DP CUSTOMS CHAPTER 2, A NEW SHOP
I graduated from ICCC Diesel Tech and started working full-time at Hiway Truck Equipment. I’d spend my lunch breaks working on my Duramax in the parking lot-tweaking things to test, or replacing parts that weren’t even broken. I attended local truck pulls and hit the drag strip, where I met other young enthusiasts who also needed work done on their trucks. Before long, I was working on their trucks during my lunch breaks, too.
Eventually, I rented a small 30x40 shop so I’d have more space to work on these trucks after hours. Things quickly took off, and I quit my full-time job.
In 2018, at 21 years old, I started DP Customs from scratch with a passion for diesel pickup trucks-especially diesel performance. It was a leap of faith. I didn’t know everything, but I was eager to learn. I remember making business cards, driving around parking lots, and placing them on diesel trucks, hoping to spread the word about a new diesel repair shop in town. It worked—and many of those early customers are still with me today.
Over the years, I faced many challenges. One of the biggest was finding a larger facility to keep up with the steady stream of work. The 30x40 shop was crowded-only able to fit two trucks-and quickly became too small. Working outside, year-round, became the norm. If you drove by, you might’ve seen us wrenching in pouring rain, snow flurries, freezing cold, or sweltering heat. We never had the opportunity to lift cabs, so in-cab engine swaps and on-the-ground transmission changes were a constant battle.
In 2020, I began designing and producing small Duramax-related components, which kickstarted the growth of our brand and led to the unique billet products we offer today. In 2021, the website launched to better showcase the company and support online sales. As our product line and online presence grew, so did the piles of shipping supplies-which only made the cramped space worse.
The need for a larger facility became urgent.
I toured more than a dozen potential shops around the county, but none of them felt right. I followed every lead, revisited a few locations, but ran into the same issues: not enough parking, poor condition, bad location, overpriced, or the wrong size. I even bought an empty lot I thought would be the solution. I spent countless hours designing buildings, talking with landowners, contractors, and the city. But nothing ever came of it.
Looking back, God knew what He was doing all along.
In the fall of 2023, the building right next door came up for sale. After walking through it several times, I knew immediately what I had to do. What are the odds that the answer was right in front of me for years-but it just wasn’t the right time? I faced a lot of disappointment and felt like giving up more than once. But He had other plans-and they were worth the wait.
At the end of 2023, we began major renovations on the new facility. And after almost a year, the north section-Suite 3-is complete: the new home of DP Customs.
It’s everything I could have asked for and more. I can't wait to share more shop content, launch new products, and better serve the diesel community with all the benefits this new space offers.
Stay tuned-and thank you!