Although this Ford F-250 from Miami, Florida, now features a substantial list of performance modifications, owner David Venereo had two very good reasons to be cautious when he began customizing the truck. He was 15 at the time and the truck belonged his father. “Being my father’s daily driver, I slowly did minor mods,” David explains. “Being 15, I couldn’t do anything major.”
David started off with a SCT 4-inch intake and exhaust. He then added a Snow Performance water/meth injection system and an AirDog fuel pump, which, David tells us, he hid nicely so his dad wouldn’t notice. David made a name in the after-hours racing scene. The trend of performance continued with the addition a Garrett PowerMax with a Bullseye BatMoWheel.
David’s dad quickly got wise to his son’s customizing ways and worked a deal to sell him the Ford. David decided that it was now time to lift the truck and tighten up the lugs of some new wheels. A BDS 6-inch (front) and 4-inch (rear) lift kit with dual Fox 2.0 shocks and steering stabilizers was installed by his friend Carlos Pellitero at X-treme Performance in Miami, while another friend—Carlos Gonzalez at American Force Wheels—hooked him up with some 22-inch Rebel SS8 rims. David also swapped out the AirDog in favor of an A1000, using parts from Irate.
David and Jose Rodriguez at A&D Towing in Miami built the engine, and over time the Ford powerplant acquired more than its fair share of custom add-ons. David lists MPD (Maryland Performance Diesel) 190/100 injectors, MPD S366/74.91 turbo, Steed Speed exhaust manifolds, CED T-4 up-pipes, S&B filters and intake, MBRP 4-inch turbo-back turn-down, SCT tunes, Sinister coolant filter kit, dual 18-inch electric fans, Dieselsite external high oil pressure drive system, Driven Diesel regulated return, Banks Techni-Cooler intercooler, Turbosmart blow-off valve and Sun Coast billet flexplate.
There are other external and internal mods that further raise the Ford’s profile. Recon smoked mirror taillights can be seen by the other racers as David pulls away from the pack. Meanwhile, David’s cabin throbs thanks to a Pioneer head unit with Infinity Kappa amplifiers and speakers, and a pair of 12-inch subs mounted in a custom box behind the rear seat.
This F-250 that was once his father’s daily driver is still driven every day by David. David also uses the F-250 to race and tow, and gets an impressive 15 to 16 miles per gallon. David’s customizing fever shows no sign of cooling, and we wouldn’t be surprised to see a full feature on this Ford in the future.
Dual Diesels
This pair of cars, his and hers, comes from St. Andrews in Manitoba, Canada, a long way away from Florida. Jeff Martel owns the 2002 Chevrolet 2500HD. His shop specializes in diesels, drivelines, and transmissions.
Jeff offered a one-word explanation for the build: “fun!” With help from his friend Tim Ducharme, the Chevy now sports a front ELocker differential, rear Grizzly locker, built trans with an ML-G converter, transfer case pump rub update, 4.5-inch BDS suspension lift, 20×9 BMF Novakane wheels wrapped in 35-inch Nitto Terra Grappler tires, track bars, a full complement of gauges, BD SuperMax turbo, BD intercooler, Snow Performance water/meth injection, FASS 150-gph fuel pump, Flex-a-Lite fans, SSBC Big Bite brake kit, PPE steering braces and tie rod sleeves, ATS manifolds and up-pipes, 52-gallon Titan gas tank, and an EFILive DSP5 tune.
Jeff also paid attention to its exterior. The body was outfitted in 2006 tow-mirrors and color matched door handles as well as Bushwacker cutout fender flares, HID taillights, LED headlights and NFab step bars.
Jeff says his Chevy is a heavy Chevy with approximately 150K miles and 18 mpg. He also reports a dyno reading at 546/1,076 at the wheels on the “big tune” even with stock injectors and CP3.
Jeff refers to his wife Giselle’s 2009 Audi Q7 S-Line with the 3.0L TDI V-6 as the “kiddie hauler.” The Q7 is bone stock except for the 22-inch Rinspeed replica wheels wrapped in 285/35R22 rubber. It pulls close to 24 U.S. mpg on average, which makes it an efficient complement in the Martel’s pair of his and her diesels.
Budget Build
Ethan Sluder of Newland, North Carolina, is another young diesel enthusiast who proves that you don’t have to pay through the nose to get noticed. His 2003 Ford F-250 is a popular vehicle in the Carolinas. “I bought this truck completely stock in 2012,” Ethan explains. “All these mods have been done in the last year and on a budget while I’ve worked my way through college.”
The 7.3L power stroke engine has been upgraded with a 4-inch exhaust downpipe, a 5-inch Diamond Eye, a Superchips Flashpaq programmer, an aFe stage 2 intake with ProGuard 7 filters, AirDog150 fuel/air separators, and a Banks turbowheel. The ZF6 six speed manual transmission is responsible for the increased torque.
A leveling kit was used to raise the ride height 2.5 inches. The tire/wheel set includes chrome 951 Moto Metals wrapped in 35/12.50-18 Toyo Open Country R/T radials
Ethan can keep track of essentials such as boost, EGT, and fuel pressure with a GlowShift gauge. A custom-made gear shifter knob allows him to confidently and smoothly change gears. The truck’s outward appearance was enhanced with N-Fab running boards and a custom-made drop hitch.
Ethan knows exactly how to maximize his customizing budget. We say good work to the young man. DW
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