Skimming over Tough Terrain in One Slick Pickup

While that shiny metallic character in the Fantastic Four movie served as a herald to the planet-devouring Galactus, the Silver Surfer shown here has an entirely different mission. Built by Johnny Ramirez of Fusion Bumpers in Payette, Indiana, in just three months (thanks to some capable help from friend Steve Copeland of Expert Auto Care in Fruitland, Indiana) the truck not only serves as a promo rig for his company’s product line, but also effortlessly tackles both hill and dale.

As rolling proof, after showing off Fusion’s new bumpers with recessed Rigid LED lights on the glitzy Vegas Strip at the 2014 SEMA show, he headed south to some gnarly trails in the desert. Running over the rocky terrain was easy-peasy, thanks to substantially upgraded front and rear suspension components and massive tires.

At the front is a McGaughys 7-inch, bolt-on kit with Fox 2.0 Performance Series Shocks. Simplifying the install is the fact that this unit requires no cutting or grinding on the differential (which also makes it easier to revert to a stock setup if need be). “We’ve done several of these kits, and they all went in pretty easy,” notes Ramirez. “And the ride is amazing.”

Bringing up the rear (literally) is a Kelderman Air Ride 6 to 8-inch adjustable kit. Taking the place of the factory suspension, it replaces the rear leaf springs with upper and lower bag plates, adjustable trailing arms, forward mounting side plates and industrial-strength air bags. A Panhard bar and crossmember keep the rearend centered as well for improved stability. Of course, this portion of the install was way more involved. “But it was worth every penny,” he adds. “It rides better than factory—it’s a great system.”

In addition to improved ride quality over traditional leaf springs, this air suspension provides the benefit of adjustability, he points out. So this setup can be lowered to a 2-inch lift to make it easier for loading the bed or hooking up to a trailer. And unhooking can be done in a jiffy by lowering the trailer jack, dumping the air out of the suspension and pulling straight ahead. Then flip a lever (or use the optional remote) to return the suspension to its 6 to 8-inch ride height. Speaking of towing, the lift kit also provides a larger rear sway bar to minimize body roll. “It provides a lot of stability,” Ramirez says.

Both the front and rear lifts were installed by Copeland at Expert Auto Care. All told, this custom suspension makes room for tires as large as 38 inches in diameter. Ramirez chose to go with 37 inchers instead, 37X13.50R22LT Toyo Open Country M/T rubber to be specific. They’re mounted on BMF Wheels 22X10.5-inch Rehab wheels, which were hydro-dipped with a carbon fiber treatment on the large lip of the wheels while the center features a gloss black finish. “I just liked the looks of the 37 x 22s,” he explains.

For more grunt to get up the grades while maintaining emissions compliance, Ramirez modified the motor with a FASS Platinum fuel pump and filter system. Enhanced power delivery also comes from Diamond Eye’s single 5-inch DPF Back exhaust. While he doesn’t provide any specific details about power gains, he does like the improved throttle response and exhaust note. Handling the increased workloads is an ATS Five Star torque converter with hardened turbine splines. “I know the folks at ATS well, and the torque converter locks up real nice.”

Monitoring the vital signs of the Duramax is a CTS Insight from Edge Products. This all-in-one digital unit displays up to eight different types of data at a time. It also provides acceleration data and engine diagnostics from the vehicle’s computer, along with both visual and audible safety alerts. For off-roading in the rugged areas we experienced, it also displays “pitch and roll” and real-time G-Force.

Getting back to those beefy bumpers noted at the outset, when Ramirez developed them, he found that the frame design had been improved on the 2015 GMC, especially in the hitch area, simplifying his job somewhat. Even so, the front bumpers posed more of a challenge due to the integrated sensor array. Once done, however, he came up with a clean, full-width configuration with a thick, 1/4-inch full face plate that conforms to the body contours. And the high-cut approach angle on the sides exposes more of those big Toyo meats.

Painted to match the body color, the bumpers have recessed Rigid Dually D2 LED fog lights in the front, and Dually D2 LED backup lights integrated into the rear bumper. Fitted above the front bumper is a mesh grille from Rolling Big Power. Adding to the exterior mods are door handles and side mirrors custom-painted by Payette Collision Center, which also smoked the lights. Auto Shades tinted the side glass to tone down the greenhouse effect in the cabin. In the cargo area, a Retrax Pro cover lifts up to expose a Bed Rug liner. AMP Research power running boards deploy for easier access to the elevated cockpit.

Evidently, this sort of project truck has done well for Ramirez since DieselSellerz snapped it up right away for a raffle contest. So, he was able to quickly recoup his investment and plans to show off even more project trucks now—about 48 in all—at the 2015 SEMA Show. It goes to show how compelling a shiny metallic character can be. UDBG

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