Dylan Terry’s HD Silverado Stunner

Everyone has their own specific vision of a dream truck. This is what makes going to custom truck shows so exciting—you just never know what you’re going to see. Dylan Terry of Millstadt, Illinois, could’ve sunk his teeth into just about any type of pickup out there, but the one he wanted to build the most is the one you are looking at now. The second-generation Silverado has been at the center of his truck obsession for years, and he finally reached a point when he was able to build his ’07 2500 HD to match the one he had conjured in his dreams.

In a brief two-year period, Dylan was able to transform his Silverado from stock condition to a customized version that features very personal alterations that satisfy his evolving automotive taste. To start, Dylan had pictured his dream truck sitting at a slightly lowered (leveled) ride height. To make this a reality, he installed drop shackles at the rear to bring the back half down just enough to match the stance of the front end. While dialing in the correct altitude was of utmost importance, Dylan also wanted to increase his truck’s ride quality. To assist with this, he installed Fox Racing shocks all around, and to gain much better response from the suspension system, a set of CalTracs traction bars were also thrown into the mix.

Major upgrades were also made to the Silverado’s steering system in the form of beefier tie rods, pitman and idler arms, as well as a center link brace to keep everything strong and steady. With the rollout of all these extensive modifications to the chassis, Dylan had only one manufacturer in mind to provide a high-quality set of wheels for the project. Liberty Forged specializes in creating wheels for heavy-duty and lifted trucks, and each set it produces showcases the precision workmanship that is wildly attributed to the brand. Model LBTY26 wheels were selected for their obvious benchmark in strength but also the attractive, modern design placed at center stage for all to behold. Dylan then selected Nitto Terra Grappler rubber to wrap them in to take on and overcome any paved road or off-road detour in his path.

The Silverado’s factory Duramax engine was next to receive performance upgrades. From a Garrett 64mm turbo to a PPE exhaust manifold and up-pipes, a Banks intercooler and Mishimoto radiator, and improvements made to the 6.6L’s top and bottom end, Dylan’s rig was quickly turning into a legitimate beast. To keep up with the truck’s newfound power output, HT Performance was contacted to build a transmission to handle 800 hp and 1,400 lb-ft of torque! With a drivetrain setup this good, Dylan was ready to move onto the next phase of the build.

There was no temptation to look further than a factory GM paint selection to refresh the Silverado’s surface, so Dylan stuck to what he was already familiar with. Cory Gotschall first prepped the body then sprayed fresh coats of color and clear to regain the Silverado’s luster once again. Its doesn’t get much more classic than Blue Granite metallic paint for a later model GM pickup, but to update the truck’s appearance, Dylan replaced the worn-out headlight housings with new AlphaRex Nova LED projector units that have since been color matched, and added Go Recon cab lights that were also color matched for the sake of consistency.

Dylan wanted to make some changes inside of the cab but didn’t want to go too far off the deep end. What he envisioned was ditching the rear bench seat and replacing it with pair of leather bucket seats and a Yukon center console planted between them. The list of custom touches within the interior isn’t extensive but enough to gain a great deal of positive response.

“Aside from the factory paint color and factory sunroof that makes the truck very rare, I couldn’t be happier with the rear captain seat setup,” Dylan admits.

While there is nothing that Dylan wishes he had done differently along the way, there are still a few additions he hopes to make sooner than later.

“I would love to add a S467 turbocharger,” he starts. “A full custom interior would be nice too, as well as some powdercoating underneath the truck. Whatever I end up doing, I will be sure to follow my own advice of doing things right the first time with quality parts. Cheaping out never works out over the long run.”

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2007 Chevy Silverado 2500 HD Classic   

OWNER

Dylan Terry
Millstadt, IL

ENGINE & DRIVETRAIN

• 2007 Chevy 6.6L V-8
• Garrett 64mm turbo
• Merchant connecting rods and motor mounts
• Fingers oval bowl pistons
• SoCal Diesel 3338AF camshaft
• Empire stage 1 springs
• PPE manifold and up pipes
• Dan’s Diesel Performance intake
• Exergy 60% over fuel injection
• FASS 150 fuel system
• ARP head studs and rod bolts
• ATI damper
• 5-inch exhaust system
• Banks intercooler
• Mishimoto radiator
• 2007 HT Performance transmission built for 800hp and 1,400-ft-lbs torque
• DPC triple disc torque converter
• C1 clutch
• PPE transmission cooler
• Dirty Hooker diesel transfer case lockup

CHASSIS & SUSPENSION

• Factory 2007 GM frame
• Fox Racing front and rear shocks
• 2-3-inch drop shackles in rear
• CalTracs traction bars
• G2 tie rods
• Center link brace
• Pitman arm
• Idler arm

WHEELS & TIRES

• 24×12 Liberty Forged LBTY26 wheels
• Nitto Terra Grappler tires

BODY & PAINT

• OEM Blue Granite metallic paint by Cory Gotschall, Perryville, MD
• Chrome logos by Sydney Leckliter, Linn Creek, MO
• OEM grille w/ billet bars
• OEM front bumper, rear roll pan
• OEM flares and rock lights
• Go Recon cab lights color matched and installed
• 2016+ Boost Auto mirrors color matched
• AlphaRex Nova headlights color matched

INTERIOR & STEREO

• Front and rear captain seats
• Rear captain seat out of a Yukon along
• 1999-2002 front console in rear between captain chairs

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