Keith Federspiel is a regular at the annual SEMA Show and not just as an attendee, but as a builder of those unique over-the-top diesels the Las Vegas aftermarket show is best known for. He’s been going to the show for more than five years now and has had a truck on display most of those years. But for the 2021 SEMA Show he decided to do something a little different. For this show he decided to modify a half-ton pickup.

“We wanted to stay diesel after years of building larger trucks for this show so we decided to do a FiberwerX widebody on a half-ton Eco Diesel,” says Keith. “We thought it might spark some attention and be a little bit different.”

Keith owns the CARSTAR Supreme Auto Body shop in Commerce City, Colo., and he decided to take a 2020 RAM 1500 3.0L Eco Diesel and add a fiberglass widebody kit to it.

Widebody kits from FiberwerX have become a popular option for truck owners wanting to change the look of a vehicle by expanding its stance and making it easier to add bigger tires. You see this popular trend with a lot of high-end imports, but clearly this is not just for exotic cars as more and more diesel truck owners are looking at this upgrade to make their build more noticeable. Keith’s truck at SEMA did just that and more. The RAM 1500 stood out in a crowd of over-sized diesel trucks, which isn’t an easy task for a half-ton.

Challenges

“The body work was extensive,” recalls Keith. “There were a lot of hours that went into the actual kit itself to get the body lines to look right and be up to our high standards. It took a lot of time with the guys in the shop to get it just right and I think it turned out well in the end.”

The focus of the build was the widebody kit, but in reality this was only the beginning of what the shop owner had in mind for this RAM. Adding a new set of bumpers from Fusion was always on his upgrade list as he’s come to appreciate the quality and style from this manufacturer.

“Fusion bumpers are the finest quality on the market hands down,” says Keith. “The fit and finish is always perfect!”

He also added a set of hooks from Royal Hooks to the front bumper, which really is a nice accent to those bumpers. Fusion Bumpers is one company Keith has come back to for his builds over the years and his connection with owner Johnny Ramirez often helps secure booth space at the SEMA Show as Fusion Bumpers is always well represented at the show.

Other Upgrades

“Summit Machine made a set of great aluminum four-links in the rear of the truck to help it stand out a little more compared to other trucks, and the steps are from N-FAB, which is part of Truck Hero,” says Keith. “Other modifications include a 6-inch coil over kit from Rough Country with JTX Forged wheels with Nitto tires. I thought it would give it a nice stance as well as a solid look for a truck this size.”

The 38X13.50R22LT Trail Grappler tires combined with the 22×12 JTX Forged Ballistic wheels from the Concave series with rock rings proved to be the right combination that really flows well with the widebody look.

One particular upgrade that he likes is actually something most people will never see or notice and that’s kind of the point. Keith added an in-console secure safe from Lock’er Down and says it’s the best safe of the market.

Keith loves the well-hidden compartment from Lock’er Down so much he’s ordered more for not only his other trucks, but for family members as well.

What’s Next?

A lot of SEMA trucks can be categorized as trailer princesses because they never really get used or driven much after the show ends and in reality were only built for show. However, that’s not the case for this RAM 1500.

“We’re going to daily it,” said Keith when asked what his plans were for the truck after the show. “The whole purpose of this build was to have something that is usable and something that could be driven every day while still having fun with it.”

The truck is a daily driver for Keith as well as a shop truck for his shop. And because he knew he’d be doing a lot of towing, a torsion flex hitch from GEN-Y Hitch was a must. At this time he has no additional plans for his truck…other than to just enjoy it.