Greg Alberalla’s Snowball That Turned Into a Rocket

When Greg Alberalla (@_Greg_a) picked up his shortbed, regular-cab project truck just two years ago, the plan was simple: Buy a clean, 800-horsepower rig and keep it relatively simple. But, if you know anything about Greg and his other high-performance builds, you’ll know that “simple” quickly flies out the window. Enter “Shawtyy”—a truck that didn’t just roll downhill. It full-on snowballed into a ground-up project that now makes a pile of horsepower.

But before we dive into the madness that is Shawtyy, let’s take a step back and talk about why this truck is so special in the first place.

Shortbed, regular-cab trucks have always had a certain “cool factor” to them. They look sporty, handle well, and stand out in a crowd, especially because you just don’t see many of them rolling around with diesel engines. It’s like that unicorn you spot once in a blue moon at a truck meet. Greg has always loved this body style because it was never offered with a diesel from the factory. In his words, they’re “fairly rare to find a nice clean truck” that hasn’t been beaten down by years of abuse.

So, when Greg found this particular shortbed truck, already converted to diesel, making 800 horsepower, and looking fresh from the pictures and videos, he thought he hit the jackpot. The idea was to scoop it up and keep it simple. But anyone who’s ever bought a “clean” project truck knows that what you see online and what you get in real life don’t always match up.

The plan was to pick up the truck, drive it home, and maybe make a few tweaks down the line. Spoiler alert: that did not happen.

In fact, it took everything Greg had just to limp the truck 10 hours back to his shop. With the front driveshaft removed due to vibrations and a spaghetti-like wiring job that nearly left them stranded on the side of the road, the “clean” truck started showing its true colors real quick.

“We in fact almost barely made it the 10-hour trip home with the truck… crappy wiring about left us stranded,” Greg recalls.

Sounds fun, right? Well, that was just the start.

Once he got it home, the real work began. And by “work,” we mean Greg and his team basically tore the entire truck apart. We’re talking every wiring harness pulled, all the body panels removed (minus the cab), and the entire powertrain and drivetrain yanked out. You name it—it was touched, tweaked, or completely overhauled. What started as a quick pick-up project snowballed into a complete rebuild.

As Greg dove deeper into the project, it became clear that this truck was destined for more than just a simple refresh. It started to remind him of his 2005 build, so much so that he started calling it the “Mini ’05.” And with good reason—most of the leftover parts from the ’05, including the brake kit and turbo setup, found their way onto Shawtyy.

While the original plan was to keep things low-key, Greg isn’t exactly known for doing things halfway. Once he realized there was no turning back, the goal shifted. Shawtyy was going to make 1,000 horsepower, be fun to drive on the street, and still be reliable enough to take on long trips—a tall order for any diesel truck, but especially for one that started out as a “clean” basket case.

After two years of wrenching on Shawtyy in the off-hours, the truck is finally where Greg wants it (for now). It’s a beast on the street, with 1,000-horsepower under the hood, and can still be driven anywhere Greg wants to take it. Of course, it wouldn’t be a true Greg A. build without some future plans on the horizon. He teases that Shawtyy is “far from being complete and will soon be going under another full makeover very soon with even more horsepower in mind.”

So, while the truck might be street-ready now, you can bet Greg’s going to keep pushing the envelope—because that’s just what he does.

One of the coolest things about this build is that it’s 100% Greg’s vision. From the wiring harnesses to the turbo setup, Greg’s touch is on every part of this truck. He’s not just swapping out parts; he’s perfecting every inch of it. That’s what makes this build so personal and why the diesel world keeps tuning in to see what he does next.

For those following the build, Shawtyy’s journey is far from over. It’s not just a showpiece—it’s a full-fledged race truck with more power and upgrades on the way. But beyond that, it’s a testament to Greg’s passion and attention to detail. This truck might’ve started as a clean, low-maintenance addition to the fleet, but under Greg’s care, it’s become a beast that’s ready to dominate on the street and the track. In typical Greg fashion, there’s no such thing as “done.”

“Like all my builds, this truck is far from being complete,” he says.

With future plans to boost horsepower even further and give the truck another makeover, the Shawtyy saga is just getting started.

If you’re a fan of high-horsepower diesel builds, Greg Alberalla’s Shawtyy is one to keep an eye on. Trust us—this is a truck you don’t want to miss.