Manutea Maurin,
Diamond Bar, CA
2003 Ram 1500 SLT, 2WD, 4.7L
Mods List:
Performance: K&N CAI 57 Serie Kit, SC Vivid Paq
Interior: Red Radio Bezel; Pioneer HU; Rockford T165 rear speaker; Rockford P1S4 12" Sub in Center Seat Enclosure; Rockford P300-2 wired with Rockford RFK4X
Exterior: Plastidip Emblems and Grill; Black Flame Custom Headlights and Foglights (6K HID + CCFL Halos + LEDs strip); Plastidip Rims; Red Painted Brake Calipers; Plastidip Custom Hood Stripes; Tinted Taillights; BedRug
To come: LED Taillights; Window Tints; Front Doors Rockford T265-S Speakers; DoubleDin Pioneer HeadUnit; 3" or 4" Suspension Lift Kit; 35s Nitto Trail Grappler; Moe`s Ported TB; 180 Thermostat; All LED Interior Lights; Black Leather Red Stitching Seats; 1 Piece Black Mesh Grille; Retroshop custom Headlights, Foglights, Tailights; 4.56 Gears + a lot more...
I am 21 years old, born and raised in Tahiti, French Polynesia.
I moved 2 years ago to the Los Angeles Area to attend a university (where I am still studying) in order to work in the aviation field.
All the mods so far are out of my pocket, that is why I did the cheaper ones first. All my money come from DJing in nightclubs (Hollywood and mostly back in Tahiti). Music is a big part of my life, and hopefully one day will allow me to afford the things I want in life.
Being far from home is a hard step, but it has been an amazing experience so far. I had a Dodge Dakota back in Tahiti, and my father still has his Durango. I find peace in working on my truck, I always try to do stuff myself (even though sometimes I had to get my mistakes fixed by a professional). I guess you learn from hard work and errors.
This truck is my only car and my daily drive. I love it, and am never tired of driving it.
Every time I have friends in town visiting, we go everywhere. Since I`ve had the car, I got 30,000 miles in 1 1/2 years. So you can be sure that the brand will be seen in a lot of places. I think I have been to Vegas more than 5 times already.
This forum has been my main informations resource since I started working on my truck. I love how everybody is really trying to help the other. That`s why I decided to support the forum.
My first mod was plastidipping my emblems and grille. Crappy job but I improved my painting skills since then. And it started from then on. I haven`t been able to stop thinking about what could I do next.
Performance wise: I got a good deal on a K&N FIPK 57 series from my engine, painted the filter box red first. I have been loving it since day one, it is definitely one of the first mod you want to do on a car. Then I got myself a SuperChips Vivid Paq, which took me some time to get used to. But now that I have it in hand, I`m loving it. Now, I just want to add one of Moe`s Ported TB for my 4.7L as soon as he gets them out for sale. And maybe add a 180 Thermostat with that. I think that would be a great running engine at that point. The best would be ,if I am able to, add 4.56 Gears on, which would work great on my 4.7L, especially with my lift.
Interior: I love being comfy driving my car, and not having to look at something I don`t like. I am now getting close. I first swapped my rear door speakers for some Rockford Fosgate T165 which I really like. One of my stock speaker was out, and I have always been a big fan of Rockford since my young age. And then I went for the bass, and added a Rockford P1S4 12" in a sealed center seat enclosure from SuperCrewSound (I do not have the skills to make it myself, yet). All of that boosted by a Rockford P300-2 bridged for 300 Watts at 4 Ohms, and wired with Rockford own RFK4X. It took me along time to install everything, but I got it done. As you may assume, the sound quality is a big deal for me. I also took advantage of having my bezel out to sand the woodgrain and paint it matching red with my car. I am now just waiting to be able to afford their Component Front Door Set, T265-S. After that I would love to get a Double Din Pioneer in, and that would be my perfect setup. I also plastidipped the chrome billet pedals that the guy before me had put on. For lights, I just want to put all LEDs in my dome and map Lights.
The final touch would be to get Black leather seats with red stitching.
Exterior: Again, first thing was plastidiping my emblems and grille. However, I really like the look of a 1 piece black Mesh/Honeycomb Grille. I then switched my headlights and foglights for some Spec`d Blackout ones, and then again recently for a good deal that I got on some custom ones. Black inside, White Halo and LED strip and 55W HID in projectors. Even though I`m loving them, I think nothing beats JJ and his products. I want to add his headlights, foglights and tailights that he`d custom exactly the way I want. Next, I painted my brake calipers red, and took advantages of having my wheels off to plastidip them. The exterior of the truck is where most of my upcoming mods are going to be. Even though I have a 2WD, I love the look of lifted truck (but not too high). I would love a 3" or 4" suspension lift Kit with 35s Nitto Trail Grappler with it. I think I would keep my stock rims for now. I am also considering 1" Wheel Spacers.
Getting help from such as DAP would be awesome, and definitely would bring me closer to my dream car. I would talk and spread the brand, and definitely attend any car show I can. I`ve never done any, but have strongly been considering it recently.
Thank you for giving us such an awesome opportunity.