Wayne Sayetsitty is into his big red trucks, and it’s more a family tradition than just a hobby. You see, Wayne is as proud of his Native American heritage as he is of his big red Chevys. And though this truck may look fancy, it gets its fair share of use and abuse, the same way his father and uncles all used their trucks.
Under the hood is the venerable Duramax diesel engine. Upgrades include a PPE Hot+2 tuner,
Wayne is a smart businessman and Native American entrepreneur, so when he recognized the skill and talent of the fabricators at Randy Ellis Design he opted to give them free reign when building his then-new ’09 Chevy 2500HD. The resulting machine works as well as it looks. Yes, those are 22-inch wheels, but that doesn’t mean it’s a street cruiser. This truck has been battered on Arizona rocks and hammered down desert two-tracks, and can still look good heading out on the town. A solid axle lives up front with 40-inch tires, but unlike some “disco” trucks, this one has had extensive bodywork to keep it from getting too tall.
To clear the 40-inch Toyo Open Country M/Ts on 22-inch XD series rims, the front wheelwell
You won’t miss this truck running down the road, and you may be surprised when you see it flexing up on the trail, but this is a shape-shifter of sorts, always rising to the occasion wherever its 40-inch Toyos may lead. No matter what, Wayne’s warrior blood should be proud of such a majestic ride.
Tech Specs
2009 Chevrolet 2500 HD
Drivetrain
Engine: Duramax Diesel, PPE Hot+2 tuner, FASS fuel air separator, Banks Power intake and dual exhaust
Transmission: Allison automatic built by Arizona Precision Transmission
Transfer case: Hybrid NVG-273 with manual shift
Front Axle: Power Wagon AAM 91⁄4, selectable locker, 4.56 gears, Solid Axle Spyntec hub conversion
Rear Axle: 111⁄2 AAM, 4.56 gears, ARB Air Locker
Suspension
Springs & Such: (front) King 21⁄2x12-inch coilover shocks, Light racing Jounce shocks, Randy Ellis Design 5-link solid axle swap; (rear) factory leaf springs, lift blocks, airbags, King 21⁄2 shocks
Tires & Wheels: 40x13.50R22 Toyo Open Country M/Ts on 22-inch XD series wheels
Steering: Icon Vehicle Dynamics steering damper
Other Stuff: Bodywork on fenders to clear 40-inch tires, Randy Ellis Design bumper, 16.5 TI Warn winch, KC 6-inch slim lights and POD HID lights, custom interior by Mendoza’s Auto Interior, custom paint by Kandy Shop Kreations, High Angle Driveline driveshafts, custom stereo by Stereo Joes, Transfer Flow extra-capacity tank, billet grille, Mag-Hytec transmission pan, differential covers
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Wayne had been to Randy Ellis Design for work on an older red Chevy, so when he came home
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Inside it is a luxury wigwam with leather by Mendoza’s Auto Interiors. The beats come from
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The transfer case is a modified NVG-273 made to shift manually but retain the shift motor
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The Randy Ellis Design–built front five-link suspension uses 2x0.25-wall lower links and 1
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The long red link suspension has been engineered for flexibility and minimal caster change
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Rear axle duties are held by the stock 11.5 AAM axle, but now stuffed with 4.56s and an AR