A Sleek Dodge Ram Built During Spare Shop Time

Our names are what set us apart from one another. They are identifiers we’ll be attached to our entire lives. Nevertheless, it’s our personalities and actions that make us who we are. This concept can even extend to our possessions. Names don’t define objects, either, it’s sub- stance that gives them “life.” And, it takes someone special to create something that actually embodies all that we mean when we say “quality.” Keith Sawyer chose to turn this ’02 Dodge Ram into something no one would soon forget, some- thing that would come to embody the very definition of a quality build.

The days at Nfamus Air Suspension can be long. It’s a good problem to have, and one which owner Keith Sawyer is thankful for each and every day. It’s an ironic theme among custom automotive builders that their driveway is often empty, devoid of a truck featuring the clean lines that their hands are capable of creating. This particular Dodge just fell into Keith’s lap in a way. He received it in trade for some work he had completed on a customer’s truck, but it wasn’t in the best condition. Nevertheless, Keith could see the potential underneath the neglect. Time, however, was not in abundance. Keith began working his magic on the Dodge in the tight space of his home garage, refusing to let it interfere with his work on customers’ vehicles.

A complete suspension redo was first on his agenda, and a stock floor body drop allowed for the alti- tude adjustment with the help of a triangulated 4-link and narrowed rearend to the tune of 7 inches. Milo Reyna played a huge role in the acquisition of the 24-inch Raceline Deceptive 5s that provide the elegant profile and stance that’s protected by the Goodyear G Forces that surround their polished finish.

A fairly stock engine was dressed with a cold air intake by K&N, and the exhaust was rounded out with a Magnaflow muffler.

A question of paint plagued Keith for a short time. The body, now smoothed and flawless, sat like a blank canvas, waiting to be filled with color. His vision was simple and clean, one that Daniel Wheeler and the fellas at Lucid Paint and Body brought to life with PPG Atomic Orange. Smart Concepts com- pletely wrapped the interior, leaving the final touches on this ’02 Dodge to an audio installation consisting of an Alpine IVAD300 head unit and Hertz components. Turtle Paws made its debut just in time for SEMA 2012 in Las Vegas.

Keith Sawyer built this truck with the help of a small group of talented individuals: Marcos Felan, Neal Rimme and Cody Bancroft, includ- ing special thanks to Keith’s won- derful wife April, Aldo Castaneda, Matt, Robert, Puppy, Daniel Wheeler, Brad Wellman, Nick Smart, Milo Reyna, Bob Grant, Lowrider Depot and Chris Brull.

You can sit and wonder where the name Turtle Paws comes from, or you can simply ask Keith, and he will probably tell you that names aren’t important. What is important is what you see in front of you. Hopefully, what you see is more than just Turtle Paws, but a creation that will leave a huge footprint that won’t soon be washed away. ST

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TRUCK SPECS

OWNER

Keith Sawyer
2002 Dodge Ram
Mansfield, TX

ENGINE

• 4.7L V-8
• K&N air intake
• Magnaflow exhaust

SUSPENSION

• Stock Floor 2 ¾-inch body drop
• Z’d front cross member
• Rearend narrowed 7 inches
• Triangulated 4-link
• McGaughy’s drop spindles

WHEELS & TIRES

• Raceline Deceptive 5 24 x 8.5- and 24 x 10-inch wheels
• Goodyear G Force 305/35 tires

BODY & PAINT

• Sheet metal smooth bed
• Shaved handles
• PPG Atomic Orange

INTERIOR

• Tan vinyl
• Smoothed dash
• Stinger wiring
• Hertz sound system
• Alpine head unit
• Optima Yellow Top

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