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Unleashing Power: Building a 500HP GM Stroker Engine – Exploring the Battle Between Old School Chevy Small-Block and Modern LS Series

May 24, 2023 by MARCEL VENABLE

What It Takes to Build a 500HP GM Stroker Engine

The debate rages between champions of the old school Chevy small-block and fans of the new-school LS series. Which camp do you fall into? When you really take a look at both power plants they’re not that different in the component category. As a matter of fact, many of the rotating internals share the same dimensions if you decide to hop up one of them.

Obviously GM improved some key features when it introduced the LS series engine in late 1997. The redesigned main caps and side-loading bosses improved the block’s strength; and the noticeable lack of distributor, traded for the individual coil packs devoted to each cylinder, made the LS look completely different, and it took a few years for hot rodders to learn how to build power with it. However, hands down, the one major improvement that the LS series has over the small-block Chevy is improved cylinder head design.

So the debate continues: Is the LS series better thanks to more modern technology and engineering? Well, I wouldn’t count out the ol’ small-block Chevy just yet. There’s no question that this engine design has received more research than a NASA rocket ever did. The small-block Chevy is a freak of nature, and it’s surpassed its original design limitations 10 times over. From the days of 265 ci, to today’s 500-ci monster motors, the small-block Chevy is a tough competitor to beat.

OK, I know what you’re really thinking, which one is better, or which one can I make more power with? Well, the answer really is both, because each design is capable of making more power than anyone could ever use, or should have on the street, and because of their production numbers and the availability of aftermarket speed parts, building a performance GM-based engine is the easiest and most affordable option today.

Now let’s focus on how to get the most out of a GM engine whether it’s based on a small-block Chevy or an LS. I’m sure that all of us motorheads know that increasing the displacement in any engine will benefit the horsepower output. There are many ways to increase engine displacement, but the least invasive method is to change the crankshaft’s stroke length. Referred to as “stroking the crank” or “building a stroker,” it’s by far the simplest way to increase the displacement of a performance engine and yield the biggest gains.

If you haven’t heard the term “stroker engine” before, then let me welcome you to world of the 21st century performance vehicle. But, I’ll bet that you have heard the term, so instead, here’s a little background information on one of the most popular engine modifications known to gearhead kind. Let’s start from the beginning: What is a stroker engine really, and why has it been so popular for most of the last 40 years.

Back in the day, drag racers and dirt track racers were in need of a low-buck way to increase horsepower. Racing is an expensive sport, and most spend a fortune on parts to make their vehicle faster. In the late-’60s and early-’70s, the Chevy small-block engine, or the SBC, was the reigning king of power plants in just about everything on four wheels. The SBC was offered in many different cubic inch sizes, including the ever-popular 350-cid passenger car model, as well as the 400-cid model found in some station wagon and truck models. The racer of this time had to be savvy and unafraid of experimentation to gain maximum horsepower from these engines.

It didn’t take long to figure out how to merge the two engines together. The 400 crankshaft had a stroke length over the 350’s crank, when it was installed into the 350 block, it increased the overall displacement size from 350 to 382.7 ci, which when rounded up turned into what we know as the 383 stroker. The result was an increase in the distance that a piston has to travel up and down in the cylinder bore, which literally increases engine displacement or engine size, creating extra power. This changed everything. As the saying goes, there is no replacement for displacement. From that point on hundreds of thousands have been built. It wasn’t long after that other engines were stroked, like Fords, Mopars, imports and even diesel engines. The mod became the poor man’s race engine and started the street performance revolution.

Throughout the years, many paid for the abuse they were inflicting onto their factory parts. Stock cast components were no match for the high rpm requirements. Parts began to fail, which opened the door for aftermarket companies to improve parts and increase the numbers of this sought-after combination. Stronger forged parts made their way into machine shops, as well as new piston and cylinder head designs, which increased numbers and soon surpassed the old square engine benchmark of 383 hp. In fact it’s not unheard of for engine numbers to surpass 500 hp, street driven on pump gas. The best part of this whole grand experiment is the fact that engine builders didn’t quit at 382.7 ci. It’s now pretty common to change bore size to a larger diameter or even increase the stroke to gain more cubic inches. Many aftermarket parts manufacturers now offer a variety of different sizes of crankshafts and connecting rod lengths that will change overall displacement size. One of the most popular engines to stroke today is the LS series engine which shares some of the same principles of the earlier SBC design.

We wanted to get a better idea of what makes a good stroker combination, as well as what it takes to build one. What we discovered is that there is a ton of information out there to digest and a few different options depending on what your truck already has. To give our readers a better idea of the options that are available, we decided to look into building a pair of the most commonly stroked engines. One is the conventional SBC with 383 cubic inches, and the other is the latest popular stroker combination, a 6.0L LS truck engine stroked out to 408 ci.

LS ENGINE: 2002 6L IRON TRUCK BLOCK STROKED FROM 364 CID TO 408 CID

1. In order to build a strong engine, you’ll need to start right at the block. We had this iron 6L LS block sonically cleaned and tested for cracks prior to the machining process over at Clovis Machine Shop in Clovis, CA. Next the block’s main crank journal and main caps were checked for square using an align-honing bar. The cylinders got a fresh hone job to ensure that the new piston rings seat properly. Then the deck height of the top of the block was squared down .005 and cleaned thoroughly before assembly began.

2. Big-horsepower engines place a huge load on the fasteners that hold them together. It’s essential to upgrade your engine’s fasteners if you plan on making power. ARP has been an industry leader in performance fasteners for more than 40 years. This engine stud and bolt kit has all of the proper mounting fasteners, providing the user with piece of mind when they stand on the throttle of their favorite truck.

3. When building an engine to run in a high RPM range, proper engine bearing clearances are a must—multiple sets of bearings may be required. Our engine builder, Peter Guy, explained that when he assembles a high-performance engine he measures and matches bearings from multiple sets of Speed Pro bearings before setting them in place in the block.

4. We chose an Eagle Specialty Products’ 4340 forged steel crankshaft with 4.000 stroke. This crank trumps the 3.60 stroke length of the stock 370-ci 6L engine and features a 24-tooth reluctor wheel on the crank. This model features Eagle’s ESP armor coating, a top-secret process that evenly coats the entire crankshaft with a mirror-like finish that allows the oil to flow over the rotating crankshaft without any measurable drag, resulting in less friction and less power-robbing heat. Paired with Eagle’s 6.125-inch long forged H-beam-style connecting rod increases the displacement up to 408 ci!

5. Rounding out the rotating assembly is a set of Eagle’s H-beam connecting rods installed with ARP’s rod bolts, and Mahle forged aluminum pistons. Mahle’s reputation for delivering the highest quality forgings is evident just by looking at the pistons in the box. The pins and round wire clips for all eight slugs are included. We ordered the entire rotating assembly as a kit, which allowed Eagle to receive the pistons from Mahle to balance all of the rotating parts together to ensure more performance and a longer service life. The rotating internal parts are paired as closely as possible by weight before they are spun on a balancing machine to match them together by their overall weight.

6. Next, our tech hangs the Mahle pistons to the Eagle H-beam rods. If you think that the pistons are a strange color, you’re right. That’s a phosphate coating that helps reduce heat temperatures and friction that can cause cylinder wall wear and cuts down horsepower.

7. Now that all of the pistons have been hung on the rods it’s time to fit the rings and slip them into the cylinders to match them to the crankshaft.

8. Moving on to the installation of the Trick Flow Specialties camshaft, the camshaft bearings were installed at Clovis Machine. To prep for the installation, assembly lube was applied to the bearings and the camshaft prior to installing them on the block.

9. Next, we began the installation of Summit Racing’s adjustable double roller timing gear set. This is equipped with multiple keyway grooves to advance or retard the camshaft’s timing depending on the specs. The nine-position crank sprocket allows the installer to advance or retard the cam in 2-degree increments or straight up if need be.

**10.** Our cam specs demanded the timing set run straight up, so after we installed it we moved on to the high volume oil pump from Melling that we ordered from Summit’s website. This iron pump may seem like a step backward since most LS series engines are equipped with an aluminum pump for reducing the weight of the rotating mass. But, what some folks don’t realize is that the aluminum pumps expand at high rpms and cavitate, reducing oil pressure and flow. Their iron counterparts never expand during high rpm sessions, maintaining constant pressure and flow to the engine’s vital parts.

