Driving Line VOLUME IV ISSUE 4 | FALL 2018 | Page 20

CUMMINS POWERED
The platform he landed on was an ’80s Dodge D350
Dually. Having four doors and a longbed was a must, but
that was really Humberto’s only requirement since he could
modify or build the rest of it to his specifications. Eventually,
he found the truck he’d been looking for in Midland, Texas.
Although it was rough around the edges and wasn’t exactly
pristine, it had one big bonus tied to it. The stock engine
was replaced many years ago with a Cummins 12-valve
turbodiesel and NV5600 six-speed manual transmission.
It took an entire year after buying the D350 for Humberto
to begin working to create his dream truck, which would
later be nicknamed “Gennie.”
BEGINNING THE BUILD
For many truck enthusiasts, a low-riding dually on
airbags with big wheels, turbodiesel and manual transmission
already sounds like a dream, but this was not going to be
any ordinary build. Humberto began tearing the truck apart,
down to its cab and chassis, so he could start from a clean
slate. The front suspension was custom-built, retaining only
the factory spindles.
After buttoning up the steering and sway bar in front,
Humberto moved to the back half of the truck. Again, wanting
a clean slate, Humberto cut off the existing framerails and
constructed entirely new ones from 2x6-inch square-steel
tubing. The rear suspension consists of an extra-long four-
link system on airbags. Humberto also built a heavy-duty
sway bar to ensure the truck stayed stable and comfortable,
even when hauling heavy loads. The rest of the frame was
boxed for reinforcement in certain areas, featuring all-new
crossmembers to hold the transmission, fuel tank, driveshaft
loop and gooseneck hitch.
BODY UPGRADES
When the chassis work was finished, Humberto
moved on to other integral body parts that needed
attention. Starting with the firewall, inner fenders and
roof skin, Humberto reworked and replaced all the
sheetmetal himself. Then it was time to build the truck
bed to his liking. Humberto built custom boxes to house
the electrical system, as well as the air-over-hydraulic
brake system. Because this truck was still going to be
used to haul stuff around, Humberto built custom hidden
bedrails into the bedsides for cargo tie-downs.
While the body was sent off for bodywork and paint,
Humberto took the opportunity to coat the entire frame to
inhibit corrosion. This was also a good time to reassemble
all the chassis components and get everything ready to
accept the reworked body.
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