Finally, something that I can sperg about.
Been lurking for ages. Diesel vehicles and 30 y/o cars are my thing. That 7.3 is an okay engine, but the IDI that came before it was indestructible. 2 wheel drive seems like a horrible idea for a ranch vehicle. Diesel is pointless unless you need to tow very large trailers. Not like they have any other farms to visit. A much better choice for them would have been a toyota tundra or a nissan hardbody. Both are small trucks that will cost them much less in the long run. Even a small block American half-ton would be simpler.
I wonder what they did to mess up that GM. Newer diesel trucks have to reach full operating temperature occasionally or else the computer will throw it into "limp mode" until the soot is cooked out of the exhaust system. I almost want to reach out to them concerning "Penny" to see if I can dig up more info.
As they say on the Cummins forums, you have to pay big to play big. I guess it's easier when your benefactors will bend to your every whim.
Bonus: You can really abuse an IDI diesel
https://youtu.be/WBOP-oKS560