**11.** Trick Flow Specialties’ cathedral port aluminum cylinder heads feature 225 intake runners and a total 65cc of volume for the combustion chamber. These are the perfect choice for a big cubic inch engine because they are equipped with 2.055 intake valves and 1.575 exhaust valves. Matching it to the Trick Flow hydraulic roller camshaft that features a .595 lift/242 duration cam on a 112-lobe separation allows for maximum performance with a good idle and easy start up, perfect for a fuel-injected engine. Trick Flow’s push rods and Harland Sharp’s 1.7:1 roller rocker arms were installed and torqued down to 22 ft-lbs at zero lash.

**12.** ARP’s cylinder head stud kit was also used on the iron block and installed with ARP’s assembly lube before being turned into the block. Then Fel-Pro’s perma torque MLS series head gaskets were slid over the studs and into the block’s deck surface. This set measured .0041-inch rather than the stock .0053 gasket giving us a tighter clearance height to the top of the piston. To make sure that we were in no danger of valve interference, our tech used some modeling clay on the top of the piston where he installed a cylinder head, push rod and rocker arm to rotate the engine over. After the valves made a cycle, he removed the head to reveal whether or not the valve/piston were in any danger by measuring the impression left in the clay.

**13.** A FAST intake system delivers fuel injection, but not just any intake manifold for this stroker will do, because we want to see the torque number shoot sky high. We used FAST’s LSX-RT intake with its 102mm Big Mouth throttle body. The long intake runners will ensure that this engine makes big torque numbers and the 102mm Big Mouth throttle body can deliver the airflow needed to make it work right. Don’t be fooled by its plastic look, using a composite material ensures that this intake resists heat that can cause fuel to vaporize prior to traveling into the combustion chamber. Cooler fuel means more horsepower, so we’ll take the plastic intake over an aluminum job anytime.

**14.** A set of FAST fuel rails and 44-pound FAST injectors allow this beast to drink its fill of fuel when needed.

**15.** One of the LS’s greatest achievements is improved engine seals. Fel-Pro’s gaskets were a big part of the LS series’ gasket design. It’ll be easier on you if you purchase an engine kit rather than trying to piece things together. Here is Richard Ruiz from PPC Customs as he uses a straightedge to help align the cover to the block when installing the gasket and the timing cover.

**16.** The stock LS series truck pan works well on the stock Silverado only. In our case this engine will be making its way into an early C-10 pickup. Holley performance has recently introduced a boatload of conversion items for LS lovers to place their favorite engine into their favorite truck. Richard installs Holley’s conversion pan and oil pump tube using a Fel-Pro gasket.

**17.** Insurance to combat balancer failure is made possible via a Professional Products SFI-approved harmonic balancer. Using a harmonic balancer installation tool, Richard installs the balancer followed by an ARP crankshaft bolt. With everything in place, our LS series long-block is now complete!

**18.** Having the right fuel delivery system is paramount to building big horsepower numbers, as well as keeping your engine alive. One of the key features of the LS series engine is the factory fuel injection. FAST is the pro of LS fuel injection and ignition management. Its XFI series fuel/ignition computer allows everyone from the DIY’er to the professional tuner to control all of the vital engine requirements.

**19.** For the XFI to work so well, a high-performance fuel pump is a must-have. We looked into Holley’s new line of electric fuel pumps, along with its filter/regulator, which allows street-driven use, delivering enough fuel to feed up to a 900–hp engine without sounding like an airplane. This new pump runs quietly and coolly, which increases lifespan.

**20.** The coil packs and plug wires are often overlooked on LS series engines, primarily because the series is still a new concept for most engine builders. Throughout the past few years, LS engine builders have been in the know about the way in which individual coils feed each cylinder to make more power with more stored energy. MSD Ignition has engineered this coil pack series to deliver a higher output than OEM versions. Pair them with MSD’s wires and you’ll have clean, consistent spark to ignite fuel.

**21.** Don’’ forget that the longer stroke and added compression of a stroker means that more load will be placed on the engine’s starter motor. MSD has developed this extreme torque starter from its Dyna-Force line that features an adjustable billet mount, which has been blueprinted for longer service use.

**22.** Now that the 408 has been assembled we brought it over to JMS Racing Engines in El Monte, CA. JMS has been in the performance engine building game for decades, and we knew that it would find every bit of horsepower possible. Placing the LS on the shop’s dyno allowed us to set up the FAST XFI computer system and see how much power we have!

Small-block Chevrolet engine: blueprint iron block stroked to 383 cid

**23.** Stroker builds are now common among performance engine builders, so pre-clearanced SBC iron blocks can be ordered by engine houses such as Blueprint Engines. This late-model, one-piece rear main seal unit has already been prepped for the 3.75-inch crankshaft and was shipped to our door via truck freight. The greatest thing about this purchase is the fact that this block is ready to be cleaned and assembled since all of necessary machine work has already been done at Blueprint.

**24.** For this engine, we used a Scat forged 4340 steel crankshaft, as well as its forged H-beam rods featuring ARP bolts for added strength. All of its forged cranks are machined in-house on its CNC equipment, including the rods that are weighted in-house and paired for balancing. We chose Ross racing pistons for the build.

**25.** Scat also produces this SBC flex-plate that we will use during the balancing process and for the transmission.

**26.** The rotating assembly was sent to Scat for professional balancing. Total Seal piston rings and Speed Pro engine bearings were added to the menu. Once they were happy with the balancing results, we packed up everything including a Fluidampr harmonic balancer and began assembly.

**27(a).** Having a handicap of 25 less cubic inches means our shootout idea is really going to be put to the test.

**27(b).** We asked a few engine builders what they recommended to give the 383 a fighting chance against its LS younger brother. Air Flow Research’s 195 series head (P/N 1040) was the winner. It gives the engine the extra flow needed to make big power. These heads feature 195cc intake runners and hold 65cc in the combustion chamber. When paired to an Edelbrock Performer air gap manifold (P/N 75013) and a Holley 750-cfm carburetor, this creates a nice recipe for a streetable yet powerful SBC engine that will make all the power we want.

**28.** The valve train combination for our magic recipe is Comp Cam’s K08-432-8 camshaft. This hydraulic roller cam is set on a 110-lobe center for easy starts for a carbureted engine. Comp lifters and pushrods and Comp’s Magnum 1.52 ratio roller tip rocker arms make things happen. To ensure things stay true, a Comp Cams timing chain rounds out the valve train.

**29.** Reliable ignition plays a major role for an engine that isn’t computer controlled, such as our SBC stroker, so we chose to use MSD Ignition’s billet distributor, ignition box and coil and plug wire set. This extra bit of insurance will make us feel better about the lack of computer control of the engine’s timing during a high-rpm scenario.

**30.** Fel-Pro performance series gaskets were used again for this build, as they were for the LS build. Fel-Pro’s reputation as a performance gasket has always been based on the performance of its products found in engines in almost every racing league. The robust seal needed to contain the extreme combustion pressures means longer life for a performance engine.

**31.** Oil circulation is made possible for this engine via a Milodon oil pan pick-up and a Melling oil pump and drive setup. Oil circulation is key to the SBC and the Milodon deep pan offers 2 extra quarts of oil over a stock pan.

**32.** To keep the engine cool, a Weiand short aluminum water pump is bolted to the block.

**33.** Topping things off are these great-looking, tall valve covers, which allow enough clearance for Comp’s Magnum roller rocker arms. An aluminum timing chain cover offers leak-free service when paired with a Fel-Pro gasket.

**34.** The completed 383 SBC engine package. The carbureted setup keeps that old school sound and style, while keeping it on par with the power of the LS. The old saying there’s no replacement for displacement isn’t a myth. After Mark at Rapp Racing assembled the SBC, we drove it over to Paul Phaff Racing for use of their dyno to see how close our little 383 SBC would do against the 408 LS.

