Duramax pioneer thread

[TheBac]

Jim659 -- I havent talked to him in years. I remember him to be a very nice guy outside the forums.

I forgot NLDP, too. Those guys were crazy back in the day.

Rich, you bought one of Garrick's trucks? I remember them having a dark green one that was very ahead of its time years ago. They tossed big money at that one.

Just curious, but how many guys on here nowadays were at any of Merchant's three GTGs? I'd imagine a sizeable number of you were still in high school then (or younger ).

 

[JD Dave]

I like these stories. I was very reluctant to buy my 02 after having the 6.5 and 6.2 on the farm. Went to the dealer looking to purchase a gas truck and walked out with a new C/C Dmax. Never really had the money to mod it and never really thought about it. Kept that truck for over 10 years and sold it completely stock and untouched. My LMM was a different story, got it new in April 2007 and I shake my head every time I think about the time and money I've spent on that truck. Reading on DP is what started it for me also, to many people got me interested to narrow it down to just one. It's nice to see there's still lots of good people out there willing to help out and not in it entirely for the money.

 

[Chevy1925]

Just curious, but how many guys on here nowadays were at any of Merchant's three GTGs? I'd imagine a sizeable number of you were still in high school then (or younger ).

hey hey now :angel:

 

[TrailerproPop]

We had a 2000 Ford F-350 PS that replaced a Dodge Cummins that couldn't keep its NV transmission together. The Ford was OK but wasn't optioned for what we were doing. After 9 months I was going to trade it for another Ford with more practical specifications. Stopped at my local Chevy dealer to look at this new Duramax contraption. The biggest draw to me was the Allison transmission! Not so sure about the foreign designed, aluminum head engine. After driving one the dealer told me he had a dually ordered that would be in in about 2 weeks. Made the deal that night. The 2015 2500HD that I'm driving now is the 8th Duramax the business has owned.

In the early 2000's my son Pat and I would go to local tractor pulls. They usually would have a pickup class that would draw in several trucks willing to hook to the sled and become the "Home Town Hero". Hitches would break, driveshafts would break, and clutches would smoke! The winner was more of a survivor than a winner. Some of the crazy fools would actually bring in a new or nearly new truck to hook! I was quoted many times saying I would NEVER hook my truck to a pulling sled! In 2005 we went to the Canfield Fair which was and still is, the biggest pull in our area. Mike Tomac came down from Michigan and put a whoppin' on all the Ford and Dodge contenders, and did it with ease. Word was that Mike was factory sponsored. :rofl: It made sense, he was from Michigan! After watching Mike, I said to my son, "You know, we could do this!". Six weeks later we had a 04 CCSB and sold the 03 gasser Pat was driving. That Winter Pat prepared the truck for competition. Mike's website plus information from the old DP gang was pretty much everything a Duramax owner needed to know to be successful. I made a trip to Eric Merchants' that spring for a transmission rebuild. After watching him disassemble the tranny into a zillion pieces, he said he had never done this before, he wasn't sure if he could get it back together! Yea, right, I said. After the season started we bought a contraption called EFI Live. McRat provided a tune with the purchase and we were on our way. The first two years we had 35 wins, 28 seconds, broke no parts, collected enough prize money to pay for the modifications to the truck. Sure would have been a great time to retire! :rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

 

[MACKIN]

It wasn't easy getting a 2001 either that I recall some dealers didn't even get any! They were allocated to the bigger dealers.Some people were paying WELL OVER MSRP to get there hands on a Injector eating problem! :roflmao:

I owned to 6.5 prior a 93 and a 98.

The Duramax and the Edge Juice was Da Bomb!

 

[durtymax]

Been around diesels my whole life on the farm. Bought my first dmax in 05. Knew Riley (rgullett83) and he said I wonder if they make a programmer for them. A little research and the edge was installed. WOW It was making like 1000hp at the flywheel I think. Jk. But it was crazy to us to this an old oil burner could make that kind of power. Soon learned what limp mode was, then learned what built transmissions were. And this guy by the name of Mike L. that knew about them. Talked with him to discover suncoast. And he told me about Pat. Who said 500hp was possible with this software called efi live. Seemed soooo crazy at the time. So me and Riley(mainly Riley, I not vewy mart) learned about this efi live. Decided to buy and try our own tuning. And like Riley said its been downhill ever since. I drove that truck long enough to put a 6" lift in it, built trans, and dyno at an amazing 420hp on Dunbar's dyno. Then it went under the knife with a D60 under the front and full blown pulling truck with only 68,000 miles on it. It has been a great ride and learned so much and met some great people along the way.

