Cummins Connoisseur—An Interview with Andrew V of Just Diesels

Just Diesels—A Comprehensive Diesel Resource

For someone who claims to have fallen into the realm of influencing by accident, Andrew sure has a knack for it. One glance at his Instagram page or YouTube channel immediately showcases his exquisite taste and even more impressive photography and videography skills—which he attributes to an elective arts credit class in high school. Aside from this brief stint in photography class, Andrew is entirely self-taught.  

His social media revolves almost exclusively around diesel-powered pickup trucks of all generations, though his affinity for Cummins-diesel-powered RAMs is undeniable. His YouTube channel and Instagram page aim to entertain and educate the general public and gearheads alike on maintenance, diagnostics, and recommended parts. As he proclaims in each video introduction, he's "setting out to make better videos for diesel enthusiasts," serving as a shining light in the often misrepresented and misunderstood diesel truck community.

Andrew V–The Man Behind (and in front) of the Camera

Hailing from Southern California, Andrew had a different experience than most regarding trucks. Rather than being surrounded by beat-up mud trucks, he was surrounded by the pre-runner scene, consisting of custom-built trucks with specialized suspension components, dampers, and wheel and tire packages to support high-speed runs through the rutted California deserts. 

These surroundings, alongside some peer pressure from a Cummins-crazed friend, led Andrew to his first diesel-powered pickup truck. Naturally, he gravitated to forums and local shops for inspiration, which helped him hone his taste for clean, functional builds—no squatted trucks in this garage. 

Once his social media platforms began to blow up, Andrew invested more time into educating and inspiring, which he continues to do to his 61 thousand Instagram followers and nearly 100 thousand YouTube subscribers.

The Trucks—A Generational Spread of RAM

At heart, Andrew is a Cummins-powered RAM fanatic, currently owning five and having owned several in the past. In this section, we're looking at the current pickups in his garage—all turbo diesel Dodge/RAM trucks.

2006 Dodge RAM 3500

Andrew's 2006 Dodge Ram 3500 is the heart and soul of this channel. Boasting the 5.9L Cummins turbo diesel engine mated to a G56 6-speed manual transmission, the truck is the ultimate do-it-all rig, showcasing the reliability and power of pre-emissions diesel pickups. According to Andrew:

"My 2006 Ram 3500 is a single owner, 45k mile, all original, manual truck. It took about six years of searching to find, but it's THE truck for me. I've worked for several years now to build it into my ultimate do-it-all rig!"

The truck sports several modifications, including: 

• Carli Dominator suspension system

• Apex Steering

• Carli axle truss

• 17-in. Innov8 G600 wheels

• 37-in. Nitto Ridge Grappler tires

• Fully clear Xpel-wrapped

• Custom-painted AlphaRex headlights and tails

• Baja Designs lighting

• Fass lift pump

• There are too many other modifications to list! 

Check out Andrew's comprehensive 3rd-Gen video series for more information on this particular truck.

2020 RAM 2500

The newest addition to Andrew's fleet is his 2020 RAM 2500, which he purchased from the owner of a renowned off-road shop in Southern California. The current-generation RAM pickup blends the rugged reliability of a Cummins-powered, solid-axle, heavy-duty truck with modern amenities and comfort. According to Andrew: 

"This truck was originally owned by Cole at CJC Off Road, and I fell in love with the truck the second I first saw it. When the time came for Cole to sell the truck, I jumped at the opportunity and made the tough choice to let my OBS [Ford F-250] go." 

The truck sports several modifications, including: 

• Carli Dominator Suspension System 

• 18-in. KMC GRS wheels

• 38-in. Toyo MT tires

• Custom build headlights and tails

• CJC Built/Baja Designs lighting

• CJC Built skid plate

• Custom color badges and accents

• Edge EZX Module

• Fass fuel filters

• Banks intake horn

Check out Andrew's comprehensive 5th-Gen video series for more information on this particular truck.

1999 Dodge RAM 2500

Up next is—no surprise—another Cummins-powered Dodge Ram pickup. The 1999 Ram falls into the second generation of Dodge diesel-powered pickups. At a quarter-century old, the truck still looks fresh from the dealer lot and performs even better. According to Andrew: 

"A second gen[eration RAM pickup] has been on my "must own" vehicle list for a long time, so I was thrilled when I finally picked this truck up from the original owner with only 60k miles. It was completely original and garage-stored since new, making it an absolute time capsule of a truck."

