May 2013 Readers’ Diesels - Custom Trucks

Homegrown Diesel RigsSport Utility Vehicle
Year/Make/Model: 1986 GMC TopKick
Owner: Joe Serra
Hometown: Palm Desert, California
Odometer: 92,012 miles
Fuel Economy: 14 mpg
Engine: CAT 3208T V-8
Transmission: Allison MT653 automatic
Axles: Marmon-Herrington MT11 (front), Eaton 19060S (rear)
Mods: Frame and rear driveline were shortened, and a subframe was added to support the new dualie bed
Owner says: The truck was initially converted by Fontaine Truck Modifications for use as a Southern California Edison utility vehicle. After SCE, it had a few other owners in different states, before ending up in Texas where it sat for years. I bought the truck off eBay in early 2012 and immediately shipped it off to Mike Powell at Big *** Trucks in Salvisa, Kentucky. Mike did the conversion work to add the new dualie bed, and when it was complete I picked it up and drove it home to California. Since then, I have been detailing and tweaking the 27-year-old beast and using it as my daily driver. I keep it clean and basicthats what I like. I enjoy wrenching on it on the weekends. In Southern California, you can wrench year-roundand that makes me happy.



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