Courtesy of Engine Builder.
Everyone gets into the performance world differently, and while most dive headfirst into it, Chris Miles fell into it by chance. He moved to Iowa in 2005 and started working at the railroad for a few years, but one too many layoffs pushed him to find a new job.
Miles owned a 6.0L Powerstroke at the time and was buying parts for it through a friend who owned a local shop in Omaha, NE. At the time, upgrading his truck was only a hobby, yet he was still offered a job. Miles was sure that working at a diesel shop would not be his next career move, but he was persuaded to accept the offer after some time.
He’s now worked for that shop, named Hart’s Diesel Parts and Performance, as a technician for a few years, and has continued to hone his craft. The shop works on pretty much everything, but focuses heavily on the Powerstroke platform, providing a variety of services including drivetrain and suspension modification, performance bolt-on installation, and complete engine repair and overhauls.
With the extra practice he’s gotten at the shop, he’s had more time to upgrade and modify his own ’03 F-350 XLT Crew Cab Long Box to his specifications. While the project has progressed faster recently, the plan to build a quick truck started over 10 years ago when he first bought it.