BETTER WITH AGE

ONE IMMACULATE, 800HP, ’98 12-VALVE

The ’98 Dodge Ram 2500 and 3500 Quad Cabs are some of the most sought after trucks in the diesel segment. When this model year was introduced, rear opening doors were an option for the first time, yet it was the last time the 12-valve Cummins would be offered. Some 20 years on, it’s hard to find any remnants of this somewhat rare breed of Ram, let alone come across one in good shape. Luckily, enthusiasts are always on the prowl for a gem—and when they find one, they pounce. When Johnny Ramirez got his hands on the spotless ’98 you see here, he had big plans for the P-pumped second-gen. Six years later, having endured his fair share of trials and tribulations along the way, he’s pieced together the ultimate old-school cruiser.

Reliability, One Way or Another

As is unfortunately sometimes the case with pre-owned trucks, Johnny found out the hard way that the engine and transmission in his ’98 weren’t exactly what the seller advertised. Cylinder five and six were hurt and the “built” 47RE was nowhere near being up to the task of handling four-digit torque. Luckily, reliability was more important than cost for Johnny. He had the folks at Big Twin Diesel rebuild and reinforce the 5.9L at its Meridian, Idaho, facility, and also placed an order for a Stage 6 47RE from ATS Diesel.

Competition-ready B-series

Overbuilt in nearly every way, the battle-ready B-series sports an Industrial Injection Gorilla Girdle, Carrillo rods, Diamond Racing

pistons, and a Stage 3 Colt cam. For added