Hot Shot’s Secret Unveils Morgan Evans’ Five-Day Duramax Swap at SEMA

Hot Shot’s Secret unveiled a Morgan Evans project truck, a 1982 GMC C3500 High Sierra dually swapped with a 6.6-liter diesel Duramax at its booth early on opening day, Nov. 3, of the 2026 SEMA Show, Hot Shot’s Secret officials said in a press release.

Over five days, Oct. 12-16, Evans and a small crew, including Evans’ fiancé Jason Kastner, worked in her Florida garage to replace the truck’s original gasoline-powered big-block with an LB7 6.6L Duramax diesel, transforming the classic pickup into a capable tow vehicle. The truck arrived Monday morning with its original gasoline big-block and drove out Friday powered by an LB7 6.6L Duramax diesel, the release noted.

“I needed a truck that could tow across the country, and this fuel-hungry big-block was not up to the job,” Evans said.

Project sponsor, Hot Shot’s Secret and HOT ROD magazine were on hand to document the project. Hot Shot’s Secret filmed the five-day transformation, and HOT ROD magazine covered the intricate swap, including all welding, fabrication and fitment work.

Inside the Five-Day LB7 Duramax Swap

At the unveiling in Booth #23943 in Central Hall, Evans and Kyle Fischer, Hot Shot’s Secret director of field marketing and partnerships, shared the all-hands-on-deck effort to prepare the truck for display at the 2026 SEMA Show. The day-into-the-night swap effort involved removing the original engine and transmission; fitting the LB7 Duramax engine and installing Duramax components, including powertrain mounts and transmission crossmember; installing an all-new fuel system, retaining the ZF6 6-speed manual shifter, then adding a hydraulic clutch; and more.

“We adapted an existing driveshaft to the new drivetrain and fabricated a custom exhaust on site,” Evans added. “By Friday, everything was wired and plumbed. We started the truck and took it for a drive. I could not have met this nearly impossible deadline without our partners who stepped up in every way. I am incredibly grateful to everyone who helped make this possible.”

Sponsors & Parts Behind the Build

Hot Shot’s Secret supported the swap with Green Diamond PRO Engine Oil, Blue Diamond G56 6-speed Manual Transmission Fluid, Blue Diamond Gear Oil, as well as its Diesel Extreme and Everyday Diesel Treatment (EDT) fuel additives.

Additional major sponsors and contributions included:

• S&S Diesel Motorsport – a Duramax SuperSport CP3 and SAC00 LB7 injectors
• BD Diesel – up pipes, exhaust manifolds and a Screamer turbo
• Precision Fabrication Plus – a powertrain mounting kit, cooling system and hydroboost braking system
• QA1 Suspension – a front coil-over system and double-adjustable rear shocks
• AMD – premium radiator support and dual headlamps.

Fischer said, “Some people would have said it would be an impossible task to make this swap and have it ready for the SEMA Show in five days. Hearing the Duramax start for the first time was an incredible moment. By then, the crew, Morgan and everyone involved felt personally invested. We were incredibly excited to be a part of this project and to bring it to the show.”

For more information about the swap, visit hotshotsecret.com.