Growing up as a child gives you many memories to recollect upon. Some things were just everyday occurrences, but then there were things that really stand out and at the time, had the potential to be life-altering. Years ago, Abbie Polivka remembers riding around with her dad in his 1975 Chevrolet K20 pickup. Little did she know, these rides with her dad and her time in this truck would impact her life.

Fast forward to the present day – Abbie has a truck of her own, but unlike dad’s rig, hers is an old-school Ford Flareside that she has created to be one seriously cool memory maker. Her formulation consists of a 1992 Ford F-150 extended-cab Flareside that’s covered in Electric Blue paint. When Abbie started this build, she didn’t realize how rare this configuration was, and now it’s helped her reach social popularity on extreme levels.

“Riding around with my dad, I always dreamed of building a monster truck,” says Polivka. Years later, she found the perfect project truck but it came at a cost. This was to be her first vehicle, and like most of us, she found one that was used and abused. Not only did she turn this truck into something special, but in the beginning, the truck was more of a tool than a treasure. “I learned to drive in this truck and worked on the family farm using it,” says Abbie. “I drove this truck to high school and college. This Flareside became my life. The truck needed a lot of work when I got it. It needed new cab corners, body and cab mounts, body panels, doors, fender, repaint, and an entirely new interior.” When she acquired the truck, she was a mere 15 years old, and all she was able to do was wash and wax it every day and stare at it in the front yard.

Like all great projects, they all require some renovations.

The transformation began with the addition of a basic lift kit and the addition of a larger wheel and tire combo. Polivka didn’t want to build a truck that was too powerful, because, at the time, the cost of gas and the lack of fuel mileage driving back and forth to college every day would be costly. This dilemma is what triggered the next and probably most interesting component of the build, her choice of an engine to motivate her ride.

With the cost of gas rising, the search for a diesel truck was on. “The more I thought about it, I couldn’t bear the thought of not driving my Flareside,” says Abbie. “Therefore, I decided to do a complete engine swap and combine the two loves of my life.”

What Engine Shall We Use?

After researching the subject and comparing the stats to an array of different engine configurations and brands, she decided that a 1990 model 4BT intercooled Cummins engine would be the perfect mill. The 4BT is a 3.9-liter inline four-cylinder turbo diesel that was introduced in 1983. It quickly became the workhorse in the light truck industry.

This 4BT uses a stock HX30W turbocharger with a custom straight pipe exhaust and a set of ARP head studs. Before the engine was installed, it received a valve job and new head gaskets.

The number of people that have attempted this swap is very low. This made Polivka want it even more. After all, her quest was to stand out and complete a challenge. Making things more difficult, she kept the factory E40D transmission that was with the truck.

“Leaving the factory transmission makes this build unique,” says Polivka.”A lot of planning and customization went into the swap and it took many months of traveling to different scrap yards, parts hunting, forum reading, trial and error tests, and custom fabrication of adapters, plates, hoses, and fans from big rigs to excavators. The swap alone took about three months”.

The truck utilizes a custom vacuum pump brake system, Borg Warner 13-56 transfer case, and Ford 8.8 open rear differential with 3.55:1 gears.

The customization doesn’t stop there. Additionally, this Flareside is equipped with a 3-inch body lift, a 6-inch suspension lift, and rides high on 37-inch Pro Comp Tires wrapped around Fuel Off-Road Krank wheels. The body was reworked and repaired and repainted to its now flawless look.

Worth The Wait

Inside, the comfort is handled by a pair of Volkswagon Tiguan seats and new carpeting. While riding comfortably, she listens to her custom radio and sound system. “I sent the headlights to be completely customized to be one-of-a-kind,” says Polivka. “In the future, I’d love to completely redo the engine bay, add custom door panels, and a few other interior parts.”

Polivka is constantly striving to do better and be someone that other people can look up to. “It’s tough being a female in the truck world,” Abbie states. “I constantly have to defend my motor swap decision and the fact that I work on my own build.”

This build is so unique that is has convinced several aftermarket companies to be a part of it. LMC Truck made a poster of the build for their vehicle shows and event; it’s even in their catalog. Having made it into multiple publications, Polivka is happy with where this truck has taken her in the Ford and diesel truck industry.

“I’ve been working on it for about six years and I don’t think it will ever be done”, says Polivka.

This winter, she’ll be swapping to a set of compound turbochargers on this 4BT Cummins engine. Stay tuned for a follow-up article on Abbie’s sweet ride. For more information and to follow her on social media, check out her Instagram.