Andrew wasted no time modifying the truck from its original condition. Since purchasing, he's outfitted his 1999 Ram with several aftermarket parts, including: 

• Carli Pintop suspension system 

• Synergy Steering

• Thuren track bar

• Jamo Exhaust

• Banks Intake/Intake Horn

• Edge Comp tuner

• Tier 1 Transmission

• Fenley turbo

• Fass Lift pump

• Head studs, valve springs, and supporting parts

• 17-in. walker Evans wheels

• 35-in. Nitto Ridge Grappler tires

Check out Andrew's comprehensive2nd-Gen video series for additional information on this particular truck.

1993 Dodge D350

Onto the original—back when the first Cummins-powered Dodge pickups rolled off the showroom floor, Andrew's immaculate D350 is an homage to simpler times. The bone-stock pickup truck looks fresh from the 1993 Dodge catalog, and Andrew plans to keep it that way. According to Andrew: 

"This was my first "barn find" truck and hooked me on the process of tracking down nice trucks. I bought it from the original owner with only 70k miles back in 2013, and have kept it almost entirely the same since then. It's hands down the most original and well-preserved first-gen I've seen in person!"

The modification list for this one is short and sweet—nothing! For more information on this particular truck, check out Andrew's comprehensive 1st-Gen walk-around.

1992 Dodge W250

Last but not least is Andrew's 1992 Dodge W250. This unique truck may look the roughest on the outside, but beneath the flaking 90s clear coat lies an immaculate, essentially all-original truck. According to Andrew: 

"My 1992 "grandpa" truck came about as more of an accident than anything else when I traded the owner some parts for the truck. It's a little rough around the edges, but it's going to be an awesome project!"

The 1992 W250 sports various modifications, including a refreshed interior and a 4-in. lift kit. Check out Andrew's comprehensive "Grandpa Truck" video series for more information on this particular truck.

An Interview with Andrew V

We had the pleasure of sitting down with Andrew for a quick interview. In it, he detailed his passions and offered some advice for new enthusiasts. Check out our transcript of the full interview. 

Q: What/who kicked off your initial love for pickup trucks?

A: Ever since I was a little kid, I've loved trucks and anything with wheels. Some of my first words were vehicle-related, and when I was in kindergarten, I could already name most vehicles on the road based on just their headlight shape. My friends had toy Hot Wheels, etc., and loved the typical Ferraris and supercars, but all I ever wanted to play with were the realistic Matchbox trucks, utility vehicles, and tractors. 

As I got older, my best friend Marshall's family was involved in construction and heavy equipment, so I got exposed to diesel trucks, specifically 2nd and 3rd gen Cummins. From that point on there was really no turning back, and that's all I wanted to drive as soon as I got my license. It took about 4–5 flipped vehicles and a lot of pennies saved before I finally got my first diesel truck in college (a 1991.5 Dodge D250 first-gen Cummins), but I've been hooked ever since! 

Q: In your opinion, what makes for the ultimate all-around pickup truck? (features, characteristics, qualities, etc.)

A: I've always admired how practical trucks are since they can tow/haul, go off-road, road trip, and still be comfortably driven daily. My goal with anything I own is to make the truck even more effective at doing all those "truck" things, so I think the perfect truck fits all those needs for the person who owns it. For me, that means upgraded suspension primarily, and then add-ons like lighting and bed/interior storage that allow me to carry Mountain Bikes and Snowboards to wherever I want to go on the weekend while still being able to tow and do work with the truck. 

Q: What makes the Dodge/RAM HD Pickup platform so unique/practical/versatile? 

A: To me, the Ram HD truck platform is successful because of its partnership with Cummins. I'm not a big brand loyalty person, and I really like to just get what I feel is the "best" product for my goals/budget. When it comes to trucks, the Cummins/Ram trucks really balance reliability, ease of maintenance, and cost better than most. If I bought a brand new truck today, it would probably be a Ford Powerstroke, but for the older trucks, the Ram/Cummins platform is truly hard to beat. 

I love the brilliant simplicity of the Cummins engine layout, too. It has a fraction of the moving parts of a V8 diesel design, is extremely easy to maintain due to the simple architecture, and is hands down one of the most reliable diesels built. 

