Metal Shop Fummins Final Hours

The final trim pieces are painted and coming together on the truck. Yesterday the guys were finishing with some work to the brakes and finishing fabrication with the suspension system. The truck is looking pretty complete with all of the body pieces being added where they belong.

Front Grill is ready complements of Camaros Plus

 A couple of finishing details will have to be added after the giveaway tonight due to the hours involved in building the main parts of truck. After ATS the Fummins will go to Car Toys for the sound system and then onto Master Craft Auto for the interior and upholstery work.
The person who finds out that they have the winning key to the truck tonight at Quaker Steak and Lube will definitely be taking possession of a one-of-a-kind vehicle. There will be a lot of potential to modify the truck for more performance in the future and we're hoping that the truck will show back up for more upgrades and updates.

KBPI Radio's Metal Shop 7 Truck Rear End

The Fummins Metal Shop Truck now sits on a 14-bolt 11.5" rear end with a custom fabricated 4-Link suspension. The front end has also been updated with heavy-duty springs and rotors from Jazz It Up. Fuel will held in the fuel cell which is now bolted in-place. Due to the torque that the rear end will see from the Cummins Engine and the low-sitting attitude of chassis, the 4-Link System made sense to put on the back. This will do a good job of keeping the wheels planted and update the old style suspension with new technology. Rear airbags will be added by ATS to help finish the overall package.

2011 lbs of Cummins Power in a 1977 lb Package

Is this thing going to fit? 

Yes it did. The 5.9L Cummins Engine is now mounted to the built ATS Diesel Transmission and both are sitting in the 1977 Ford Truck. Body modifications are mostly done to the Ford and provisions were made to support the extra weight of the new diesel engine which is being transplanted.

 The center section of the body has been given a work-over and gotten some nice coats of flat black paint thanks to Camaros Plus Denver Body Shop.

Modifications are underway to the truck's firewall to support the non-OEM engine and hardware. ATS built a heavy duty automatic transmission which will be used to get the new power to the wheels. The factory Ford rear end was exchanged for a 14 bolt 11.5" rear from a newer model Dodge Ram in order to support the high level of torque that the drivetrain will experience.

Last week listeners of 106.7 KBPI Radio chose to have Car Toys supply an Alpine Stereo for the build. This week listeners vote on which style of exhaust will go into the truck. Interior work and suspension are soon-to-come. KBPI continues to award keys to fans in anticipation of the vehicle give-away late this month.

KBPI Radio's Metal Shop 7 - Studio Setup

KBPI Radio's Scoop made the trip to ATS Diesel's HQ today to get the streaming video/photo cameras set up. A handful of cameras were mounted around the build area and up-linked to KBPI's website server to allow the build to be followed online.

The build area studio is setting up.

Scoop gets the video streaming online

Joel sets up the network to stream live shots

According to the KBPI polling it looks like the engine going into the Metal Shop Truck will be a 12-Valve Cummins. Up for voting today on the KBPI website is the paint color and door handle style. Also up for decision is the option to either have the truck in long bed or short bed flavor. More updates coming soon!

KBPI Radio's Metal Shop 7 Truck Build At ATS Diesel

KBPI DJ Willie B. Shows Off The Truck To Be Built

For the 7th edition of KBPI Radio's Metal Shop Vehicle Build, ATS Diesel was chosen to be the 2011 host. Each year the radio station locates a donor vehicle and product sponsors. The vehicle is then rebuilt and modified with performance upgrades. This year's vehicle is a 1977 F-150 Pickup which will receive a diesel engine transplant along with a grocery list of other upgrades which will all be voted-on by the listeners.

Cold Start For The F-150

The Build Area Is Prepped

This week as the build process begins the '77 Ford was dropped-off at ATS Diesel. The crew at the shop began clearing and prepping the area where the build will take place. This week KBPI has a page on their website devoted to allowing listeners to vote on which power plant will be installed into the truck in place of the 460 gas engine. The engine options are the 5.9L Cummins from the Dodge Ram, 6.6L Duramax from GM Diesels, and the 7.3L Ford Power Stroke.

Whichever engine is decided-on, the truck is going to need some serious help on the front end to support the additional weight versus the 460 gas unit. Body work and interior upgrades will also be happening along the way and this truck should look a lot different very soon.

