Not just any transmission can get this much power to the ground, so the Bully Dog team decided to work with Sun Coast Converters, which built the custom transmission capable of handling anything that’s thrown at it. Again, diesel transmissions, and especially converters, must be up to the additional torque created by a high-horsepower diesel. The power of a diesel can actually burst or balloon a converter and do a lot of destruction internally (lay down fins, etc.). Remember, torque is one of the great byproducts of a diesel—they make lots of it, and they do it right off idle—so whatever the crankshaft is connected to had better be capable of withstanding this power output. It’s not uncommon to actually fry a stock transmission, because the friction plates cannot withstand the loads applied, causing them to slip. And locking them up can also be a problem if you are expecting that the transmission will not knock your teeth out between radically abrupt shifts. Pressure transition between shifts can be critical, or you just won’t enjoy the trans, let alone its dependability. So once you begin playing with diesel power, consider that you will also be playing with transmission power applications. If you don’t you will be replacing transmission after transmission.

The chassis of the Dodge has also received considerable attention. Helping to give the Dodge its stance is a custom set of front and rear leaf springs, which the team at Bully Dog put together. Giving the Dodge a better ride is a full set of front and rear Bilstein shocks, and the 4×4 has been lowered a total of 2 inches, also to improve handling. In order to make this much power stop when you need it, the pros at Baer took a set of oversize rotors paired with extra-large-capacity calipers for the front brakes, while the team decided to stick with the stock drum units in the rear. The fronts will do most of the hauling down, so this combination seems to be working, at least at this point. Covering the huge brake kit is a set of KMC 24-inch-tall Rockstar wheels, wrapped in a great set of Nitto tires.

This being a new Dodge, the comfort level is fine going in, but Becks Embroidery, located in Aberdeen, got the nod to turn the stock interior into a killer custom presentation. Mastercraft seats have been covered in red and gray fabric to match the exterior and feature a set of Mastercraft five-point safety harnesses just in case. The door panels have been covered in the same red and gray material. Black Cat Customs did a great job remaking the stock custom dash. The stock instruments were modified and now show the Bully Dog logo, letting everyone know who built this truck. A set of Bully Dog Outlook gauges now rests within the A-?pillar, allowing the driver to view the vitals of the Cummins at a glance, as heat in such a monster is easily built and must not exceed the safe levels Bully Dog has created for this build. Allowing the passengers listening pleasure are a Sony Xplod head unit, speakers and monitors.

The exterior of the Inferno is just as impressive as the interior. Anderson’s Body & Glass, located in Aberdeen, handled the fitting of the new body panels. A Street Scene Arrow kit, bumper cover and rear rollpan help smooth things out a bit. A Suncoast Creations custom hood gives the truck a serious attitude upgrade. Bushwacker fender flares help widen the fenders and keep the wheels covered to prevent throwing road debris on the new paint. An APC grille insert and taillights give the truck a touch of class and individuality. A Truck Covers USA tonneau cover keeps the bottles that are hidden in the bed out of sight. CAG window tint keeps the drivers and passengers anonymous and the cab cool. When all these great modifications were complete, Kris Horton designed one serious set of paint designs for the Dodge. Anderson’s Body & Glass did an excellent job of spraying the Sherwin-Williams Planet paint on the Dodge.

Now that you’ve seen it you probably want it, because that’s exactly what happened to us. Trucks are hot, especially these bad boy examples. In case you think otherwise, so far the Dodge has run a best of 11.9 at 115 mph in the quarter-mile, and the boys are far from done. This is as stout as a Z06 Corvette, easily one of the fastest high-performance production cars available today. This performance is better than that of most muscle cars and/or hot rods. No offense there, hot rodders, but the times they are a changin’, and this Dodge Inferno built by Bully Dog will surely leave most anything in the dust—along with gaping mouths.