Tale of the Tape

LS		SBC
408 cid	Displacement	383 cid
4.030	Bore size	4.030
4.000	Stroke	3.75
FAST XFI electronic fuel injection	Fuel system	Holley 750-cfm carburetor
560 at 5,800 rpm	Horsepower	554 at 6,300 rpm
557 at 4,600 rpm	Torque	536 at 4,500 rpm
$12,941.26	Cost (as shown	$9,698.80

Sources

Air Flow Research
Airflowresearch.com

Automotive Racing Products (ARP)
Arp-bolts.com

Blueprint Engines
Blueprintengines.com

Comp Cams
Compcams.com

Eagle Specialty Products
Eaglerod.com

Edelbrock
Edelbrock.com

FAST
Fuelairspark.com

Fel Pro
Fel-progaskets.com

Fluildampr
Fluidampr.com

Holley Performance
Holley.com

JMS Racing Engines
Jmsracing.com

Mahle Pistons
Us.mahle.com

Maximum Speed Performance Parts
714.961.1402

Milodon
Milodon.com

MSD Ignition
Msdignition.com

Peter Guy Racing Engines
559.240.1388

PPC Customs
559.281.8484

Professional Products
Professionalproducts.com

Rapp Racing
Rappracingengines.com

Ross Racing Pistons
Rosspistons.com

Scat Enterprises
Scatenterprises.com

Speed Pro
Aftermarket.federalmogul.com

Summit Racing
Summitracing.com

Trick Flow Specialties
Trickflow.com

Weiand
Holley.com/division/weiand.asp

Unleashing Power and Beauty: The Stunning Cummins Conversion in a ’72 K5 Blazer

July 5, 2023 by Jason Sands Jason Sands

An Excellent Cummins Swap in a Vintage Classic

We’ve all heard the expression that something is so clean you could “eat off it,” but it’s hardly ever true. Even in show trucks, there’s usually parts that are dusty, or oily, or have secret rusted bolts. We can confidently say that this is not the case for Jim Martin’s ‘72 K5 Blazer from Northern California. The paint is gorgeous, the engine bay is pristine, and even the underside is absolutely immaculate. It’s probably one of the cleanest Cummins swaps we’ve ever seen, and that’s saying something.

The re-power on Jim Martin’s Blazer is about as clean as any we’ve seen, and the color scheme goes wonderfully with the Medium Blue of the engine bay. At 300 hp and 800 lb-ft it may not make huge power, but it motivates the K5 quite nicely.

A simple large universal air filter setup feeds one of the few performance modifications, an upgraded compressor-wheel turbo, which connects to a non-intercooled crossover.

Now Blazers are classics, but they’re also known to not have a ton of power, and to get horrible fuel economy with the factory gas engine. Guess what solves all that, a diesel! Jim’s Blazer has been swapped with a classic 12-valve Cummins out of a ‘91 Dodge. The factory 160-hp engine is kind of a snoozer, so Jim’s Cummins has been upgraded with a turned-up fuel screw, governor spring kit, upgraded compressor wheel, and now makes approximately 300hp along with 800 lb-ft of torque. Reliability issues like the killer dowel pin have also been addressed. Power is routed out through a custom muffled dual 3-inch exhaust system.

If you’re wondering about cooling, it’s actually fairly simple, with a large single electric fan squeezed in to do the job, since the Blazer doesn’t do any towing.

Diesel engines don’t create vacuum, so a hydroboost brake setup off of a ‘94 Dodge Ram was incorporated into the braking system.

Jim likes to shift his own gears, so he chose an ultra-strong NV4500 out of a ‘94-’98 12-valve Dodge as a suitable manual box. The five-speed transmission was adapted to the First-Generation engine with a starter, engine plate, and flywheel out of a Second-Generation donor truck. This manual was then further adapted to an NP205 transfer case out of a First-Generation truck. As you can see the driveline is a mishmash of First and Second-Gen parts, but it works.

With the diesel engine and trans swapped in, there was still the issue of getting the truck to go down the road. Jim accomplished this with such niceties as a Readhead steering box with a crossover link, while the clutch and hydroboost braking system were adapted from a ‘94 Dodge donor truck. Axles that were study enough to handle the diesel power were swapped in too, with a GM 14 bolt in the rear, along with a Dana 60 out of a 1-ton truck up front.

There’s a lot going on underneath the K5. Here you can clearly see the NV4500 five-speed transmission and NP205 transfer case, which has been adapted to the Cummins with Second-Gen hardware.

Out back is a 4.10-geared GM 14 bolt that is mounted on 6-inch lift springs from Off Road Designs. The rearend is also equipped with such tricks as a True-Trac posi, anti-roll and traction bars, and an electric over hydraulic parking brake.

The front Dana 60 is out of a ‘82 1-ton K30, also has 4.10 gears, and is on the same 6-inch lift (which helps clear the Cummins oil pan). Also visible is the Redhead steering box and cross-over steering.

Now we get on to what Jim calls “the glitter stuff,” which makes the truck look the way it does. There’s 17-inch polished wheels by US Indy Wheels, and Ididit steering column, Car Tunes custom stereo, and Taylor Wings cargo box. A lot of it is functional too: like the Autometer gauges, and the Speed Hut Speed Box electric-to-mechanical conversion for the speedometer. The interior itself also has a 6-point rollcage built by David Virga and custom bikini top by West Coast Custom Interiors. Jim sits in comfy Corbeau seats, and there’s LED lightning throughout. You might also think the paint is custom but it’s actually a factory Medium Blue PPG hue.

Since 15-inch wheels look way too small these days, Jim optioned for a more modern look, with 17×10-inch US Indy Wheel slotted rims, and 37×13.50R17 Cooper SST Pro tires.

The interior is as clean as any other part of the Blazer. Visible here are the Corbeau seats, custom rollbar, and AutoMeter gauges.

The rear of the K5 also houses Corbeau seats, which are securely mounted to the rollbar.

You have to stand there for a minute to take Jim’s Blazer all in. It’s not just one thing that attracts your attention but everything that is so well-done. He’s modified virtually every part of the vehicle, but the fact that he’s retained a factory-style look is perhaps the best of all. Jim would also like to credit Ken Imler from Imler Diesel and the original owner Andy Byrne for their help. We’d like to credit Jim for building such an awesome ride, one that’s definitely worth featuring in the pages of Diesel World.

There’s a little bit of custom storage in the form of a stainless steel locking cargo box by Taylor Wings. Also hidden in the rear are the Blazer’s 6×9 speaker (of which there are four.)

Unleashing Perfection: The Extraordinary ’79 Unibody Chevy Pickup by Ricky Holly

June 21, 2023 by John Mata Jr.

Ricky Holly’s Incredible ’79 Unibody Chevy Pickup

Ricky Holly is a name that we’ve all grown accustomed to hearing over the years. He’s been turning out the craziest vintage Chevy trucks that have only gotten better. You’ve seen his builds at the biggest shows across the country. You’ve seen his trucks on the covers and pages of the industry’s leading publications. You’ve seen pictures and videos of his creations posted and shared across all social media platforms. At this point, you have also most definitely been inundated with the praise surrounding his latest project—this ’79 Unibody Chevy pickup that has been the buzz of the custom pickup community since its grand unveiling at SEMA ’22. If for some reason you don’t already have every square inch of this truck ingrained in your memory bank, let’s get reacquainted with all its glory.

79' Unibody Chevy Pickup

While it is rather difficult to look at this truck and select one characteristic to claim as its most notable, we’d have to say that the unibody design is the most eye-catching. His ultimate goal was to have this particular modification blend right in with the truck’s natural styling, but it does shine bright as a huge accomplishment to keen eyes.

BLAZER PLUS A SQUARE

To get this effect just right, Ricky entrusted the job to his longtime go-to paint and body shop, Alamo Customs in Alvin, Texas. Together, Ricky and the team at Alamo have produced some of the baddest classic Chevy truck projects out there, and this one might just sit at the top of the heap. The guys successfully fused the body of a ’79 Blazer with that of an ’85 Squarebody C10 pickup to create the well-proportioned unibody shell.

With that major portion of bodywork completed, the guys at Alamo then started creating more one-off touches to make Ricky’s truck, which gained the name Lolita around this point, that much more unique. At the front, a custom grille with motorized headlight panels was fabricated. At the rear, the guys came up with a tricked-out tailgate and bumper that elevate the truck’s subtle yet highly sophisticated restyling. United Pacific was sourced to provide fresh headlights, taillights, and mirrors for cleanliness sake, but it was ultimately the way these parts were painted that really changed things up.

TRICK PAINT

Custom-mixed PPG maroon and tan colors were stirred up to serve as the main two-tone paint scheme, which was to be broken up by replacement body molding from Mar-K. It was actually the other colors and effects used on the truck that made an equally if not more impactful impression. Both bumpers along with the side mirrors are not, in fact, brushed metal. The guys used paint to get the exact color and finish they had in mind, as there was no chance of running any piece of chrome on this truck per Ricky’s request. If you’ve been attempting to analyze the grain to figure out what type of wood was used for the flooring inside the full-custom bed, you might be surprised to know that it is also just paint—no planks. Actually, all of the wood trim found all throughout the truck has been specially painted to mimic the appearance of actual exotic lumber.

