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(Nov 05)

BULLETPROOF

For the past several months Super Duty Headquarters (SDHQ) in Gilbert, Arizona, has been working on one very special project—a full-custom, double-throw down prerunner for none other than Jesse James. Yes, that Jesse James.

The crew started with a stock two-wheel-drive Crew Cab Chevy truck, and since that time they have put literally hundreds of hours into custom fabrication work that will make it suitable for one of the most infamous people ever to customize a V-twin.

Along with an incredible amount of custom fabrication work, SDHQ has also bolted on a Magna Charger and installed mas sive 35-inch BFGoodrich Bajas, leaving the stock transmission between a rock and a hard place. With upward of 140 additional horsepower and the increased torque that the transmission is subjected to (in an effort to turn larger, heavier wheels and tires), it just didn't seem like a good idea to leave it in its stock state , especially with Jesse James behind the con­trols. To address this concern, the truck was sent off to Doug's Performance Transmission, which is right around the corner from SDHQ in Mesa, Arizona.

You Have to Build a Stout Transmission if Jesse James Will be at the Throttle

The transmission was extracted from the truck, and quick work was made of tearing it down and getting right into the re-build. To accomplish this, a few stronger parts were used to better handle the abuse that the truck will be subjected to (come on, you've seen Jesse's shows). While many parts were traded out for more durable aftermarket pieces, others were left stock, and the stall speed remains unaltered. Doug Jr. did remove the cushion spring for the 3/4 clutch­es, and he adjusted the force motor to make for a more aggressive shift. The bottom line is that the crew at Doug's used their downright impressive perform­ance experience to upgrade the parts with a surgeon's precision, as they so aptly identified those most likely to fail.

A family-owned and -operated business, Doug's is much more than a mom and pop shop. It has been repairing, servicing and rebuilding stock transmissions, as well as building high-performance racing transmissions, for 30-plus years. It all started with Doug Sr., but this job quickly turned into a passion and a career. Twenty-two years later, Doug Jr. joined the effort, and the team was formed. They've been building a solid business, as well as a lot of solid transmissions, ever since. You can find them at the same place they have been for the past eight years, and with the quality of work they do, it's safe to say they aren't going anywhere soon. They do it all, from stock import cars to race-ready, off-road trucks such as Jesse's. 4x4

Sources

Doug's Performance Transmission Dept. 4X4 310 E. Southern Ave. Mesa, AZ 85210 480/964-3832

Mesa Driveshaft Service, Inc. Dept. 4X4 310 E. Southern Ave. Mesa, AZ 85210 480/898-1957 www.mesadriveshaft.com

Super Duty Headquarters (SDHQ) Dept. 4X4 525 E. Baseline Rd., Suite 108 Gilbert, AZ 85233 877/969-2929  www.sdhqofbroad.com