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk

 

[SmokeShow]

Jim659 -- I havent talked to him in years. I remember him to be a very nice guy outside the forums.

I forgot NLDP, too. Those guys were crazy back in the day.

Rich, you bought one of Garrick's trucks? I remember them having a dark green one that was very ahead of its time years ago. They tossed big money at that one.

Just curious, but how many guys on here nowadays were at any of Merchant's three GTGs? I'd imagine a sizeable number of you were still in high school then (or younger ).

The green dually was Garrick's dad's (Mike Gay) truck. Garrick's truck that Rich has got the built engine out of Eric Merchant's blue truck before he went hog wild with it. The engine that Eric had the S480 on that I believe towed you down to Smokin in the Smokies just to see how it would tow? It was the year you towed the Ford back after it went tits up on the dyno. Wasn't that Greg/Dockboy? Eric's engine ate a piston in Garrick's truck after a year or two and it was built into what Rich bought. Garrick's truck pulled harder than Mike's ever did. :thumb:

 

[05smoker]

Just curious, but how many guys on here nowadays were at any of Merchant's three GTGs? I'd imagine a sizeable number of you were still in high school then (or younger ).

I met you in 2008 I think at the pull when I brought the family up for a little vacation in Holland, MI. I wanted to pull in workstock but my wife thought it might not be a good idea since we had to count on the truck to get us 6 hours back home. Details, details.:roflmao:

 

[Slick]

Tom, you were no slouch as far as promoting the Duramax. You were one of the key players.
The DP was the key. It was magic and it may never happen again.
Never have I seen more enthusiasm by a bunch of smart people working together to make something work.
Some great friendships developed back then and a lot of enemies were made as some people got greedy. Too bad that had to happen.

What a great stroll down memory lane. I was lucky enough to join tDP soon after it started. I was addicted to that place. I couldn't wait to log on and see what had been posted. Loved it. You are so right about the enthusiasm and camaraderie Mike. It was awesome.

A few names missing from the several(NLDP, Spruills, Moss, etc) that have already been mentioned that made me want a Dmax are Ratlover(Philip)With the 11 sec. plow truck. Wonder what happened to him? Also BMDMAX(Brandon) from down in Georgia.

I bought my Duramax in 05, stock, from a member of the DP. I knew I wanted a built trans reg cab, with a TTS xtreme tune just like Moss and Ratlover. I will never forget taking it to a local drag strip for the Kuhmo Street Warriors event, and having the fastest vehicle there. This was at the height of the ricer craze and the stands were absolutely packed. I felt like a rockstar.lol So many people came up asking about the truck. People were in absolute awe that a diesel could do that. It was all because of everyone on the DP. Great times.

 

[fast03]

I had a 93' Suburban and the motor had just gone out on me. Purchased a new motor and told the wife lets get rid of this. Did a lot of reading about the Duramax and told the wife this is the truck to buy.:thumb:

That's when it all started, like Chris said above. Met John Hamlin, then Guy, Tony(Moonshine), Mike L., and the McRat's. Thanks to Guy and Tony, EFI was the thing to have and still is. Most of us met up at LACR once a week or every other week for test and tune. Had some really good times back then.

Yep that core so cal group...I was a hanger on. ended up with a pretty fast truck and a small bank acct...lol It was fun being at the front edge of all this. Now with a stock lml I check the website everyday still. Tons of knowledge gained and I ended up being the dmax guru for all my friends that bought trucks because they saw what mine could do. Still tunning a few of them as needed.

 

[Mike L.]

Any of you SoCal guys remember my dyno day in Feb, '04? Man did we corrupt some people.:roflmao:
I remember Guy Tripp bringing every tuner made so everyone could try them. There were a bunch of stock trucks there and the owners swore they would never install a tuner.:baby: That changed fast.:woott::thumb:

 

[Mike L.]

Jim659 -- I havent talked to him in years. I remember him to be a very nice guy outside the forums.

I forgot NLDP, too. Those guys were crazy back in the day.

Rich, you bought one of Garrick's trucks? I remember them having a dark green one that was very ahead of its time years ago. They tossed big money at that one.

