We're not being clichd when we say that Colin Edwards lives life in the fast lane. You see, Edwards-the "Texas Tornado" as he's known-is a two-time AMA Superbike world champion, accomplished MotoGP racer, and a new member of Yamaha's Tech 3 race team for 2008. Triple-digit speeds on two wheels seem to be a yawner for Edwards. His life consists of races in exotic locations like Malaysia, Australia, Germany, and the Czech Republic.
So one has to wonder: What does the Texas Tornado drive when he has some downtime at his Texas ranch? Well, the answer is a variety of trail toys including this tricked-out '08 Dodge Ram 2500 Mega Cab. This truck was built by Scott Stephens and the team at Texas Truck Works (TTW) in Magnolia, Texas. Stephens says Edwards called him and commissioned him to build a bulletproof truck. The mod list was substantial. The upshot was that Edwards purchased a brand-new truck and immediately turned it over to the team at TTW. The result? Well, you can see that here. Virtually no bling, just an ultra-rugged rig designed to withstand a Texas Tornado.
Unlike his flashy Yamaha MotoGP bike, the exterior of Edwards' Mega Cab was designed to be low-key to the casual observer. All of the factory emblems have been removed, the grille has been color-matched, the stock chrome front bumper has been replaced with a Sport color-keyed bumper, a KC Front Lite Bar holds four KC lights, and a Suncoast fiberglass hood covers the stock Cummins 6.7L diesel engine. However, the tip-off to this truck's mega-capability is the bulging Glassworks Unlimited fiberglass front fenders and bedsides. These body components are mandatory for a rig like this with a long-travel suspension. After all, what good is a long-travel suspension if the tires just smash into the body panels during uptravel? The beauty of these panels is that they allow for extended wheel travel but they don't interfere with day-to-day driving. For instance, the rear bedsides have a 4-inch flare and a 3-inch rise to allow for full wheel travel, but they don't affect cargo-carrying capacity or the function of the tailgate and fuel door.
When Edwards isn't 'wheeling his incredible Mega Cab, he can often be found behind one of his other trail toys, like this custom '05 Yamaha Rhino 660. This machine sports a slew of Dragonfire Racing accessories including engine performance mods, a 6 Over long-travel suspension, a Full Bore body, a four-seater cage, a rear bumper and a prerunner front bumper. Other mods to this incredible machine include 14-inch ITP wheels, 26x11.00-14 ITP Terra Cross R/T rear tires, 26x19.00-14 ITP Terra Cross R/T front tires, and PRP racing seats. It also has an iPod-fed Kicker sound system and a bunch of billet and chrome accessories.
Edwards wanted a suspension that could take a beating and offer incredible performance, so he chose a race-ready Kore Performance Unlimited Series system. This high-end kit is the same as was used under the Kore Performance Stock Full Ram in the Baja 1000. It includes Fox 3.0 remote-reservoir bypass shocks, variable-rate coil springs, race antisway bar, limiting straps, patented aluminum shock mounts, billet-aluminum control arms, and much more. The only change the guys at TTW made to the kit was to install a pair of patented Kore steering dampers instead of the usual single damper.
 Here you can see a close-up...  Here you can see a close-up of one of the Glassworks Unlimited front fenders. These fenders have a 4-inch flare, a 3-inch rise, and utilize the stock inner fender structure. They create plenty of uptravel room for the 37x13.50-17 Toyo Open Country MTs on 17x10 Weld Racing Dune wheels. |  The stock rear springs were...  The stock rear springs were pitched in favor of Kore full-racing leaf packs. These packs are designed to resist axlewrap and wheelhop; they have a front triple military wrap; and they have tremendously increased strength when compared to the stock springs. The stock shocks were replaced with high-performance Fox 3.0 remote-reservoir shocks. |  Two-time AMA World Superbike...  Two-time AMA World Superbike champ Colin Edwards got his start riding motocross but eventually chose to race on pavement. He began racing MotoGP in 2003 and he now rides for the prestigious Tech 3 Yamaha team. He resides in Texas and has a full array of trail toys to choose from when he's at home on his ranch. |
Specifications
General
Owner: Colin Edwards/Conroe, Texas
Vehicle/Model: '08 Dodge Ram Mega Cab 2500
Estimated Value: $100,000
Engine
Type: 6.7L Cummins diesel
Aspiration: Airaid intake system
Output, hp/torque (estimated): N/A
Drivetrain
Transmission: 68RFE six-speed automatic
Transfer Case: NV273
Suspension
Front: Kore Performance Unlimited Series variable-rate coil springs, Fox remote-reservoir bypass shocks
Rear: Kore Performance Unlimited Series leaf springs, Fox remote-reservoir shocks
Axles/Differentials
Front: AAM/open
Rear: AAM/factory limited-slip
Ring-and-pinion: 4.10:1
Wheels/Tires
Wheels: 17x10 Weld Racing Dune 8
Tires: 37x13.50-17 Toyo Open Country MT