Co-Pilot For 6.7L Dodge Ram Solves 68RFE Transmission Issues

Co-Pilot For 68RFE Transmission

ATS has released the most advanced version of the Co-Pilot Controller to assist the durability of the 68RFE Transmission in the 6.7L Dodge Ram Diesel. This truck is capable of impressive power and performance and serious towing weight, but has been lacking in the transmission longevity department. This new transmission system uses computer control to govern hydraulic clamping pressure and shift /lockup strategy (similar to the Allison Transmission in the GM Duramax Trucks).
The combination of mechanical limitations and factory computer programming has left truck owners who are towing heavy loads or tuning for improved performance with a void and in-need of an aftermarket solution. The Co-Pilot Controller for the 68RFE Transmission plugs into the OEM electrical harness and monitors the load being placed on the gearbox.  The hydraulic pressures, shifting, and torque converter lockup strategies are modified to prevent the pressure from dropping to an unsafe level and therefore avoiding slippage of the internal clutch packs. Many issues stem from hard acceleration damage that occurs to the 'low-sprag' or 'low-roller clutch' inside the transmission. The Co-Pilot is programmed to engage the low clutch pack to distribute the torque load more effectively.
The Co-Pilot on its own creates much better longevity inside of a properly functioning transmission, but may not be a 100% solution depending on the application. If internal transmission wear/damage, extreme towing weight, or significantly increased power are factors, then mechanical upgrades to the transmission's internals are needed in-conjunction with the Co-Pilot.

With easily selectable programs available in-cab to the driver and exclusive strategy for keeping the 68RFE Transmission alive, the Co-Pilot is a great solution for 6.7L Dodge Ram Owners who tow, snowplow, street-rod or compete with their truck.

Turbocharged Weekend In The Rockies - 2010 Diesels On The Mountain

2010’s Diesels On The Mountain At Bandimere Speedway

ATS Diesel will host the 2010 installment of Diesels On The Mountain at Bandimere Speedway’s Thunder Mountain located in Morrison, Colorado, as well as an ATS open house in Arvada, Colorado. Diesels On The Mountain and Truck Fest take place August 6-8. Competitors from across the US and Canada will converge in Colorado to battle for top honors in sled pulling, drag racing and the show-n-shine categories (many using one truck for all events). Cash, trophies and prizes will be awarded to top finishers.

Friday August 6th ATS will host an open house and Armed Services Appreciation BBQ for Colorado area military members at our Arvada facility. Activities at ATS will begin around 10:00 a.m. Various areas of ATS’ manufacturing plant and grounds will be open for tours for those interested in how our diesel upgrades are manufactured.

Saturday August 7th features the sled pull/ truck pull at Bandimere Speedway’s unique mountain-side venue. Action will take place in Bandimere’s outlying dirt lot with gates opening at 11:00 a.m. and pulls beginning at 1:00 p.m. All competitors and spectators are invited. Classes will range from stock trucks to heavily-modified dedicated pullers. 2010’s sled pull will be cosponsored and sanctioned by NSPA (National Sled Pullers Association) and will feature NSPA’s pulling sled which is one of the newest and latest technology sleds in the country.

Sunday August 8th Truck Fest transfers the excitement to the upper paved drag strip portion of Bandimere Speedway - sponsored by Cummins Rocky Mountain. Events for Sunday include drag racing, vendor midway, rock crawling, and show-n-shine competition starting at 8:00 a.m. Spectators will see some of the most unique and detailed vehicles in the truck genre. Many of the country’s fastest trucks will be in attendance to lay down impressive quarter mile times. As with Saturday, Sunday’s competition and spectator opportunities are open to everyone. Drag racing trucks are required to either have upward-firing exhaust stacks, or use a temporary exhaust turn-up pipe for this year’s racing. This change was made at the request of the track which must manage issues presented by smoke from trucks that can damage track property and disqualify racers due to issues with the timing light system. Clamp-on exhaust turn-up kits can be acquired by calling ATS directly.