Slammed 1979 Unibody Chevy Pickup

Just like the rest of Ricky’s previous high-profile Chevy truck builds, this custom unibody was slated to drive at the lowest altitude possible. Another Texas business, Acme Chassis Factory in South Houston, was contacted to create a custom frame for the build that would deliver on the low-slung appearance along with excellent ride quality. To assist in creating that ride quality, nothing but top shelf air-ride components were ordered from Slam Specialties ‘bags, Air Lift air management parts, Seamless air tanks, and more. While the pandemic did slow the delivery of certain items, DRU Custom Builds of Pasadena, Texas, was on-hand patiently waiting to piece and plumb the suspension system together as the parts steadily flowed in.

From the Snowden seats covered in Apex leather, the custom dash, flooring, door panels, and center console, the interior landscape has been kept very high-end at every turn.

The all-important decision of which wheel to run is always a tough decision for Ricky. He knew the roundabout size he could get away with once the chassis was in place, and he usually tends to gravitate toward smooth, timeless designs. Well, he most definitely chose a winner once again with the set of 22×8.5 and 24×12 Raceline Newport wheels he picked for this project. The hoops have been brushed, and the spoke centers have been treated to a splash of color that really spices up the exterior color palette.

One-off Raceline steering wheel

UNDER THE HOOD

Ricky was interested in rooting down a big, powerful engine that he could really mash on when he gets the urge, which happens way more often than you’d realize. To make the most of the available space under the hood, LT Swap King in Crosby, Texas, was contacted to help lock down a supercharged 2018 LT4 from a ZL1 Camaro. This was the perfect powerplant for the situation, and once it was mounted, wired up, and outfitted with a Brian Tooley Racing camshaft, Sanderson headers, and a Magnaflow exhaust system, Ricky was looking at 750hp. This is an ideal horsepower count for the type of driving he likes to get down on at the track.

If you’ve paid attention over the years, all of Ricky’s trucks are designed and built to operate just as good as they look. To finish out the engine transplant, an amazing collection of panels and vents were fabricated and painted to elevate the whole vibe of the engine compartment, which is more posh and luxurious than should even be allowed under the cover of a hood.

AWARD-WINNING INTERIOR

The next phase of the build is what actually earned the truck an award at last year’s SEMA show. Chris Pate at MTI (Mobile Toys Inc.) in College Station, Texas, poured his heart and soul into the creation of this Chevy’s cab space. From the Snowden seats covered in Apex leather, the custom dash, flooring, door panels, and center console, the interior landscape has been kept very high-end at every turn. Other noteworthy amenities include Dakota Digital gauges, a well-rounded sound system, Vintage Air A/C, a one-off Raceline steering wheel, and plenty of invaluable style and craftsmanship. All of this was good enough to take home Best Truck Interior honors at the largest automotive event on the planet!

To circle back to what was said at the beginning of this story, it’s incredibly hard to crown one single facet of this truck as most notable. This truck might just be a milestone for classic Chevy truck builds as a whole. While Ricky Holly is used to owning super high-quality pickups, this one has to feel a tad bit different. As always, his best truck is always the next one to come, so we are anxiously awaiting seeing what on Earth he could possibly top this build with. Until then, we’ll go ahead and leave the bar right where Ricky and his most trusted shops and fabricators have left it.

Raceline Newport wheels on a 1979 unibody Chevy

Truck Specs

Owner
Ricky Holly

1979 Chevy Blazer
Houston
Holly Boyz

Engine & Drivetrain

Shop: LT Swap King, Crosby, TX
2018 Supercharged LT4 V-8
Brian Tooley Racing stage 2 camshaft
Sanderson headers
Magnaflow 2.5-inch exhaust system
2018 10L90 transmission
One-off paneling under the hood

Chassis & Suspension

Acme Chassis Factory, South Houston, TX
Custom-made frame
Custom fuel tank
Slam Specialties ‘bags, Air Lift air management, dual Viair compressors, Seamless air tanks and other air components installed by DRU Custom Builds (Drops ‘R Us), Pasadena, TX

Wheels, Tires & Brakes

22×8.5 and 24×12 Raceline Newport wheels
Lionhart tires
Wilwood 14- and 13-inch brakes (front and rear) and master cylinder

Body & Paint

Shop: Alamo Customs, Alvin, TX
Custom mix PPG maroon and tan paint
Made from a Blazer to a unibody truck
Mar-K bed flooring and body molding
Custom grille and headlight panels
United Pacific Industries headlights and mirrors
Mirror, bumpers and bed floor painted for effect
Custom wrapped details by Pixelwerks, Houston

Interior & Sound

Chris Pate @ Mobile Toys Inc. (MTI), College Station, TX
Snowden seats covered in tan Apex Leather
Dakota Digital gauges
Raceline steering wheel
Custom dash, floor, and center console
Sony receiver
Gladen/Mosconi audio components
Vintage Air A/C
Ididit steering column

Unleashing Diesel Power: Turbo Time’s Lightning Bolt Solenoid Upgrade

October 12, 2023 by Mike McGlothlin

Turbo Time’s Lightning Bolt Solenoid Upgrade

Unlocking the true potential of your 6.6L Duramax LML from 2011-2016 has never been more electrifying. Welcome to the world of Diesel Power, where the heart of performance lies beneath the hood and roars to life with every turn of the key. In this issue, we take you on a journey to unleash the untamed power of your diesel engine, all while keeping it true to its roots.

Beginning with a crucial step, both cooling systems were expertly drained. Subsequently, we removed the factory air intake system and the turbo boost sensor. Following this, we released all upper intake bolts, allowing us to smoothly lift off the composite piece from the engine.

Now we can turn to the factory-installed solenoid for removal. These are simple to swap out with the correct tools and patience.

Introducing the TurboTime Lightning Bolt Performance Vgt Turbo Solenoid, the game-changer in diesel engine upgrades. This remarkable addition to your rig is designed to elevate your driving experience without resorting to artificial manipulation that mimics gas-powered vehicles. The secret lies in optimizing your turbocharger, the diesel engine’s powerhouse, for maximum efficiency and performance.

Forget about throttle controllers, modules, or tuning that mess with VGT vane percentages and disrupt your driving rhythm. The Lightning Bolt Solenoid, particularly the Type R version, is calibrated to perfection, offering lower vane resistance to accommodate the increased load produced by performance modifications. It’s your ideal companion whether you’ve got stock or upgraded turbos and fuel injectors.

Under the Hood: Internally, the Lightning Bolt Performance VGT Solenoid stands apart from the OEM variant. It boasts newly engineered and precision-machined components, housed within a finned outer casing designed to efficiently dissipate heat and maintain optimal solenoid coil temperatures. In this shot, our focus is on the installation of Turbo Time USA’s R-type solenoid. Stay tuned for an in-depth exploration of the distinctions between the R-type and S-type solenoids, coming up later in the article.

Once installed, the results are undeniable. Expect a 5-12% boost increase in power, improved fuel efficiency, a cleaner exhaust, and quicker torque production. Your diesel beast is about to roar louder, run smoother, and conquer the road with unrivaled vigor.

Stay tuned as we dive into the nitty-gritty of this remarkable upgrade, bringing you firsthand insights into the installation process and the electrifying performance gains that follow. Diesel Power just got a bolt of lightning!

Every Lightning Bolt Performance VGT Solenoid kit includes essential components: a fresh hold-down bracket, a durable stainless Allen bolt, and the necessary spacer. It’s worth noting that, until the hold-down bracket bolt is precisely torqued to specification, the solenoid may exert outward pressure, a common trait even in stock VGT solenoids. To ensure a secure fit, we recommend applying anti-seize to the retaining bolt’s threads, providing an extra layer of security.

If you’re interested in having more power, this upgrade is something you should look into. Follow along as we start at the rear of the truck and work our way to the front. If you have tools and a friend or two, you can knock out this installation in a day, so it’s not out of the reach of many of our DIY readers.

With the solenoid in place, we reinstalled the intake system and checked all our bolts and connections one last time.

Turbo Time USA’s Lightning Bolt Performance VGT Solenoid offers two distinct styles: Type-S and Type-R. But what sets them apart? The Type-S solenoid caters to a wide range of trucks, including stock ones, tuned models, and those with upgraded VGTs. It’s meticulously calibrated to maintain a robust resistance rating on the vane system, effectively eliminating the lag often associated with the factory VGT’s response time. This calibration also minimizes the inherent delay found in larger variable geometry turbos. On the other hand, the Type-R unit is tailor-made for trucks equipped with fuel system modifications and an enhanced VGT. It takes a different approach, featuring a lower vane resistance rating than the Type-S. This adjustment compensates for the heightened load generated by performance-modified trucks, particularly those with injector upgrades and either stock or upgraded turbos. Stay tuned as we delve deeper into the performance disparities between these two exceptional solenoid types.

