Lifted Daily Driver Dream Come True

Lifted Daily Driver Dream Come True

- Bryon Dorr

This truck is a labour of love and a childhood dream come true for Mark Vecellio. Ever since attending Monster Truck and Show & Shine events as a kid, Mark has been enthusiastic about lifted diesel trucks, but could never afford one. After building a career in tattooing, connecting with the right people, and putting in lots of sweat equity, Mark, at age 27, was finally able to put together his dream ride, this 2014 RAM 2500 Cummins 4x4.

This truck was purchased new in December 2014 for around $60,000, and over the 1.5-year build out for SEMA 2016, Mark dropped another $40,000+ into it. While a passion build like this is never really done, it did get “completed” for the 2016 SEMA Show. Robbie Bryant at KEG Media, Asian Austin and Shawn at Optimal Diesel, and Mark’s step dad, Bill, and his girlfriend, Kimmi, really stepped up and helped make this dream build a reality.

Mark never really thought he’d be able to afford such a nice truck, and because of his heavy tattoos, he gets asked all the time if it is really his truck. He built it with money earned from a full-time career in tattooing, something many thought impossible. This impressive build is also Mark’s daily driver, something else many can’t believe.

This build really took off when Mark was connected to Bulletproof Suspension through some friends. His truck was to be used as the test bed for their 12-ft lift for the ’13+ RAM. Prototyping and making dreams come true aren’t quick and easy tasks however. It was a fifteen-hour drive each way to the Bulletproof shop from Mark’s home, and it took 12 weeks for the new suspension kit to be completed. As soon as Mark saw his truck roll out of the Bulletproof shop, he was instantly hooked on going all the way with the full build out of this truck. Customization ideas and dreams swirled wildly in his head.