Jake McKiddie and the Ultimate Phat Phabz Dually

Bigger is better”—it’s a saying we’ve all heard, but for Jake McKiddie, it’s a way of life. As the owner and master fabricator behind Phat Phabz, Jake has carved out a reputation for pushing the limits of custom automotive design. His shop’s builds aren’t for the faint of heart, and his latest project proves once again that when it comes to custom trucks, he’s operating on an entirely different level.

Living in Choctaw, Oklahoma—where dual-wheeled trucks are as common as thunderstorms—Jake knew that if he was going to tackle another custom dually, it had to truly stand out. He wasn’t aiming to just build a showpiece; he needed a truck that could pull a heavy gooseneck during the week and shine under the lights at any major truck show on the weekend.

To make that vision a reality, Phat Phabz started by stripping the truck down to its bones. Jake and crew removed the factory frame and hand-fabricated a fully custom tube chassis, designed from the ground up. The new frame allows the truck to lay completely flat—rocker panels kissing the pavement—while still being strong enough to haul serious weight.

Squeezing the 6.6L Duramax diesel engine back into the custom chassis was no easy feat. Jake’s team meticulously re-engineered the engine placement, carefully remounting all factory sensors and modules to ensure the powertrain could communicate flawlessly with the 10-speed automatic transmission—all while preserving enough clearance to tuck it neatly under the stock hood.

Once the body and bed were repositioned on the new frame, the real magic began. An immense amount of custom sheetmetal work was required to fit the massive 30-inch JTX Crater wheels, which now tuck effortlessly under widened, hand-fabricated fenders. To keep the look clean and aggressive, the crew shaved the bed and bumper steps and bed rail and tailgate caps, leaving behind a sleek, unbroken profile that’s nothing short of stunning.

One of the most painstaking parts of the project was modifying the factory Duramax hood. Jake’s crew went the extra mile, maintaining the appearance of the stock ram air intake while crafting custom sheetmetal underneath to accommodate the reworked intake piping—a detail that perfectly captures their obsession with both form and function.

The payoff came at the 2025 Forbidden Fantasy Show & Shine at the Avi Resort & Casino in Laughlin, Nevada. After the long haul from Choctaw, the freshly finished dually rolled onto the grass, wearing a breathtaking Cypress Gray paint job that shimmered under the desert sun. Seeing the truck laid out flat, commanding attention and admiration from every corner of the show, was the ultimate reward for Jake and the entire Phat Phabz crew.

But this build wasn’t just about creating a beautiful truck—it was about redefining what’s possible when craftsmanship, engineering, and vision collide. Jake McKiddie didn’t just build a big truck; he built a working piece of art, proving once again that at Phat Phabz, bigger isn’t just better—it’s the only way.