"Nothing is better than the expression on kids' faces when they see this truck." -Adam Nitte
Adam Nitte is the kind of guy who is running at 100 mph, even when he is stationary. Every time we have talked to him, he is off doing something fun or on his way to going somewhere cool. Born in Cuba and raised in Florida, Adam has been nonstop ever since his childhood.
Down in Miami, Adam's cousins and uncles had auto shops, and they were always working on crazy projects like stuffing a Chrysler 440 six-pack engine into a small '71 Datsun pickup. These sort of oddball buildups interested him in volunteering his time. He enjoyed helping his family so much that he would end up skipping school to go hang out with them. Because they were always building these wild, experimental projects, they never knew how well they would work until they put them together. That mystery is what kept their interest to make these creations.
Later on, Adam got into playing in the mud with his vehicles by watching tractor-pulls. The high torque and horsepower of a truck or tractor pulling a heavy metal sled brought his excitement level to its maximum. Watching monster trucks inspired him to go big. He began building incredibly large, lifted trucks to play in the mud and shock people with the altered height. He loved the mud so much that on his wedding day he went out for a quick mud run and got his truck stuck, making him 3-1/2 hours late to his own wedding.
The marriage ended up failing, and Adam was so mad at his ex-wife that he moved clear across the country to SoCal so that he could be as far from her as possible. He became a household repairman to get by, and it led him to making a steady living doing construction work. On the side, Adam volunteered with the fire department's search and rescue, because of his underwater diving experience. He needed a truck for his construction job and picked this Ford F-250 because it was red and represented his work with the local fire squad.
He played around with his new truck and lifted it a tame few inches. There was no plan on going super-high with the truck, until Adam's friend convinced him to build it for an upcoming SEMA event. Then, Adam raised the truck 18 inches over a set of 46-inch-tall tires. Then, for a different appearance, he added a new fiberglass fascia front end with flared fenders. To make it fully custom, he touched up the interior with ostrich inserts and flamed stitchwork.
Since Adam finished the truck, he has taken it out to play in the dirt several times. He has also become a volunteer medic for BMX events, which he also participates in. This big, lifted Ford is the perfect vehicle to get him through the rough terrain where the events are held. Also, since it is a truck, it can easily get him to these places along with a full load of gear and bikes.
As he cruises this giant around, people just stare in shock at how high it is. People also come up to him for assistance on building a truck like this for them. Since he is the one who coordinated the buildup, he is able to do the same for others. Now under the name of Insane Trucks, Adam is at it again building vehicles. Of course, the sky is the only limit to how far he can go.
THE 411
Owner/hometown:
Adam Nitte / Burbank, California
Year/make/model:
'00 Ford F-250 crew cab
Engine/drivetrain:
Blue Oval 7.3L diesel / Blue Oval-installed Garret turbocharger / AEM Brute Force intake / Gibson exhaust / Edge Products Evolution computer tuner / Racetrans-rebuilt 4R100 transmission with TCS torque converter / Mag-Hytec differentials and transmission covers
BY: Adam Nitte of Insane Trucks in Burbank, California / Chips Exhaust of Simi Valley, California
Rims:
Front & Rear: Mickey Thompson Classic 16x12-inch
Tires:
Front & Rear: Mickey Thompson Baja Claw 19.5x46x16LT
Suspension:
Front: 18-inch Atlas leaf springs / Off Road Unlimited cross-over steering kit with ram-assist / RaceRunner reservoir shocks / DJ Safety limiter straps / Blue Oval heavy-duty sway bar with custom drop-down links and Energy Suspension bushings
Rear: 14-inch Atlas leaf springs / Off Road Unlimited ladder bars / Donahoe Racing spring hangers / DJ Safety limiter straps / Blue Oval heavy-duty sway bar with custom drop-down links and Energy Suspension bushings
Accessories: World Imports train horn / 2-1/2-gallon air tank to supply horn and for air tools / Viair 480 compressor
Chassis: Insane Trucks 3-inch body lift
By: ORU of Burbank, California / BTW of Azusa, California
Body Mods:
Suncoast Creations ram-air hood / Hannemann fiberglass front bumper and fenders / Bushwacker rear fenders / Precision billet grille / V-Tech billet taillight covers / Grippin' Billet flamed door handles / KC HiLiTES lights and lightbar / Kodiak Sidewinder steps
BY: Adam Nitte of Insane Trucks in Burbank, California
Custom Paint:
Blue Oval Factory red
BY: Studio Auto Body in Glendale, California
Interior:
Stock leather seat with flamed stitchwork / ostrich inserts on center console and door panels / Nu-Image flamed gauges
BY: Michael Cox of Simi Valley, California
Audio/Video:
Eclipse CD3424 head unit / Power Bass 5-1/2-inch components / two Power Bass 1,000-watt amps for mids / four Power Bass 12-inch subwoofers / Power Bass 4,000-watt amp for subs / Nextar navigation system
BY: Michael Cox of Simi Valley, California
Club:
N/A
Special Thanks:
Fernando of Atlas Springs, Mickey Thompson crew, Diamond Tires, Studio Auto Body, Michael Cox of Good Fellows Customs, Edge Products, everyone at BTW, Mega Tronix Alarms, and Meguiar's wax. This build would not be possible without the help of all his sponsors.