Just curious, but how many guys on here nowadays were at any of Merchant's three GTGs? I'd imagine a sizeable number of you were still in high school then (or younger ).

I was there in '07 I think. Some blind fool thought he brought a sheep to impress me and it turned out to be a goat. Guess he didn't see the horns and the tool underneath.:roflmao:

 

[Janimal444]

I was not even old enough to drive when all of this was going on, but I am certainly enjoying reading all of these stories. Must have been cool to be a part of. I joined DP in 2008 when I was 21, a little late to the party but I still learned a lot.

 

[RichLMM]

Jim659 -- I havent talked to him in years. I remember him to be a very nice guy outside the forums.

I forgot NLDP, too. Those guys were crazy back in the day.

Rich, you bought one of Garrick's trucks? I remember them having a dark green one that was very ahead of its time years ago. They tossed big money at that one.

Just curious, but how many guys on here nowadays were at any of Merchant's three GTGs? I'd imagine a sizeable number of you were still in high school then (or younger ).

the green one was mike's Garrick dad I originally was trying to buy it but ended up with garricks as you see in my sig and avatar the green truck isn't far from me though its in new jersey now I've pulled with him a few times now he just can't get it too do anything other than melt the tires off or not shift.

 

[RichLMM]

The green dually was Garrick's dad's (Mike Gay) truck. Garrick's truck that Rich has got the built engine out of Eric Merchant's blue truck before he went hog wild with it. The engine that Eric had the S480 on that I believe towed you down to Smokin in the Smokies just to see how it would tow? It was the year you towed the Ford back after it went tits up on the dyno. Wasn't that Greg/Dockboy? Eric's engine ate a piston in Garrick's truck after a year or two and it was built into what Rich bought. Garrick's truck pulled harder than Mike's ever did. :thumb:

very happy with the one I ended up with bummed at first because on paper mike's truck had so much more in it but after seeing the truck pull in person and how successful and how well the woman has always ran for me i'll always say I got the better deal!

 

[LBZ]

It was actually local guys that got me into my first diesel and it was an '05 Dmax. When I met Simon (Sweetdiesel) he had an '03 CCSB that was lifted and really ripped and he had a couple buddies also with Dmax's. Went for a ride in it and loved it. Shortly after I bought an '05 CCSB. Later that year his '03 got stolen and he ended up in his '05 CCLB which he bought EFI for and tuned it and my '05 and I was hooked.

Couple years later I bought my '07 LBZ and got EFI from McRat and with Simon, Chris (The Neens) and Josh H's help tuned my '07 and got it into the low 13's on stock everything. Started online at The Place and McRat Racing, drove down to Cali for a GTG at Pat and Kat's and met alot of awesome people and the rest is history.

The only fast dmax trucks at the time around me were NADP and Keith in Nasty Girl. That truck especially was really really fast for the time. Outside of Buck, Stuckey, whoever owned Orange Crush, Pat and Brad with the MBRP truck I really didn't follow or watch anyone else to closely but it's cool to look back today and see where they all are now. Great memories!!:thumb:

 

[Pure Diesel]

Any of you SoCal guys remember my dyno day in Feb, '04? Man did we corrupt some people.:roflmao:
I remember Guy Tripp bringing every tuner made so everyone could try them. There were a bunch of stock trucks there and the owners swore they would never install a tuner.:baby: That changed fast.:woott::thumb:

Did not have the fever yet Mike.
Here is a dyno sheet from Feb. or March 2005. A lot of the names have gone by the way side, some still around.

 

[LWATSON]

Man I completely forgot about Nasty Girl. That was a beast, best I remember the owner went through allot of cash putting that truck in the 10.3x back when the heavy hitters were running 11's it was a grocery getter also which made it that much more impressive.

 

[LBZ]

Man I completely forgot about Nasty Girl. That was a beast, best I remember the owner went through allot of cash putting that truck in the 10.3x back when the heavy hitters were running 11's it was a grocery getter also which made it that much more impressive.

Yup.
Engine and trans are gone out of it but Curtis Halverson owns the truck now. It's in Calgary.

 

[sawmilldmax]

Nice post Landon. I took one ride in an '02 LB7 with an Edge, exhaust, air box, and Suncoast trans, and within two miles and a couple burnouts, I knew I was going to own one. I've also met some great people foolin with these old trucks. There are some really smart folks on this site, unfortunately I'm not one of them, but I look and listen quite a lot.