The install is complete! This was a smooth and simple install that we instantly noticed on the first drive. The full process only took about an hour thanks to some experienced helpers.

Unleashing Big-Block Power: Exploring the Legendary Lineup of Chevrolet’s Mark IV Big-Block Engines

May 26, 2022 by JIM SMART

Performance Heads & Dyno Service Shows How to Make the Most of Chevrolet’s 427-Inch Big-Block

When it comes to big-block power, Chevrolet has always ruled the roost with a legendary line-up of powerful big-block engines dating back to 1958 with the 348, 409, and even limited production 427-inch W-series engines. These engines were unique because they had combustion chambers in the block like Ford’s MEL series big-blocks. The 427 was produced as a Regular Production Option (RPO) known as the hot Z11 specifically engineered for drag racers. Those W-series Chevy big-blocks had a distinctive appearance that still turns heads today. What’s more, Chevrolet had good-looking cars to support the power like the ’63 Impala Super Sport.

Chevrolet’s most widely produced Mark IV big-block began life as the record-setting Mystery Motor at the 1963 Daytona 500, where Junior Johnson left mouths wide open with a top speed of 166 mph. That first Mark II big-block lead to the production Mark IV 396-ci big-block for 1965.

The Mark IV big-block history is well documented. In the beginning, the 396, with its stump-pulling, high-rpm demeanor, debuted in just about every Chevrolet model except the Chevy II. In the Corvette it was the L78, and in the Chevelle the super rare Z16. The 396 had a bore and stroke of 4.095/3.760 inches and made 375 hp. The 396 was a 6,000-rpm screamer that made the ’Vette a rocket ship and a handful of Chevelles quite intimidating. The 396 grew to 402 ci in 1970 with a .030-inch overbore, though it was marketed as the 396.

Chevrolet took the 396 to 427 ci for 1966 by increasing bore size to 4.250 inches while keeping the same 3.760-inch stroke, making the 427 a high-rpm performer. The 427 is a storied Chevy big-block in all its variations. This is an engine long on serious power with huge potential for more. The greatest factory 427 was the 435-horse L71 for the 1967-69 Corvette with three two-barrel Holley carburetion and that groovy apex air cleaner these mills are known for. In four-barrel form, the L72 yielded 425 hp with a single Holley atomizer. These engines sported a rumpity-rump high lift mechanical cam and made a lot of power. We’re working with a ’69 Chevy 427-4V sporting 390 hp from a hydraulic cam and Rochester Quadra-Jet carburetor. We thought we’d tease our readers a little bit by showing you what can be done with a 427 and even the 454 with simple modifications that are easy to accomplish with the right talent and parts.

1. Our foundation is Chevrolet’s ’69 427 block (P/N 3955270) with two-bolt main caps machined and prepped by Performance Heads & Dyno Service (PHD). This block has been bored, honed and decked. The line bore has been checked and honed for good bearing crush and security. The block casting shares duties with other GM car and truck lines in displacements ranging from 335-435 ci. Chevy’s 427 shares the 396’s stroke using a larger bore for an improved cylinder sweep and squeeze. The 427 takes the 396’s high-revving demeanor and extracts real power from enlarged bores, translating to power, thanks to displacement and compression. The fastest way to power is compression. Where it gets tricky is fuel octane, spark timing, fuel mix and working compression.

2. We’re using the 427’s steel crank and Eagle (P/N SIR6135P) forged I-beam 6.135-inch connecting rods working hand in hand with press-fit Speed Pro (P/N L-2300NF-30) forged aluminum .030-inch oversize pistons. These positive dish (.140-inch dome) forged pistons are exactly what the doctor ordered for a 390-hp 427-4V. Dimensions are 0.9897-inch pin, 5/64-5/64-3/16-inch ring grooves.

3. When we line hone a block, we’re getting the main saddle true to get the crank whirling around straight and level with a minimum of stress issues. Line honing cuts a crosshatch pattern in the journals to achieve main bearing security. When main saddles are excessively out of alignment, they must be bored and honed to get them back to factory specifications. This block is well within specifications and only needed a good honing. Oil galleys should be examined for obstructions and wire brushed with solvent, then flushed and blown out with compressed air. Even the smallest contaminant can damage bearings and journals, adversely affecting clearances and oil pressure.

4. Eagle forged I-beam rods have been inspected and dynamic balanced with the rest of the rotating assembly. These are excellent 396/427/454 stock replacement rods available in press-fit (SIR6135P) or bushed (SIR6135B). The “P” and “B” rods have cap screws and offer bearings a very secure fit. Bearing-to-rod surfaces must be bone dry, but bearing-to-journal surfaces require a generous application of engine assembly lube. Rod journal bore diameter should be 2.3245-2.3252 inches. All Mark IV and V rods are interchangeable with the exception being dynamic balancing issues between the 396/427 and the heavier 502 piston.

5. Eagle forged I-beam rods have been inspected and dynamic balanced with the rest of the rotating assembly. These are excellent 396/427/454 stock replacement rods available in press-fit (SIR6135P) or bushed (SIR6135B). The “P” and “B” rods have cap screws and offer bearings a very secure fit. Bearing-to-rod surfaces must be bone dry, but bearing-to-journal surfaces require a generous application of engine assembly lube. Rod journal bore diameter should be 2.3245-2.3252 inches. All Mark IV and V rods are interchangeable with the exception being dynamic balancing issues between the 396/427 and the heavier 502 piston.

6. The 427’s steel crank sports a 3.760-inch stroke, which is the same as a 396. It’s the 427’s larger 4.250-inch bore that turns 3.760 inches of stroke into 427 ci. Where the 427 crank differs from a 396 is the 7/8-inch wide third counterweight vs. the 396’s 7/16-inch. Chevrolet used both cast- and steel-forged cranks in the big-blocks. Cast cranks have a thin parting line. Steel cranks have a wide parting line and smoother surfaces. Although you can get away with a cast crank in a street engine, street/strip and race-only 427s should be treated to a steel crank.

7. If you’re building an older Chevy big-block with a two-piece rear main seal, be mindful of how the seal is installed. This is a Fel-Pro heavy-duty rear main seal. Notice that the lip is pointed inward as a failsafe element designed to keep oil and crankcase pressure contained. If you install this seal backwards with the lip pointed toward the flywheel/flexplate, it will leak. Use Permatex’s The Right Stuff sparingly between the seal and block. When it’s time to install the #5 main bearing cap, apply The Right Stuff at the seal tips. Two-piece rear main seal cranks have a lip, which keeps excessive amounts of oil away from the seal. Never lube the seal until it’s installed in the block and main cap.

8. Crankshaft main journals have been polished but not ground oversize because this crank is in pristine condition. Main bearing journal sizes are 2.7478-2.7492 inches. Rod journals are 2.1988-2.1998 inches. Main and rod journals ride on a pressurized oil wedge that keeps journals and bearings apart. The only real journal and bearing wear occurs when an engine is first started and there isn’t an oil wedge. Improved oil flow comes from chamfering the journal oil passages.

9. Crankshaft endplay is checked with and without the main caps installed to give an idea of possible thrust clearances, especially if you’re near limits. Crankshaft endplay is .005-.007 inch. Main bearing clearances should be .002-.003 inch.

10. Cam bearings are the first components installed along with the camshaft. Greg Jacobson of PHD uses a cam bearing installation tool to drive in cam bearings. Bearing-to-journal contact surfaces must be dry. Check oil hole alignment; bearings are installed from back to front in that order. The #5 bearing is installed first, then #4 and so on.

11. Main cap installation must be performed methodically one cap at a time. Be generous with engine assembly lube to provide a good oil wedge on start up. Begin with the #5 thrust main cap and hand tighten. Check crank rotation, install #3 and check rotation. Install the #1 cap and check rotation, followed by #2 and #4; check rotation. Torque each cap to 95 ft-lbs in one-third values. Check crank rotation with each to find trouble spots if the crank becomes hard to turn. Once all caps are torqued, check crankshaft endplay again.

