2002 Dodge Ram 2500 - 800 Hours Later

MICHAEL HAINEY PURCHASED HIS '02 DODGE 2500 TRUCK new with no intention or even an idea that one could modify a diesel pickup. "One of my buddies suggested I install an Edge comp box and gauges, and it wasn't too long after that I began the slide down the slippery slope of hot-rodding my truck," Michael told us.

"A couple years and thousands of dollars later, I had a truck that had a 4-inch lift, 35-inch tires, and about 600 hp. It was a quick truck that was fun to drive, but with a manual transmission, I could not do what I want most...drag race," he said.

And then Michael started down an entirely new path toward turning his lifted truck into a lowered street machine. The first order of business was to replace the manual transmission with a built auto. He said he contacted several different shops about doing the conversion and no one was interested in taking it on. "I then decided I would do the conversion myself."

So he contacted Dusty at HTS and explained what he wanted to do. Dusty made some suggestions and Michael was off to the races. A few weeks later, a transmission from HTS showed up at his door and he began the conversion. At the same time, he removed the suspension and axles, both front and rear. He had custom springs-front and rear-made to bring the ride height down to 2 inches below stock. He installed new Pro Fab control arms in the front and replaced the 35-inch mud tires with sticky 22-inch Toyo Proxes tires and had custom Boze Forged black powdercoated wheels. He replaced the stock brake rotors with nickel-plated, cross-drilled, and slotted units. Goldline Brakes supplied new polymer-coated calipers and Hawk ceramic pads to enhance the appearance of the truck.

For the engine, Michael had GAM (Greeley Automotive Machine) in Greeley, Colorado, port and O-ring the head. F1 diesel supplied its Sportsman valve springs and a Helix II camshaft with a bolt-on gear. Michael removed the entire stock fuel system, including the tank, and engineered his own design using a mechanical 12V pump running off the camshaft, along with a Summit Racing fuel cell mounted in the bed of the truck. He used an Aeromotive regulator, and 1/2-inch fuel lines.

"I relocated the battery to the bed as well, along with a Summit Racing cell for water to be used in conjunction with a Snow Performance water/meth injection system," Michael said. Most parts in the engine bay were either polished or powdercoated. Michael designed and fabricated a custom electric cooling fan system that allowed him to remove the stock fan. He says the truck never exceeds 185 degrees on the hottest of days.

Michael also designed and fabricated a custom transmission-cooler mount under the bed of the truck that uses a Derale transmission cooler fan. A custom driveshaft was built by Drive Train Industries in Denver. The truck weighs in at 5,800 pounds dry.

"I spent a little time at Bandimere Speedway in Morrison, Colorado, this fall doing some tuning and ran a best two-wheel-drive traction-limited time of 12.41 at 111.98 mph on fuel only, leaving with no boost and running very soft 2.1-second 60-foot times," Michael said. He plans on getting a set of slicks next season and hopes to get the truck into the 11s on fuel only. All in all, the build took approximately 800 hours. Michael wanted to thank those who helped him along the way, including F1 Diesel, Industrial Injection, HTS Transmissions, Goldline Brakes, Boze Forged Wheels, and more.