Sounding A Sour Note - Utah's Congressional Bill To Ban Aftermarket Exhaust

Senator Patricia Jones from the Utah State Legislature recently introduced a bill (S.B. 106) this year which would effectively ban all aftermarket exhaust in the state. She must have missed her calling as a congressional rep in California..
The billed called for all vehicles to be equipped with an exhaust system that is “installed by the original manufacturer of the vehicle and is not modified; or meets specifications equivalent to the muffler installed by the original manufacturer of the vehicle and is not modified.” Each time that members of congress attempt to enact such laws one has to wonder if they realize the damage that they are doing to the economy and our freedoms. Whatever the initial intention was of this bill, it would be a lethal blow to many aftermarket companies who produce upgraded vehicle exhaust systems. Such laws can be compared to the ridiculous recent ban of all youth ATVs and motorcycles due to lead-based paint which has damaged the income and livelihood of countless companies.
OEM manufacturers are constrained to producing vehicle components cheaply in order to compete for price points in the market. This causes them to use lesser materials for things like exhaust systems. In contrast to aftermarket exhaust systems which are often produced out of stainless steel, the OEM system will typically be aluminized material. This leads to materials deteriorating over time and the advent of rusted pipes and mufflers which do not work as efficiently as intended (or as effectively as the aftermarket solutions). Whatever the initial intention is of bills like this one, the end result is lower quality products for consumers and less competition to drive innovation.
As is typical with bills such as S.B. 106 much of the enforcement by law officials would be left to subjective judgment as to whether the exhaust was in violation.
Luckily, for anyone who values freedom, within the past couple of days S.B. 106 was terminated for the remainder of the 2010 legislative year. Perhaps this was due to an overwhelming landslide of complaints from constituents who heard the news about the plan. Whatever the cause for the 2010 cap of the bill, aftermarket enthusiasts can almost certainly count on it rearing it's head once again in the near future. Emailing and calling congress members will continue to be critical in ensuring that more power-grabs like this don't become law.

Sawdust And Loud Noises - ATS Diesel Remodels

Customer service can be difficult with the droning buzz of a jackhammer mere feet from your desk. The customer service crew at ATS Diesel has found creative ways to be 'flexible' and persevere through the daily construction that has been part of a massive building overhaul at their Arvada Colorado HQ. Since neither the construction nor the day-to-day operations at ATS can be put on hold, much of it has occurred during the same hours.

Somewhere around six months ago the ATS building began undergoing the second major remodel in its six year history (the first being the initial move-in during the 2004-2005 transition). When the 104,000 square foot building was first purchased it was just an empty shell and it was difficult to know exactly what layout would be most effective. Over the years a number of ideas and plans were discussed to help streamline the production of a product line that now covers some six hundred products.

With many of the truck owners who upgrade their diesel wishing to have installation happen at ATS, the Arvada building tends to become a temporary home during the day to those that travel to Colorado from other areas of the country. For that reason the showroom and lobby areas have been a big focus and include some new amenities including a projection screen entertainment center lounge and video game room.

Complete ATS Newsletters: http://www.atsdiesel.com/ats2/newsletter/issues.asp

Manufacturing is being streamlined and departments such as engineering are shifting to different areas of the building to update procedures and increase efficiency. The ability to have a clean engineering area with updated technology will mean that products continue to be the best quality and fit for installation on trucks. Consolidating production areas like converter machining and laser cutting are already helping to make a difference in production turnaround times. Things have come a long way from the previous ATS facility and even the current building in its original form.

A Billet Converter By Any Other Name Is Not The Same

We see a lot of 'billet' torque converters on the web and in ads these days and wonder how many people understand the inner workings of them enough to know the differences in brands and what offers the biggest advantages. So many of the converters available are simply a stock-style rebuild stuffed into a billet cover with few true modifications to make them better and stronger than stock.

While the billet cover is a feature that we build into the Five Star and TripleLok Torque Converters which prevents warping and 'mushrooming', that is just the beginning. The other main components of the converter's internals are just as critical to supporting increased power output from the engine and serious towing weight. These other areas include: lockup clutch system, lockup apply piston, turbine and impeller, stator, bearings, and hub. When ATS builds diesel torque converters all of these areas are given equal attention and all aspects are greatly enhanced.

Torque Converter Info

By looking at the internals of the Five Star or TripleLok Torque Converters compared to the stock unit (above) it is clear how much work is really done to provide increased strength. Most other upgrade converters simply change part 'A' (billet cover), but the rest of the internal structure is mostly just a stock rebuild. The ATS cover begins to show drastic differences from all others in the fact that the mounting surface features a twelve bolt design (with bolt holes incorporated into the cover) versus the factory six (with bolt holes welded on externally). Stock converters are completely missing section 'B' and have a single clutch friction surface bonded to part 'C' (piston). Our design is very different in that we add a multi-disc clutch pack (part 'B') which more than doubles the torque-holding ability by distributing load and using locking square tabs on each disc. The square tab design is patented and exclusive to ATS. The stock stamped steel piston 'C' is replaced with a billet dampened piston that doesn't warp and provides a cushioned engagement compared to other aftermarket designs which don't have a dampener. The turbine and impeller (parts 'D' and 'F') are furnace brazed and reinforced to prevent flattening or damaging of the fins due to fluid pressure wear. Finally a proprietary billet CNC machined stator ('E') is used to provide optimized fluid redirection between the turbine and impeller.

Conveying how different and how much stronger the ATS design really is versus stock and other aftermarket units is always a challenge, but those that have visited our manufacturing facility in Colorado instantly see quality and workmanship that set the Five Star and TripleLok Converters apart from all others.