12. Double check journal sizing prior to piston/rod installation and check your documentation. No two rods or rod bearings have the same sizing and clearances. Rod-to-journal clearances should be .002-.003 inch. Side clearances should be .015-.025 inch. Connecting rod journals run extremely hot (400°F), which makes clearances very important; run tight and you risk engine failure. You want that critical balance of good oil flow and wedge at the rod bearing.

13. Double check journal sizing prior to piston/rod installation and check your documentation. No two rods or rod bearings have the same sizing and clearances. Rod-to-journal clearances should be .002-.003 inch. Side clearances should be .015-.025 inch. Connecting rod journals run extremely hot (400°F), which makes clearances very important; run tight and you risk engine failure. You want that critical balance of good oil flow and wedge at the rod bearing.

14. Even if you have a pre-gapped set of piston rings, check ring end gaps anyway. Stock piston ring end gaps using Speed Pro forged piston and ductile iron rings is .016-.020-inch. When you start really pushing this engine, ring end gaps should get larger. On average, you want .016-.020 inch. Check every piston ring and bore. Ring end gaps that are too tight get treated to a piston ring grinder to open the gap. If you have too much gap, swap rings around until you find a comfortable clearance. No two bores and ring sets are the same.

15. Even if you have a pre-gapped set of piston rings, check ring end gaps anyway. Stock piston ring end gaps using Speed Pro forged piston and ductile iron rings is .016-.020-inch. When you start really pushing this engine, ring end gaps should get larger. On average, you want .016-.020 inch. Check every piston ring and bore. Ring end gaps that are too tight get treated to a piston ring grinder to open the gap. If you have too much gap, swap rings around until you find a comfortable clearance. No two bores and ring sets are the same.

16. Ring ends are dressed to remove sharp edges, which can cause unnecessary wear and damage. This is a good practice with all moving parts. Stress risers (rough spots in the castings and forgings) should be removed and made smooth, which reduces the likelihood of stress cracks and failure.

17. Piston compression and oil control rings should always be installed with this dot up. Stagger ring end gaps at 45-degree intervals. Piston ring installation should always be performed with an expander, though a lot of shops roll rings on. If you’re going to roll rings on be very gentle and don’t allow excessive ring distortion. Oil wiper rings are always rolled on first, then the top rings. Apply generous amounts of engine oil over rings and in ring grooves. Although some builders use engine assembly lube, it’s recommended only when an engine will sit for a long time before it’s fired, otherwise use SAE 30 engine oil.

18. Installed and at top dead center, the LF2300NF Speed Pro piston gives us exactly what we want in a highperformance forged piston. This is a .030-inch oversize piston in a bore properly bored and honed for a .003- .0055-inch piston-to-cylinder wall clearance. This is a .140-inch dome or positive dish, which will put us around 10.0:1, which is perfect for today’s pump gas. Greg will do a mock-up and check valve-to-piston clearances, which should be a minimum of .060 inch.

19. Eagle connecting rod bolts are installed using SAE 30 oil on bolt threads. Rod bearings have a generous supply of Comp Cams engine assembly lube for a good wedge on start up. Bolts are torqued to 63 ft-lbs, and side clearances are checked once both rods are on the journal. Connecting rod side clearances are .015-.025 inch depending mostly how you intend to use your big-block Chevy. Racing calls for greater clearances because rod journal temperatures go skyward. The Eagle #SIR6135P and SIR6135B forged I-beam rods can take up to 700 hp.

20. Cylinder head gasket installation calls for close attention to detail. All surfaces must be hospital clean to ensure sufficient sealing. Head gasket thickness must be computed into your compression calculations as part of the cylinder volume with piston at bottom dead center. What’s more, it must be considered when piston-tocylinder head clearances get tight; a minimum of .035 inch is required. If you’re looking at a zero deck with the piston at true top dead center, you need a minimum of .035-inch gasket thickness with the heads torqued. These Speed Pro LF2300NF pistons have a positive dish of .140 inch.

21. Summit Racing’s house brand 7 ¼- inch stock replacement balancer is optimal for our 427 Chevy project. Because this engine isn’t going racing and will primarily be used on the street, it doesn’t need to be safety rated for drag or road racing. Greg has checked it for proper indexing and it’s good to go.

22. PHD has blueprinted the Speed Pro high-volume oil pump, checking side clearances and relief valve. Pump cavity has been filled with engine assembly lube for a healthy start-up. A new oil pickup screen is being used to eliminate any risk of foreign matter in the engine’s oiling system. When we fired this engine, oil pressure looked good at 45-60 psi at a cold fast idle. Greg went with a Wix filter and Comp Cams SAE 30 break-in oil.

23. Valve adjustment is the subject of endless debate with stud-mounted rockers because everyone has their own approach. First, valve adjustment shouldn’t be performed until you have primed the oil system with SAE 30 engine oil, which means 5 quarts in the oil pan and a new Wix, AC or K&N high-capacity oil filter. Once hydraulic roller tappets have their oil, you are ready for valve adjustment. Following your big-block Chevy’s firing order. First, find true top dead center on #1 cylinder with both valves closed at compression stroke. Holding the pushrod with your fingertips, loosen the rocker arm adjustment until you can twirl the pushrod. Slowly tighten the adjustment until the pushrod cannot be turned. Tighten the adjust one-quarter to one-third turn and lock down the adjustment. You want the lifter piston halfway into the lifter body and no greater.

24. We observed the factory 427 dualplane aluminum intake manifold and its stifling Rochester Quadra-Jet carburetor and had to know of this engine’s true capabilities. We knew the stock manifold and carburetor wouldn’t allow this Corvette 390-hp 427-4V to make the most of its lungs. We asked Eric Blakely at Edelbrock what he suggested for a manifold. He pointed us to the Edelbrock RPM Air Gap (P/N 7562) for its dual-plane design with intake runners that are long and effective in terms of high-rpm horsepower and low to midrange torque. The Air Gap’s runners operate cooler because they are separated from the hot valley and its return oil, which helps intake charge temperature.

25. Holley’s Street HP 850-cfm 4150 carburetor (P/N 1-8285-1) brings the cool benefits of the HP series performance carburetor to the street. You get mechanical secondaries, dual accelerator pumps, primary and secondary metering blocks, four-corner idle mixture control, dual feed and real street/strip calibration. The Street HP is equipped with throttled and constant vacuum ports for vacuum advance and accessories like power brakes and climate control. The Holley Street HP and Edelbrock Air Gap allow the Chevy 427 to breathe deeply and make a lot of power high and low for a good cross section of street and strip performance.

26. Ted’s Carburetor rebuilt and curved this factory tach drive Delco distributor for us, including a Pertronix Ignitor retrofit for vastly improved cold start and real world performance. The Pertronix Ignitor, Ignitor II and Ignitor III are all 30-minute retrofits you can install yourself without complex wiring or the need for an electrical engineer. The Ignitor replaces your Delco’s ignition points, eliminating troubling point trigger issues like point bounce, distributor cam wear and weak spark. You get a hot spark every time and easy cold start and idle.

27. We dyno tested the 427 with both Holley/Edelbrock induction and the factory L36 (P/N 3947801) cast aluminum dual-plane intake manifoldand Rochester 750-cfm Quadra-Jet. The difference in power was easily 60 hp between the factory induction and Holley/Edelbrock combo, which should tell you something about the difference induction can make in terms of power. If authenticity is important to you, expect to sacrifice performance. If you’re comfortable with Holley/Edelbrock induction beneath the air cleaner, hit the streets with confidence and expect to see in excess of 500 hp and comparable torque.

28. PHD uses Wix and K&N oil filters primarily for its engine builds along with diesel specification engine oil. For this build, PHD went with Comp Cams’ new 10W30 weight break-in oil, which employs important additives necessary for confident break-in and minimal wear during those first few critical hours of operation.

Rat Roller Cam Tech

We like stealthy modifications no one can see that make a difference in performance without adversely affecting a 427 Chevy’s authentic appearance. Greg Jacobson of PHD selected the #11-433-8 hydraulic roller from Comp Cams, which kicks power up a couple of notches and virtually eliminates pesky valve adjustment.

The Comp Cams (P/N 11-433-8) Xtreme Energy Hydraulic Roller Retro-Fit camshaft (P/N K11-433-8 complete kit) will change your 396/427/454’s personality with improved high-end horsepower, midrange torque and a stable idle. When you run the Comp Cams 11-433-8 roller cam with 1.6:1 Pro Magnum roller rockers it gives your 396/427/454 a cool mechanical lifter sound with the soft chatter of 16 rockers.

