\Whenever someone says the words "work truck," we instantly think of a truck with tools in the bed, scratches in the paint, and an interior littered with soda bottles and Twinkie wrappers. However, this picture isn't always an accurate one.
Travis Reif, owner of The Custom Shop in Las Vegas, Nevada, spends most of his days building customers' rides or cruising the Strip showing off his latest creation. For this build, he chose an '07 Dodge 3500 Mega Cab. The catch was that Travis had only 90 days to complete the project in time for the SEMA Show, where the Dodge was to showcase his and his crew's talent.
Travis has always liked big trucks. He purchased this Dodge Ram because the truck was big enough for his tastes and because its size was just what was needed to help draw attention to his shop. With the help of his crew, Travis launched his Dodge into a realm beyond the typical "work truck." To make the truck bigger, The Custom Shop installed a modified Full Throttle suspension lift that gave Travis enough height to clear 40s without having to install a body lift. King coilovers were used instead of a replacement spring and shock in the front, and the rear was handled by Deaver Spring leaf packs and King shocks incorporated into the suspension setup. Custom-made traction bars sport a deep red finish that blends with other red suspension features, while a few gallons of fresh black paint was applied to the remaining chassis equipment. The look of the black frame with the red suspension components sets off the chrome finish of the 22-inch Ion Forged wheels surrounded by 40x15.5R22LT Toyo M/T tires.
Powering Travis's Ram is the legendary 5.9-liter Cummins Turbodiesel. Of course, a big lifted Dodge can't have a stock engine, so Travis installed an aFe Stage 2 intake manifold kit with a Bully Dog management system that allows him on-the-fly adjustability for pumping up the power numbers. Also included in the performance upgrades is a 4-inch, ceramic-coated, Banks exhaust system that allows the engine to breath better and sound intimidating. The combination of upgrades helps the Cummins engine produce over 400 hp and 600 lb-ft of torque.
On the outside, the Dodge looks just as mean as its performance numbers indicate. Travis had his guys install a set of AMP Research Power Steps and Night Runner black headlights. The graphics begin over the factory red paint, where House of Kolor Black was mixed with a grip of red metalflake and laid down over almost the entire length of the truck. Adding a little more pop to the Dodge's looks is a second set of flames of HOK Pagan Gold sprayed over Orion Silver intertwined with the black flames.
Inside the crew cab, gray leather and suede covers the factory seating, while a set of Auto Meter A-pillar gauges helps keep track of the turbo boost and transmission and exhaust gas temperatures. For tunes, Travis rocks out to a Fosgate-powered sound system with MB Quart replacement door speakers. A custom fiberglass sub enclosure wrapped in suede was mounted behind the rear seats to hold a pair of JL Audio subs. Finishing the interior, Travis modified the center dash bezel to house an Eclipse DVD/nav unit and color-matched some of the plastic pieces to give the interior a splash of color.
With only hours before it was time to hit the road for SEMA, The Custom Shop Dodge was completed. This truck is more than just wheels and tires: Travis and crew opted to showcase their talents and display a rolling calling card for show attendees to see and appreciate. Now that the cat is out of the bag, you can expect to see great things coming out of The Custom Shop's roll-up doors because they already have other projects started and up on the racks.