SEMA Showstopper: Joey Gaynor’s Custom 2013 RAM 2500

The SEMA Show is a melting pot, bringing together cars and trucks of all styles and builders from different backgrounds, all in the name of automotive passion fueled by the desire to be unique. Builders from around the world have the opportunity to showcase their talents and attention to detail. One of the trucks that caught our eye out at the show this year was this cherry red 2013 RAM 2500 owned by Joey Gaynor of Westbury, NY.

Gaynor has been into customizing cars and trucks since before he had a driver’s license. After years in the car scene he decided to cross over to trucks and 3 years ago picked up a Cummins to start building. With the help of friend and shop owner Richie Strube of Richie’s Truck & Auto the build began with a custom red powder coated BDS 8” Long Arm System rolling on a set of 37s. From there, little by little the build took shape more mods were made inside and out as Gaynor saved up the money for parts.

Whenever the truck wasn’t under the knife for its latest mod, the owner was using the truck for his daily commute and getting it cleaned up on the weekends for shows around the northeast. With the truck getting some notoriety around Long Island, Gaynor and Strube set their eye on a bigger stage, the SEMA Show in Las Vegas. After reaching out to a few companies about show placement they got the green light from Bodyguard Bumpers for a featured vehicle spot, sending this build into high gear. The truck that was by all accounts “SEMA ready” went under the knife to get nearly completely stripped down in preparation for the show. Bumpers, suspension and accessories were pulled and prepped for fresh paint or powdercoat. More accessories found their way onto the truck. Underneath every nut and bolt was replaced, the driveshafts were polished and new wheels and tires were ordered. In just fi ve short weeks this RAM was completely overhauled by Joey, his brother Chris, Richie and his crew. It was a photo fi nish as the truck was reassembled just in time to be loaded up and hauled across country to Las Vegas for Gaynor’s fi rst, and likely not last, SEMA Show. The long hours and sleep deprivation seemed worth every second by the grin on his face. “The opportunity of a lifetime,” Gaynor says about attending SEMA. Over the three years the RAM took shape it became more than a hobby; it became a passion. Along with his brother, Gaynor credits his girlfriend Kelly “for putting up with all the shows and running around with me doing the truck stuff. Any other girl would have run the other way.”

THAT BODY

While there’s a time and a place for over-thetop paint and graphics, we love the super clean red and silver two-tone paint scheme carried throughout this build with accents of chrome in just the right places. Up front the original grille was changed out for the 2016 factory chrome “RAM” grille before going fully custom with a laser-cut Gravel Empire setup just prior to the show. Bumpers are from Bodyguard with a color matched A2L series up front mounting a pair Monster Hook swivel hooks along with dual 30” OLB light bars and four OLB cubes. Finishing off the front end, a set of Retro Shop projector headlights give a clean, custom appearance. Bushwacker OE-style fender fl ares are added, fi nished in silver to match the factory rockers and tie in the color scheme from bumper to bumper. Out back, a set of custom painted Recon taillights are added along with a Bodyguard A2 series bumper with OLB fl ush mount cubes and Monster Hook recovery shackles. The bed is lined in Line-X and fi nished in a Bed Rug carpet. Undercover Swing Cases add extra storage and the bed is capped off with an Undercover Elite LX tonneau cover. A set of Amp Research PowerSteps swing down to make jumping up into the cab less of a chore.

UNDER THE HOOD

The 6.7L Cummins remains largely untouched with stock internals and most of the mods coming in the form of bolt-on accessories and new tuning. An S&B intake was added along with an aFe BladeRunner intake manifold to get the air in. To get the air out, a Jamo Performance 5” turbo back exhaust system was added. Performance tuning is a combination of Bully Dog diesel GT tuner, along with EFI Live and a PPEI custom tune.

Power is sent through the stock 68RFE transmission that received a Mag-Hytec finned trans pan. The stock transfer case received a BDS indexing ring and the stock driveshafts were sanded and polished to a mirror finish. The axles received 4.56 Yukon gearing and heavy duty diff covers finished in astatic red powder coat.

UP IN THE AIR

Giving this truck its extra altitude is a BDS coilover long arm system. This system corrects the suspension geometry and couples with the FOX coilover and auxiliary shocks to offer a smooth ride and impressive handling. The coilovers are FOX 2.5 factory series with Eibach coils, set to 12 inches of lift. To help with body roll the stock sway bar was pulled in favor of a stiffer setup custom built by Richie’s Truck and Auto. Out back, the rear suspension features a BDS GlideRide leaf springs, 3” aluminum blocks, extended shackles and a pair of FOX 3.0 factory series remote reservoir shocks. For wheels and tires, Gaynor went with 38×13.50 Nitto Trail Grapplers mounted on 24×14 American Force MP Edge8 wheels. This truck is without a doubt a head turner, beautifully built and ready for the weekly commute or weekend shows.

[divider]2013 DODGE RAM 2500 WESTBURY, NY[/divider]

ENGINE/DRIVETRAIN:

6.7L Cummins diesel
S&B cold air intake
Bully Dog diesel GT tuner
EFI Live & PPEI custom tuning
68RFE with Mag-Hytec transmission pan
Jamo Performance 5” turbo-back exhaust system
4.56 Yukon gears
Mag-Hytec rear diff cover

SUSPENSION/DRIVETRAIN:

BDS coilover long arm system (set at 12” of lift)
FOX 2.5 factory series remote reservoir coilovers with Eibach springs
FTS auxiliary shock hoop
FOX 2.5 factory series remote reservoir front auxiliary shocks w/ Aeromotive anodized reservoir hoses and Chassis Unlimited reservoir clamps
FOX 2.0 dual remote reservoir steering stabilizers
BDS GlideRide rear leaf springs w/ 3” aluminum blocks and extended shackles
FOX 3.0 factory series remote reservoir rear shocks
Traction bars fabricated by Richie’s Truck & Auto

WHEELS & TIRES:

38×13.50×24 Nitto Trail Grappler Tires
24×14 American Force MP Edge8 Wheels

BODY & PAINT:

Gravel Empire laser cut grille
Bodyguard A2L series front bumper
Dual 30” OLB light bars and OLB cubes
Bodyguard A2 series rear bumper
MonsterHook swivel hook and shackles
Amp Research PowerSteps
Undercover Elite LX tonneau cover
Retro Shop projection headlights
Recon taillights
RBP locking fuel door