Built in the Driveway: Amy Lambert’s 2021 Jeep Wrangler

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Diego Hernandez Built His Dream Truck. Then He Went Back Into the Driveway and Built Amy Something of Her Own

Diego Hernandez had already built his dream vehicle. The 2021 Ram 3500 dually was the kind of project that comes after years of messing with cars, learning what works, figuring out what doesn’t, and eventually getting the opportunity to build the thing that’s been living in your head.

He could’ve stopped there. Instead, Diego looked at his wife, Amy Lambert, and decided it was her turn. The result is this 2021 Jeep Wrangler, a driveway-built, 37-inch-tire-clad, camo-wrapped SEMA project created to complement Diego’s Ram without becoming a copy of it.

His truck. Her Jeep. One hell of a garage.

BUILT AT HOME
The Wrangler came together in less than three months, and there’s an important detail hiding in that timeline. Diego didn’t hire a professional shop. He built it in his driveway. No lifts. No fabrication facility filled with equipment. No handing over the keys and coming back when somebody else finished it. Just tools, determination, and a rapidly approaching deadline.

For Diego, that became part of what the Jeep represented. He wanted to prove that you don’t necessarily need a giant shop to tackle a serious build.

You do, however, need to keep moving. Truck Guru became a major part of making that happen, helping Diego manage the build, track down parts, and keep the project headed toward the finish line. What started as help managing a SEMA build turned into a friendship, Diego says. It opened the door to experiences he’ll never forget.

37s CHANGE THE ATTITUDE
The Jeep’s stance comes from a MetalCloak 3.5-inch Game-Changer suspension, with MetalCloak components carrying through the suspension setup. Then Diego went straight for the good stuff.

Mastertrack Badlands M/Ts measure 37×12.50R17 and stretch across wide 17×12 Fittipaldi FB153 wheels. It’s an aggressive, deep-dish stance designed to command attention on the SEMA carpet.

Hammerhead Armor takes over at both ends with stubby front and rear bumpers, along with inner fender liners and flares. A Warn winch handles recovery duty, while Prismatic Powders’ Illusion Cherry finish brings flashes of color into a build dominated by black, gray, and camouflage.

The result doesn’t look like something designed to politely disappear into the scenery, which makes the camouflage pretty funny.

HARD TO MISS
Daley Visual handled the custom wrap, and it’s arguably the defining visual element of the Jeep. The gray-scale camouflage establishes the base, but the red treatment around the upper body keeps it from becoming another military-inspired Wrangler. Combined with the deep-dish Fittipaldi wheels, angular Hammerhead steel armor, and tall stance, it packs exactly the kind of presence a SEMA build needs without looking afraid to get dirty.

An American Modified Shark grille and LED headlights change the face, while XKGlow lighting appears throughout the Jeep, including the bumpers, underbody, spotlights, and light bar. An XKGlow management system keeps the lighting under control. This Jeep wasn’t built to sneak anywhere.

MORE THAN A PARKING LOT BUILD
Under the hood remains Jeep’s 3.6L V-6, with Banks Power equipment added to the package and a ZAutomotive Tazer JL Mini handling additional electronic functionality.

The interior gets PRP seat covers, while the equipment list includes an ICECO APL35 refrigerator, Starlink mounted through Star-Mount Systems, and a Thor’s Lightning compressor.

Those additions make more sense when you look at where the Jeep has been. SEMA was the deadline, not the retirement party. Diego lists Jeep Bash, Trail Hero, and King of the Hammers among the events the Wrangler has attended since the build. That’s exactly where a Jeep on 37-inch mud terrains should end up.

THE THREE-MONTH LESSON
Not everything went according to plan. It never does.

One of the challenges Diego remembers was sorting out clutch-rod length during the build. His advice after working through the Jeep is simple: don’t rush the process, and don’t let the inevitable problems convince you to quit.

The Jeep wasn’t created to prove Diego had access to the biggest shop or the most expensive equipment. It was built because he wanted to make something for Amy. Three months in a driveway turned that idea into a SEMA vehicle.

And when we asked Diego, what was the build cost? He didn’t say a dollar amount. He simply said, “happiness.” Hard to argue with that.

Diego says that in his eyes, a build is never really finished. After SEMA, Trail Hero, and King of the Hammers, there will undoubtedly be another idea, another part, and another reason to grab the tools. That’s how his Ram happened. It’s how Amy’s Jeep happened. And judging by Diego’s answer when asked what he learned from the experience, these two probably won’t be the last.

Keep building. Keep sharing the vision. Sounds like the driveway is going to stay busy.

UPGRADES

2021 Jeep Wrangler

OWNER:

Diego Hernandez & Amy Lambert Riverside, CA

ENGINE & DRIVETRAIN: 3.6L V-6, Banks Power upgrades, ZAutomotive Tazer JL Mini

CHASSIS & SUSPENSION: MetalCloak 3.5-inch Game-Changer suspension, MetalCloak suspension components, MetalCloak under-bumper protection

WHEELS & TIRES: 17×12 Fittipaldi FB153, 37×12.50R17 Mastertrack Badlands M/T

BODY & PAINT: Custom camouflage wrap by Josh Daley at Daley Visual, Hammerhead Armor stubby front bumper, Hammerhead Armor rear bumper, Hammerhead inner fender liners, Hammerhead fender flares, Warn winch, Bolt Lock security, American Modified Shark grille, American Modified LED headlights, XKGlow bumper lighting, XKGlow underglow, XKGlow spotlights, XKGlow light bar, XKGlow lighting management system, Prismatic Powders Illusion Cherry accents

INTERIOR: PRP seat covers, ICECO APL35 refrigerator, Starlink, Star-Mount Systems mount, Thor’s Lightning compressor

BUILD PARTNERS: Fittipaldi Offroad, Hammerhead Armor, XKGlow, Mastertrack Tires, Warn, PRP, Star-Mount Systems, Daley Visual, Gen-Y Hitch, Prismatic Powders, American, Modified, ICECO, Z Automotive, Banks Power, Bolt Lock, MetalCloak

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Corey Decker

Corey Decker is a photographer and storyteller who views the world through a lens of authenticity. With a passion for capturing the raw beauty of landscapes and the quiet moments in between, Corey’s ...