This Dually Died a Legend

DAMN IT, BROTHER, THAT THING LOOKS LIKE A TANK!” MATT THURSTON HAD HEARD IT ALL—BUT NOT THAT HIS TRUCK RESEMBLED A TANK. THAT ONE PUT A GRIN ON HIS FACE. THE BOYS AT THE OILRIG HAD COME RUNNING DOWN THE HILLS: IT SEEMED LIKE THEY WERE MORE STRUCK BY MATT’S BUILD THAN THE BLACK TAR SHOOTING INTO THE SKY.

Back then, Matt delivered parts to failed oilrigs, often to remote locations within vast stretches of desert. It was a tough, around-the-clock gig; once, an oil field caught fire just before Matt arrived. So, he needed something that could weather a beating and haul a serious load. Put bluntly, he needed a diesel: The problem was he didn’t know which one to get.

BOASTING 1,102 TORQUE AND 495 HORSEPOWER, THE BROWN BOMBER WAS INDEED, SOMETHING OF A TANK”

THE PROWL

When his buds heard he was on the hunt for a new truck, opinions came flying in from all original 13 states. Matt ignored most of them, and when he found a rugged brown 2011 Ram, he bought it and called it a-quits. He had never seen a truck roll out of the factory with such a unique paint job; it was so beautiful that he didn’t feel the need to modify it. Also, it was a dually, which meant he could haul all the rig parts and tools he ever wanted: No truck needed to get built.

GAME CHANGER

Then again, his big, new Cummins felt a little too close the ground. Trekking through those deserts, chances were high that a large rock or dip in the dirt could cut up the underside. A little ground clearance was necessary. So, Matt decided to install a 2-inch leveling kit. With the modified stance, Matt reckoned that new Goodyear G124 mud-and-snow 245/75r22.5 tires, 10-lug semi truck style, should be placed in the front and rear, wrapped around Alcoa classic 22.5” wheels. Further, the new tires and wheels inspired Matt to dig up a pair of spiked hubcaps that looked pretty dangerous while spinning. To insulate his truck from as much damage as possible, Matt sprayed-on bed liner by Line-X on the fender flairs, side steps and most noticeably, the bumper and grille. After these mod’s, it was clear that Matt’s new truck was no longer going to remain stock: The Brown Bomber was born.

WHAT ABOUT PERFORMANCE?

Driving roughly an 8,000 lb. truck loaded down with oilrig parts can definitely affect driving capabilities. So, a 64mm hybrid turbocharger by Industrial Injection was plumbed to the engine, and because he felt he needed something to back up all the Bomber’s newfound power, a 68rfe transmission built internally by J.D. Robinson was stuck to the back of the Cummins, programmed by a H&S Mimi Max running Hot Damn tuning.

Custom 5” turbo back to dual 6” Bullhorn stacks were also made and installed on the truck, which were built by Matt. In fact, besides a little help from his buddies at 5R Trucks, Matt did most of the work on The Brown Bomber himself: At every point, he was intimately involved in the truck’s build.

And in the end, he couldn’t have been happier with his rig. It did everything he wanted it to, and it looked better than he ever thought it could. Boasting 1,102 torque and 495 horsepower, The Brown Bomber was indeed, something of a tank. And Matt finally had a truck to take him back and forth from the treacherous oil fields.

DOWN FOR THE COUNT

Sadly, The Brown Bomber isn’t on the road these days: Stripped, doors removed, and raised on a lift, it looked sad and defeated, like an old champ that had gone the distance one too many times—the sad, cold truth—was that Matt’s work was a truck killer. And shortly after things started falling apart under the hood, Matt hung up his gloves as well.

MATT DID MOST OF THE WORK ON THE BROWN BOMBER HIMSELF: AT EVERY POINT, HE WAS INTIMATELY INVOLVED IN THE TRUCK’S BUILD”

Today, Matt runs his own trucking business, and other guys drive around the country for him. It’s safe. It’s quiet, and he doesn’t have to beat up any beautiful truck while he makes money; how-ever, he still gets behind the wheel occasionally. He can’t help it: He loves drivin’. And on the weekends, he takes out his new beaut…a truck he calls The Night Train. It isn’t quite as legendary as The Brown Bomber yet, but who knows? Maybe this ride will grace the pages of UDBG in issues to come, too. Meanwhile, all we can say is, RIP, Brown Bomber. UDBG

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