Q: How did you get into YouTube/social media? 

A: Honestly, the whole social media thing was kind of an accident for me. I started shooting photos in high school as part of my elective arts credit class and kind of fell in love with it. I initially mostly shot mountain biking and landscapes but naturally started pointing the camera at my trucks once I got my first-gen in college. I didn't have many friends who were into diesel trucks, so naturally, I took to the forums and social media to find more people interested in trucks and learn things I didn't know.

The whole thing has kind of snowballed over time, but the end goal has always been to have fun and meet/interact with other people who are also into these trucks. There are countless people who inspired me when I was getting into trucks and still inspire me now, so hopefully, I can pay that favor back and inspire other people to enjoy their trucks and make something cool. 

Q: You obviously take great pride in the production value of your content, both in still imagery and videography. Do you have a visual media background?

A: I'm entirely self-taught when it comes to video and photography, but I have done it for work in both the mountain bike and off-road industry for several years now. It's more or less a hobby turned job, which seems to be how my whole life has gone. I've always been the type of person who's 100 percent into my hobbies and passions! 

Q: If you had to pick one truck to drive for the rest of your life, what would it be and why? 

A: This is a VERY tough question… If I could only own one vehicle forever, it would probably be a 06–07 Mega Cab third-generation Cummins with a G56 manual. To me, that platform is the perfect mix of new and old as it's old enough to be simple to work on, maintain, and upgrade but new enough to have a large cab, everyday creature comforts, and accept more modern tech upgrades well. That platform also has incredible aftermarket support regardless of your goals with the truck, meaning you can really make the truck do or be capable of anything you want. 

Q: What are your top five must-have truck modifications?

A:  Hands-down, suspension is number one. It doesn't matter if the truck is used on the street or off-road—the stock suspension leaves so much to be desired. After that, I'd say lighting is the next upgrade I will make since I'm regularly driving in areas with total darkness. After that, it's wheels and tires, since they make a massive difference in capability and ride quality and totally transform the look of a vehicle. Next is tint, since driving in a stock fishbowl isn't for me. 

After that, upgrades start to get a little more specific to the platform since older trucks need things like steering upgrades, transmission upgrades, etc., but newer trucks already have that kind of stuff dialed in, more or less. 

Q: Every enthusiast has one vehicle "that got away." What's yours?

A:  For me, that truck is the 1997 [Ford F-250] OBS Powerstroke I had. I loved that truck but sold it to get my 5th-gen [RAM 2500] that was a little more family-friendly as my wife and I are looking to have a kid. As soon as [my] budget allows, I'll add an OBS Ford back into the lineup since I love those trucks.

Q: What truck will come next in your ever-expanding garage? 

A: This is a tough call! I honestly don't know since most of my shopping is based on what pops up at the right price when I can strike. I love the thrill of the chase, so I've always got an eye out for underpriced cool trucks. I would love to own a 2023+ Super Duty, another OBS Ford, and an older LBZ Duramax. We'll have to see what comes up first! 

Q: What's one piece of advice you'd like to give anyone looking to get into trucks? 

A: It's really easy to look at everyone else and get caught up in what you don't have, and I feel like that's always a downside of social media. My advice is always to stick within your budget and remember that it's always a slow climb to get to your dream vehicle. I've flipped my way up slowly over years of different vehicles and still have stuff on my dream list to work towards. I honestly think that's the best way to do it. 

You learn how to buy and sell, learn how to make and not lose money on vehicles, and learn how to fix and maintain things. You appreciate things more that way and don't get stuck in some giant loan. I've flipped a lot of junky commuter cars, but it's a great way to climb up the vehicle ladder without massive loans and overleveraging yourself. Along the way, you make a ton of connections and learn some pretty valuable life skills [while] interacting with people and figuring out how to buy/sell effectively. Everyone always wants to jump to the top of the ladder, but flipping cars is a fun and beneficial way to get there, with some meaningful lessons along the way. Also, just have fun with it. At the end of the day, vehicles should be enjoyable!

Stay Up to Date with Andrew V and Just Diesels

We’d like to give a huge thanks to Andrew for taking the time out of his busy schedule to chat with us. Stay tuned for future projects and postings with Andrew, and check out his socials in the meantime. 

YouTube: @JustDiesels

Instagram: @avvblanc

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