From Hauling Horses to Drift Cars: The 1992 Dodge RAM Cummins Legacy
Jacob’s Dodge RAM 250 has quite a story—it was originally custom-ordered by his grandfather back in 1992. More than three decades later, the truck is still running strong and helping the family tackle everyday tasks. If you ask Jacob, he’ll tell you it’s a true workhorse. In fact, during its early years, that description couldn’t have been more literal.
His grandfather needed a dependable vehicle for hauling horse trailers, and the 12-valve Cummins-powered Dodge RAM proved to be the perfect solution. It delivered the reliability, strength, and performance required to move horses safely across challenging routes, often with the Rocky Mountains standing in the way.
“When you’re hauling horses, failure isn’t an option,” Jacob says. “You’ve got to make it home. We trusted Cummins to get us—and our horses—where we needed to go.”
In the early 2000s, Jacob relocated to Indiana, and after his grandfather passed away, the truck sat unused in California for nearly two decades. Eventually, Jacob got the chance to bring it home and breathe new life into it.
“We didn’t know what we’d find,” Jacob recalls. “The only way to know was to try. Being a mechanic, I made sure everything looked okay. I swapped out the fluids, but ultimately, you’ve got to turn the key. We put in a new battery—and to our surprise, it fired up after just a few cranks. It was almost anticlimactic. It just…worked. Sure, we had to replace some hoses and tires, but the engine itself was solid.”
Since 2024, the truck has been back in action, but now it’s hauling a different kind of horsepower—drift cars. As a technician and racer, Jacob often loads up and hits the road, towing cars to tracks across the Midwest.
“I’ve always loved working with my hands,” he says. “It started in high school and grew into my career. I still enjoy diving under the hood of a Cummins diesel, especially a first-gen. They’re straightforward and tough, built with a purpose. That kind of engineering is why they’ve earned the million-mile reputation. At 312,000 miles, I think this truck could get there. I probably won’t be the one driving it then, but my 4-year-old son already loves it.”
Jacob knows what it means to be part of the high-mileage club. “It’s amazing to see these trucks still doing real work—not just grocery runs,” he says. “Why not celebrate that? I still have all the original paperwork, the matching numbers…it’s fun to share that story. It proves what happens when quality is built in from day one and you stay on top of maintenance—you get a truck that lasts a lifetime. Honestly, I’m looking forward to passing it down. I wouldn’t be surprised if it outlives me. It’s all just part of this truck’s legacy.”
His grandfather needed a dependable vehicle for hauling horse trailers, and the 12-valve Cummins-powered Dodge RAM proved to be the perfect solution. It delivered the reliability, strength, and performance required to move horses safely across challenging routes, often with the Rocky Mountains standing in the way.
“When you’re hauling horses, failure isn’t an option,” Jacob says. “You’ve got to make it home. We trusted Cummins to get us—and our horses—where we needed to go.”
In the early 2000s, Jacob relocated to Indiana, and after his grandfather passed away, the truck sat unused in California for nearly two decades. Eventually, Jacob got the chance to bring it home and breathe new life into it.
“We didn’t know what we’d find,” Jacob recalls. “The only way to know was to try. Being a mechanic, I made sure everything looked okay. I swapped out the fluids, but ultimately, you’ve got to turn the key. We put in a new battery—and to our surprise, it fired up after just a few cranks. It was almost anticlimactic. It just…worked. Sure, we had to replace some hoses and tires, but the engine itself was solid.”
Since 2024, the truck has been back in action, but now it’s hauling a different kind of horsepower—drift cars. As a technician and racer, Jacob often loads up and hits the road, towing cars to tracks across the Midwest.
“I’ve always loved working with my hands,” he says. “It started in high school and grew into my career. I still enjoy diving under the hood of a Cummins diesel, especially a first-gen. They’re straightforward and tough, built with a purpose. That kind of engineering is why they’ve earned the million-mile reputation. At 312,000 miles, I think this truck could get there. I probably won’t be the one driving it then, but my 4-year-old son already loves it.”
Jacob knows what it means to be part of the high-mileage club. “It’s amazing to see these trucks still doing real work—not just grocery runs,” he says. “Why not celebrate that? I still have all the original paperwork, the matching numbers…it’s fun to share that story. It proves what happens when quality is built in from day one and you stay on top of maintenance—you get a truck that lasts a lifetime. Honestly, I’m looking forward to passing it down. I wouldn’t be surprised if it outlives me. It’s all just part of this truck’s legacy.”
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