One Strong Bold Diesel

The November issue of Diesel Tech featured a mouth-watering story by Colin Peterson about a striking 2006 LBZ Duramax Chevy 2500HD. The owner hasn't even turned 20 yet, but he's certainly demonstrated where his passions lie. It's a long detailed look at not only what this diesel beauty has become, but at the challenges the young owner overcame to make it happen.

One of the best features of this story is the quantity of photos accompanying it. When you start scrolling down the page (on the website) you half wonder if this is only a montage of photography and whether the full story would be there at all, but indeed it's there, with abundant detail.

The owner is Chastin Tollakson of Murdo, Sough Dakota. Murdo, for reference, is on South Dakota's Western prairie between the Missouri River and Rapid City. There's undoubtedly a sign there that says 81 miles to Wall Drug. (Trivia: Did you know that the Missouri River is the longest river in North America? Yes, it is even longer than the Mississippi.)

Peterson begins with a little background, writing that the youth "has worked tremendously hard to get to where he is now with his 2006 LBZ Duramax Chevy 2500HD. The truck is his daily driver as well as his work vehicle. With zero rust, a custom black and white paint job, and a whole lot of big upgrades, this truck is full of character and looks newer than it is. The paint scheme also has a silver stripe between the black and white tones midway up the rig, helping it to stand out even more, especially when someone gets up close to it."

One reason there are so many cool photos of this truck is that Chastin is quite active on Instagram. Evidently he's built up quite a following.

The LBZ began its life as a farm truck, no doubt working its tail off for a few years. Chastin bought it and began personalizing it, turning it into his daily driver. 

Chastin is a model of what it takes to succeed in life. He knew what he wanted, worked very hard and saved his money in order to buy it, illustrating the principle of delayed gratification. Once he owned the truck, he had a lot of the work performed at a pair of top notch diesel shops in Idaho and Montana. He's also learned a little about how to do other kinds of upgrades and how to add accessories. Some of these include "a 7- to 9-inch Cognito lift kit with aftermarket traction bars and Air Lift air bags sitting on Cooper Discoverer STT Pro 37-inch tires wrapped around 20-inch Hostile wheels." 

The work he's done under the hood says a lot. In addition to rebuilding the engine, "every other part on the motor was replaced or rebuilt," he says.

Peterson outlines all the add-ons inside the engine compartment and it's extensive, more than two paragraphs worth. Add the bodywork and his stereo system with Bose speakers and you have a standout venue for any tailgate party. The lights under the wheelwell are as sweet as cherries.

There's much more to this story, so you really need to head of to the full account at Diesel Tech. This young man is well on his way to being a hero in the Diesel Army.

Read the full story here: Strong & Bold

https://www.dieseltechmag.com/2021/01/strong-bold

Kudos to the builders who helped Chastin with his dream:

PowerTech Diesel in Idaho Falls, Idaho
G&J Diesel in Billings, Montana

Full list of suppliers for Chastin's upgrades is found at the end of the Diesel Tech story.