My friend Steve Deitsch is as big a gearhead as anyone I've ever met. He's a Ford guy by nature, but he doesn't let brand loyalty stop him from admiring cool trucks and great engines from other manufacturers. Big Stevie, as his friends know him, has been working on cars, trucks, and engines forever. He has lusted over supercharged Hemi-headed big blocks and built quick-revving small blocks, and is the only guy I know who daily-drove a 496 ci-powered F-350. I mention my friend Stevie, because despite 30 years of tinkering with gas engines, he's converting to diesel. After attending last year's Diesel Power Challenge he's seen what the 5.9L common-rail Cummins engines can do, and the gears in his mind are already turning.

In many ways, Stevie represents the typical new reader of Diesel Power. I know there's a good chance that this is the first time many of you have picked up the magazine. You may not be new to reading about high-performance cars and trucks,
but you're new to diesel, and you're ready to dive right in and catch up.

As an enthusiast, converting from a gasoline engine owner to a diesel owner is a lot like going from using a PC computer to buying a Macintosh. All of a sudden, you feel like you're in the loop, part of the cool club, and able to take advantage of a newfound power that most people just aren't aware of. Diesels, like Macs aren't the norm, but if you own one now, you feel like you're ahead of the curve.

If this is the first issue of Diesel Power you've picked up then you've probably only heard stories about what modern diesel engines can do-how much torque they make, and how much horsepower some guys are twisting out of them. You may not yet know how easy it is to modify the new engines for more power and better fuel economy with a simple plug-in module or programmer.
There's no doubt that some of you may have seen a diesel truck in your hometown with giant exhaust stacks poking up through the bed and heard rumors that it beat some dude's ZO6 Corvette or SRT-10 Viper. Perhaps, you were intrigued by that possibility and came here to learn more. Or, it's possible you were that guy that got beat by a diesel, and you're here for revenge.

In any case, let me be the first to welcome you to Diesel Power, and tell you that the stories you've heard are almost all true. Diesel engines do make incredible power, can get 20-plus mpg, and will run on practically any fuel, be it bio or petroleum-based. In many cases the highest-horsepower vehicles for sale on new car dealer lots are diesel trucks, and that's before they're
modified by readers like you.

Every month, our staff brings together the biggest diesel magazine in the world chock full of the latest performance parts, truck upgrades, and do-it-yourself modification to make any diesel vehicle better. If this is your first issue, then welcome to the club. Take a look around and see what you think. If you like the magazine, check out our Web site at dieselpowermag.com for more photos, videos, and our archived stories. If you have any questions, or don't see your favorite diesel in these pages, drop me a line at the e-mail address below.

- David.kennedy@sourceinterlink.com