Diesel Street Trucks: Race, Show, Drive

If you've been involved in diesel trucks for the last few years, you might've noticed a LOT of them are starting to follow a similar recipe:

• A small leveling kit, or lowered/reverse leveled
• 22" to 26" wheels on a 33" or 35" tire
  
• A large S400 single turbo, or compound turbos
• 100% to 200% over injectors (or the equivalent)
• Built transmission
• All supporting mods (head studs, FASS Fuel System, traction bars, etc)

These hybrid race/show trucks, what we here at FASS refer to as "diesel street trucks", are daily driveable, 800-1,000+ horsepower monsters that can burn the tires off at-will, and look great doing it. 

And, while massive lifts and huge tires will always be popular, these high performance street trucks are simply dominating the diesel truck industry right now.

After all, who doesn't love a truck that can get you to work, take home a trophy at a show, and smoke (literally) a Corvette on your way home?

The Rise of the Street Truck

But wait—fast diesel trucks aren't a new concept...

And while that's true, the "diesel street truck" is a very specific style that has grown a massive following in just a few short years. For a long time, there wasn't much cross-over between show trucks and race trucks.

There were obviously exceptions, but most trophy-worthy trucks simply weren't making 1,200hp.

As diesel performance has grown, and the internet has made information easier to access, more owners are building a killer-looking truck that can win an award at a show, and do a nasty, smokey burnout on the way out.

 

The Preferred "Street Truck" Platforms

The "Street Truck" style of building BIG power in a comfortable, practical-ish, killer looking truck is easier with certain platforms than others. That said, there are a few stand-out trucks that owners seem to prefer, including:

• 2007-2018 Ram 2500/3500 with the 6.7 Cummins
  • Why it's popular: The 3rd/4th Gen Cummins are fantastic platforms for a "Street Truck" because they can make a LOT of power relatively easily, are affordable to buy, and don't feature encrypted ECMs or CGI blocks like later models.
    
    
• 2003-2007 F-250/F-350 with the 6.0 Powerstroke
  • Why it's popular: Head gasket jokes aside, the 6.0 Powerstroke is often an extremely affordable platform to get into, and once the common issues are fixed, can be an absolute animal on the street. Not to mention, this generation of Super Duty looks incredible with very few upgrades.
    
    
• 2011-2022 F-250/F-350 with the 6.7 Powerstroke
  • Why it's popular: The 2011-2022 6.7 Powerstroke is a fan-favorite when it comes to show-worthy, rowdy trucks. After all, the 6.7 Powerstroke is just a few modifications from being a true tire-melter!
    
    
• 2017-2019 Chevrolet/GMC 2500/3500 with the 6.6 L5P Duramax
  • Why it's popular: Before any Duramax fans get offended—the '17-'19 L5P is NOT the only Duramax that fits the bill here. In fact, there are so many options for a Duramax-powered street truck, we had to narrow it down a bit.
    
    The 2017-2019 L5P in particular is the most affordable version of the latest Duramax, can readily be modified, and has some serious potential—even with just minor upgrades.

Ok, so what's the downside?

Make no mistake—it's not all sunshine and rainbows with these trucks. As you'd expect, modifying a diesel truck to perform in ways that far exceed what the OEM intended has a cost—and sometimes a big one. 

The biggest obstacles with these trucks can include:

• Cost: While making 800hp or more with the platforms listed above might be simple, it's not cheap. You can realistically expect to spend $15,000-$30,000+ on parts and tuning in most cases, if not more. 
  
  
• More power, more maintenance: Surprise surprise—these trucks aren't designed to handle 4th gear burnouts without breaking now and then. As the horsepower climbs, so too does the wear and tear on components. 
  
  
• Legality: It's not fun to think about, but removing emissions equipment (common with most Street Truck builds) is federally illegal in the United States. Yes, it still happens, but no, it's not legal (despite what the internet will tell you). 
  
  And, in some situations, having a modified diesel truck can be a real headache. From failing inspections to shops refusing to work on them, certain states and counties do not look kindly on missing emissions equipment.

Long Live Horsepower

As diesel truck enthusiasts ourselves, we love seeing all these rowdy, neck-breaking trucks being built. While 24" wheels and shiny paint isn't for everyone, we haven't met many people who object to 900hp...

If you have questions about parts for your diesel truck, regardless of your goal, give our team a shout! We're proud to offer some of the best brands in the industry, including but not limited to:

• American Force Wheels
• BDS Suspension
• Edge Products
• FASS Fabrication and Design
• Fury Tires
• Industrial Injection
• KG1 Forged Wheels
• Nitto Tires
• No-Limit Fabrication
• Smeding Diesel 
• S&S Diesel
• And more! 

Not sure what you need? Contact our team by phone at (636) 429-7020, or shoot us an email to info@fassmotorsports.com!

Please note: Due to federal laws and regulations, we do not sell, promote, or offer access to emissions defeating or non-compliant parts. Under no circumstance will FASS Motorsports staff have access to or share information about these parts, as they are federally illegal.