Hot Shot's Secret™ Unveils Morgan Evans Five-Day Duramax Swap on Opening Day at SEMA 2026

MT. GILEAD, OH — Hot Shot's Secret™, the leading diesel additive and lubricant brand in the USA, unveils a Morgan Evans project truck - a 1982 GMC C3500 High Sierra dually swapped with a 6.6-liter diesel Duramax at their booth early on opening day of the 2026 SEMA Show.

Over five days, October 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.

"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.

At the 10:00 a.m. PT unveiling, booth #23943 in Central Hall, Evans and Kyle Fischer, Hot Shot's Secret Director of Field Marketing & 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 six-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."

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 their industry-leading 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 coilover system and double-adjustable rear shocks.

For more information about the company's full line of high-performance lubricants, visit HotShotSecret.com or call 800.341.6516.