What tends to limit the Xtreme Energy cam’s potential is the 427’s factory low-rise dual-plane manifold and Rochester Quadra-Jet carburetor, which is why we tried the Edelbrock Performer RPM Air Gap and Holley Street HP 850-cfm carburetor. With the Holley/Edelbrock induction combo and the Comp Xtreme Energy cam, we gained 100 hp and a comparable amount of torque.

Comp Cams #11-433-9
Grind number #CB XR288HR-10
K11-433-8 kit includes cam, lifters, timing set, cam button, one-piece pushrods, keepers, retainers, valve springs and valve seals—everything but the rocker arms.
110-degree lobe centers
106-degree intake centerline
Intake/exhaust lobe lift: .307/.319 inch
Intake/exhaust valve lift: .521/.540 inch (1.6:1 rocker ratio)
Intake/exhaust duration: 288/294 degrees
Intake/exhaust duration at .050 inch 236/242 degrees
Valve timing at .006 inch: Intake opens 38 degrees BTDC, intake closes 70 degrees ABDC, exhaust opens 33 degrees ATDC, exhaust opens 81 degrees BBDC

Hogging Out a Better Head

Greg and his partner Pat Smith have earned their bacon by knowing what to do with cylinder head ports and chambers. Greg tells Maximum Drive seemingly minor changes to ports and chambers can yield big power differences. Greg machined minor changes into the 427’s combustion chambers to improve valve shrouding. He also likes to make improvements to porting that reduce turbulence and restriction. Greg proves out his work on the dyno by showing significant increases in power.

The first thing PHD does is upgrade classic iron cylinder heads with steel exhaust valve seats for use with today’s unleaded fuels. It also likes to fit cylinder heads with new valves and guides for durability. Iron exhaust valve seats are machined out and new steel seats are pressed in and get a multi-angle valve job. Greg notes that he sees his share of valve guides out of parallel, which in turn adversely affects the valve and seat relationship. Because cylinder head work tends to be mass production in a lot of shops, mistakes happen more frequently than you might imagine. This is why you must be particular about who does your cylinder head work. Check references and do your homework beforehand. Even the best cylinder head shops make mistakes.

The 427’s wedge chamber is machined out to improve valve shrouding for better flow. More valve lift doesn’t always mean improved flow, especially if valve faces and chamber walls are close. With too much lift, valve shrouding can get worse. This approach to machining also reduces rough surfaces that can turn into hot spots and sources of detonation.

Our PHD-machined 427 chambers with new Speed Pro stainless steel valves and steel exhaust valve seats have improved valve shrouding and better flow. This may not seem like much, but this minor change in chamber shape and improvement in valve shrouding makes a significant difference in power. You can have the largest valves possible in a combustion chamber, but if you have excessive valve shrouding, it’s meaningless because you’re still not getting the flow needed to make power. And keep in mind when you machine chambers larger like this, there is some compression loss. Getting performance and durability is a series of tradeoffs. Reduce valve shrouding, improve flow, but also lose some compression.

Fastener Facts

We’re using ARP fasteners throughout our 427 for improved durability. Torquing fasteners is about clamp strength and bolt tension. When you torque a fastener, you increase clamp load holding two parts together. It’s suggested you lubricate fasteners with SAE 30 engine oil or ARP Fastener Assembly lubricant and torque them in onethird values to ARP recommended torque. Lubrication and clean threads yield true torque readings. By “one-third” torque values, we mean if total torque is 80 ft-lbs, torque fasteners first to 26.666 pounds, then 53.333, followed by a total of 80 ft-lbs. This allows for consistent bolt or stud stretch and clamping load.

Not all fasteners are engineered to be reused. Old cylinder head and main cap bolts, for example, shouldn’t be reused. Toss them and install new fasteners. ARP fasteners can be reused. Bolt stretch and heat cycling take a toll on fasteners, which is why they should be replaced during a rebuild if you’re serious about durability.
Building Rat Power

We’re using ARP fasteners throughout our 427. New fasteners should be washed in petroleum based solvent and dried. Then threads and bolt heads/washers should be lubricated with ARP Fastener Assembly lube prior to torquing. The washer’s inside bevel must be pointed toward the bolt head. Bolt holes should have been chased with all debris removed; ditto for bolt threads.

Cylinder head bolts must be tightened in proper order from inside out per your Chevrolet manual. Long bolts are blind holes; short bolts are wet into the water jacket. Long bolts get lubrication; short bolts get Permatex’s The Right Stuff or professional-grade Teflon sealer. Long bolts are tightened in one-third values to 75 ft-lbs; short bolts get 65 ft-lbs. As you tighten bolts, take note of head gasket compression. Once all bolts have been torqued, allow the engine to sit for an hour or so and retorque even if your gasket manufacturer suggests no retorque. Retightening isn’t just “tightening” but also making sure you have torqued all bolts.

Some fasteners get a thread locker for added security. When using a thread locker, be mindful of the type you’re using. Loctite is the best known brand name when it comes to thread lockers and it color codes all of its thread lockers.

Red: High-Strength/Permanent, -65 to 550°F, disassemble hot only because it’s a very permanent thread locker
Blue: Medium-Strength/Removable, -65 to 650°F
Purple: Low-Strength/Removable, -65 to 300°F
Green: Preassembled Wicking Grade for wicking applications only, -65 to 450°F

The Dyno Room

Holley 850-cfm Street HP With Edelbrock RPM Air Gap
Average: 413 Horsepower | 482 ft-lbs Torque

ENGINE RPM HORSEPOWER TORQUE FT-LBS
3000 274 480
3500 312 468
4000 374 491
4500 435 508
5000 479 503
5500 502 479
6000 512 448

Rochester 750-cfm Quadra-Jet With 427 Dual-Plane Aluminum Manifold
Average: 350 Horsepower | 435 ft-lbs Torque

ENGINE RPM HORSEPOWER TORQUE FT-LBS
3000 270 472
3500 311 466
4000 361 474
4500 409 478
5000 451 473
5500 463 442
6000 460 403
6500 431 349

SOURCES

Automotive Racing Products (ARP)
800.826.3045
805.339.2200
Arp-bolts.com

Eagle Specialty Products
662.796.7373
Eaglerod.com

Edelbrock Corporation
310.781.2222
Edelbrock.com

Federal-Mogul
(Speed Pro, Sealed Power, Fel-Pro)
800.325.8886
Federalmogul.com

Holley Performance Products
270.782.2900
Holley.com

Performance Head & Dyno Service (PHD)
661.742.1587
Greggsracing@yahoo.com

Pertronix
909.599.5955
Pertronix.com

Summit Racing Equipment
800.230-3030
330.630-3030
Summitracing.com

UNLEASH YOUR INNER PAINT WHISPERER

October 6, 2022 by E.K. COZZENE

Prep Your Ride for the Show Season or Weekend Drive

Washing your car is pretty straightforward: a hose, a bucket and suds aplenty. Let the foam fly, use microfiber mitts and towels, and you’re golden, but if you really want to capture all of your ride’s glory, step up your game, go the extra mile and attain a state of paint care nirvana. The payoff is big. Savvy owners know washing and drying a car is the beginning of the journey, not the destination. It’s what you do after that last bead of water is wiped away that truly adds pop and vitality to a car’s finish.

CLAY

Jim says the road to perfect paint begins with clay. Paint clay lifts away embedded contaminants that resist the typical sponge-and-suds approach. He says running your fingers across your paint is a great way to determine if you’ll benefit from claying. “When it feels rough and gritty, I bust out the Griot’s Garage clay and Speed Shine. The Speed Shine quick detailing spray acts as a lubricant. I just rub down the paint with a few strokes from the clay, wipe off the Speed Shine and run my fingers across the treated surface. Try it, you’ll be amazed at the results, and have a new definition of ‘clean paint.’” After some time you’ll see a dark residue on the clay. This indicates that you’re making progress. Fold over the clay bar as you work to introduce fresh clay to the process. Jim recommends limiting your work area to 2-foot squares to keep the job manageable.

Jim Olson, one of the founders of the King’s Men car club of Tacoma, Washington, is among the savvy. He’s a hands-on, old-school rodder with an encyclopedia of tech tidbits relating to paint care. We met up with him at his home garage to see how he preps for the show season. The King’s Men car club was established in 1959 with a dozen members, and Jim rolled a ’39 Ford in the early days. Today Jim’s pride and joy is a two-tone green ’52 Chevy. Since many King’s Men events are cruise-ins, poker runs and the like, his car sees the road quite a bit, and consequently, Jim gets lots of detailing practice.

