For motorsports enthusiasts, nothing has wasted more time than social media. Whether it’s Facebook or Instagram, both have contributed greatly to helping gearheads waste time. While scrolling through Facebook last week, I stumbled across one of the most unique and killer-looking builds I’ve seen to date.

This is a 1967 International Load Star 1600 owned by Michael Richardson. It started its life as a red dump truck with wooden panel siding but has been reimagined into what you see here. The body is of course a 1967 with a ’50s-style bed melded to fit just right.  The whole thing sits on a modern Dodge 1-ton chassis. Topping this truck off is a built 12-valve Cummins backed by a built 48re transmission.

The builders of the truck, Paul Cotton and Ronnie Whitfield, outfitted it with Semi truck airbags.  This allows the truck to sit as low as a 1/8-inch off the ground or up to 9 inches!

Under the hood was done right as well. With this healthy 12-valve powder coated to match the body color of the truck, it hits just right. Of course, you can’t drive around with a stock 12-valve under the hood, so Richardson has the truck set up with a HE351 turbo from a third-gen Dodge Cummins. The Cummins was upgraded with a 100 fuel plate 4,000 rpm governor springs, and a set of larger injectors and set at 21 degrees of timing.

A view of the front of the truck really shows off its low aggressive stance something nobody would have ever thought about in 1967.

The wheel and tire setup on this rig is what you would expect for a bagged dually. Although this is no ordinary dually, it was fitted with a set of 24-inch Alcoa Wheels.  The wheels add that aggressive look that Richardson was after with his original vision of what this truck could be.

If you’ve ever been around someone with a bagged dually for more than five minutes, you’ll see how quickly they bust the towing myth. This stands true for Richardson’s Loadstar as well.  When asked what his future plans for the truck were, Michael stated “Cruise around the country and go to shows and meets. I’ll haul my buddy’s derby car around in the summer and I’d like to haul my grandpa’s antique tractors too.”

For everyone who is curious, Richardson provided a picture of what the truck looked like before its complete restoration!

A build of this caliber is no small task even for a whole crew of people. Richardson would like to thank Paul Cotton and Ronnie Whitfield for helping him make his vision a reality as well as his mechanic, Jr Heavy Duty, for helping him get the Cummins fitted in the truck ready for whatever he plans to throw its way.

For more wild hotrod builds like this, stay tuned right here on Diesel Army. What are your thoughts on this truck? Let us know in the comments below.

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