Once the power was properly delivered to the road, the truck needed to be lifted. For Roberts, there was only one choice. After saving up his money, he spent $4,000 on the Pro Comp 6-inch lift with the dual-shock hoop kit. “It’s the best Pro Comp lift on the market,” he said. “The Duramax is heavy in the front, so I went with the dual hoops.” He dropped another $3,000 for the 20-inch bronze KMC monster rims and 35-inch BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/As.
The final step was a classic Maine barter job. Roberts had a fleetside bed that he didn’t want and found another guy with a stepside bed on a 1500 that he wanted to get rid of. The swap was on and the stepside bed gives Roberts’ truck a unique look for a ¾-ton. It’s topped with a vinyl tonneau cover to ensure that the bed stays useful. Lastly, he put on Westin Platinum Series step-up bars to make it easier for his cheerleader girlfriend, Amanda Meyer (you don’t have to be the quarterback to get the cheerleader), to get in and out of the truck.
Eight months after he bought the truck, Roberts says he’s done. “I like everything looking pretty factory, other than the lift.” Maybe it fits in with his soft-spoken personality—he doesn’t boast about the truck or spend every second laying down rubber at a stoplight—or maybe it’s just his Maine upbringing. The only decals on the truck are on the rear windshield. The “JA” sticker in the lower lefthand corner is for the Jackman Airforce, the snowmobile club Roberts rides with in the town of Jackman, Maine, which borders Quebec, Canada. Opposite, in the lower righthand corner, the decal reads “Roberts 69X,” his number when racing four-wheelers or snowmobiles.
He wants to upgrade the turbocharger and install some ladder bars and no doubt, other modifications will come. And with this 18-year-old, you know the job is going to be done right.