as any street truck we have seen, to the tune of 1.53 60-ft times!
Gus started with a balanced and blueprinted bottom end, along with a set of common-rail marine pistons and industrial rods. Main studs were fitted, as well as a girdle that ties everything together. As we move up in the engine, things keep getting wilder. A Maxspool cam, aftermarket valvesprings, and titanium retainers were added for better breathing. The head is off of an '06 common-rail engine and is thought to flow more air than the stock 24-valve version. Surprisingly, a little water jacket porting was all it took to match the new head to the old block. The head is O-ringed, and a set of ARP studs provides lots of clamping force.
The '99 24-valve has been highly modified by Farmboy's Diesel, and has made 807 hp and 1,564 lb-ft of torque on a chassis dynamometer.
On the top, the power-producing parts include a set of custom turbos, a 5-inch downpipe from Farmboys Diesel, and a "Monster" VP44 injection pump. A set of BFI injectors by Dynomite Diesel tie everything together. Instead of experimenting with a bunch of different electronic boxes, Gus runs a TST on level 1 or 2, and relies on the big injectors and massive amounts of boost (80 psi) to make horsepower. A DTT 47RE transmission was assembled by Gus himself, and uses tricks like billet shafts and a 48RE valvebody. A single-disc converter is locked right off the line and helps the truck launch incredibly hard.
At press time, the truck has run a 7.0 in the eighth-mile, which translates into an 11-flat in the quarter, so it's clear that it just keeps getting faster. As if already having the most powerful non-nitrous VP44 truck isn't enough, Gus is now shooting for the 10s. We wish him and his red rocket the best of luck.