Scratches and Swirls

The next step is to inspect your paint for scratches, swirl marks or other defects. If you’re like most rodders, these blemishes will jump out at you during regular washings, but it’s a good idea to look the car over at this point in the proceedings because claying can bring out some of the flaws, which is good because if they can be seen they can be defeated. The seriousness of the scratches you discover will determine the seriousness (read: abrasiveness) of the polish you’ll use. Also the type of pad you use can impact the effectiveness of the polish. Jim likes microfiber pads for big scratches and some moderate blemishes because, “they have more horsepower and work quicker than foam pads.” He goes with foam pads when dealing with light imperfections or addressing overall maintenance where the entire vehicle needs a light refreshing. The best way to optimize your polishing prowess is by using a random orbital machine. Since an orbital both spins and circles its pad there’s very little chance you’ll burn through your paint, a reputation that direct-drive polishers of decades past have deservedly earned. A random orbital saves elbow grease and loads of time, while providing vastly superior results. When polishing, always start with the mildest polish and either reapply or move to a more abrasive compound if your first pass doesn’t eliminate all defects. Polishing enhances the reflectivity of paint by smoothing the scratches, ridges and defects, which induces shine.

Jim and his first love, a ’39 Ford, were featured in Hot Rod Magazine in 1964—quite a feat for a guy from the great Northwest considering the SoCal-centric nature of the scene in those days. When asked about the origins of the club’s name, Jim quipped, “Oh, that was a long time ago. The club started at Franklin Pierce High School in Tacoma, but we are unsure who or how the name came to be. I’m not saying I don’t remember, I’m saying some of the originals all got together and collectively we can’t nail down where ‘King’s Men’ came from.”

Wax or Sealant

Now it’s time to add a wax or sealant to protect your hard-earned shine against the dulling effects of the elements and potential blemishes. The big choice here is wax or sealant. The major difference between the two is that wax is natural, while a sealant is made from synthetic ingredients. Generally speaking, a wax delivers deeper, richer color but a sealant will last longer. Savvy detailers use a sealer then follow up with a natural wax as needed throughout the show season. Jim is a carnauba wax man and he prefers to apply by hand. He says working in the polish by hand gives him more of a direct connection to the car. Since wax is a wipe-on and buff-off proposition, it’s less physically demanding, but rodders can also elect to apply carnauba paste or a sealant using a random orbital.

Jim’s current driver is this ’52 Chevy with two-tone green paint, frenched headlights, an airbag suspension and conservative rally-style wheels. The Bow Tie is motivated by a 307-inch small-block backed by a TH350 automatic.

Goodbye Cord, Hello Convenience

Jim is all about being ready to roll, and he was excited to show us his newest toy, a cordless random orbital from Griot’s Garage. He’s found the unit quite useful for at-show touchups or during poker runs. “The cordless is really easy to handle, has enough power to wax or remove light swirls, and one charge will do the ’52 with power left over for a friend. I find myself using it for quick detailing here in the garage, too. It charges quick and is great for the maintenance type of stuff we’re talking about.”

Jim urges anyone with show-worthy aspirations not to be intimidated. He says using a clay bar is easy and the enhancement in the feel and luster of your paint will be mesmerizing.

Jim calls applying product “buttering the pad,” and he recommends spreading it out with the bottle cap prior to polishing. He’s also quick to point to the importance of ensuring the pad is on the surface of the vehicle when the random orbital is turned on or powered down. “Failing to do so will fling product all over the car, garage and your clothes.”

Jim prefers a palm pad holder and 3-inch wax pad to apply his carnauba wax. Like a lot of rodders, he likes the intimacy of a hands-on approach.

“These random orbital machines are worth their weight in gold. The Griot’s Garage 6-inch machine has a big 5/16-inch orbit which moves a lot of product around so I can really work the paint.”

The beauty of these advanced steps is that once your paint reaches this state of grace it’s easy to keep it there. “Once I get my paint to this level it’s all about maintenance. I garage park the Chevy so I’ll use Speed Shine or Griot’s Spray-On Wax to keep the car layered in wax and free from dust to preserve the polish work and extend the shine. A typical wipe down is five minutes and I’m ready to roll.”

SOURCES

GRIOT’S GARAGE
GRITOSGARAGE.COM
KING’S MEN
KINGSMENCARCLUB.COM

Unleash Your Bronco: The Ultimate Guide to 6th Gen Customizations

October 25, 2023 by John Mata Jr.

Exciting New Parts & Products For Your 6th Gen

The 6th Generation Ford Bronco has proven to be a force to be reckoned with, both out in the wild as well as throughout the aftermarket parts scene. Down at the tires all the way up to the roof, and everywhere in between both bumpers, there doesn’t seem to be a single component that can’t be swapped out and/or customized.

With that said, check out a batch of the latest and greatest wares we’ve gathered for your Bronco no matter which model you may happen to have. Increase its horsepower and overall performance, dial in the suspension, tweak the looks just right and outfit it with the best accessories to enhance your daily drive as well as those adventurous weekend explorations.

We’ve scoured the marketplace for the most innovative, high quality products from the most respected manufacturers in the game. Follow along to find the new parts that will transform your new Bronco for the better.

1. Bestop / Sunrider & Skyrider Tops

If you’re truly looking to submerse yourself in the great outdoors while out in your Bronco, check out the Sunrider and Skyrider tops from Bestop. The Sunrider is available for two-door and four-door Broncos, and is available in either a black twill or black diamond polymer cloth material, which comes pre-installed on the frame assembly. The Skyrider is only compatible with four-door Bronco models, covering both rows of passengers and featuring a slick slide mechanism that makes opening the top smooth and easy. Both of these all-season soft tops replace the factory hardtop’s panels—just flip them back and bask in the fresh air and sunshine.

Summit Racing Equipment
800.230.3030
summitracing.com

2. Hella / Black Magic LED Light Bars

Building off the Black Magic headlamp series, Hella has expanded the range to now include 16 different light bars for off-road applications. These auxiliary lights, depending on the exact model, offer up to 20,000 maximum effective Lumens, which is perfect for off-roading beyond the beaten path. Choose between Slim or Double Row designs that are both available in straight and “curved” versions. All lights within the Black Magic lineup feature a distinctive, all-black design that offers high recognition value. They have also been outfitted with an integrated thermal sensor that adjusts them to the ambient temperature to deliver an ideal amount of light during all conditions.

Hella Automotive
hella.com

3. Body Armor 4×4 / Odyssey Bumpers

Body Armor 4×4 introduced the Odyssey line of bumpers to offer unique styling to the new Ford Bronco while staying true to the company’s commitment to manufacturing affordable quality upgrades. The front bumper boasts a sturdy, rugged aesthetic with well-rounded functionality, such as the ability to run a 12,000-pound winch and an option to wire up an 18-inch single-row or 20-inch double-row LED light bars along with two cube LED light housings. The front bumper is also compatible with OEM parking sensors and features simple, no-drill installation. The rear unit’s highlight reel includes matching two-stage light texture black powder coating to match the front, and is designed to improve departure angles, incorporate integrated shackle recovery mounts and two LED light pods, as well as being compatible with the OEM sensor and hitch receiver.

Body Armor 4×4
bodyarmor4x4.com

4. Belltech / 4WD Forged Upper Control Arms

Belltech’s upper control arms from 2021+ 4WD Broncos alleviate the unfavorable ball joint angles that can suck the fun out of driving a lifted truck by improving camber and caster and maximizing articulation. These control arms are constructed of forged aluminum and fitted with quality OEM-style bushings, which assist in providing a smoother, safer ride with improved handling.

Belltech
800.445.3767
belltech.com

5. Ironman 4×4 / Overland Accessories

Ironman 4×4 is tossing their hat into the ring with the release of new and exciting Ford Bronco products. Foam Cell Pro suspension, Raid bumpers, and heavy-duty side steps are just some of the upcoming product releases that carry a summer 2023 release date. All of these parts will feature both sophisticated on-road handling as well as utilizing innovative off-pavement technology.

Ironman 4×4 America
855.467.5714
ironman4x4america.com

6. Anvil Off Road / Rear Shock Mount and Rear Lower Control Arm Axle Skid Plates

Keep your new Bronco running smoothly out on the trails by protecting your lower shock mounts and lower control arms (on the axle side) with this kit from Anvil Off Road. Designed with durability and style in mind to protect your Bronco’s valuable suspension components, this package features powder coated mild steel construction (1/8-inch thick), and is designed to install using basic hand tools and the included hardware. Don’t worry about fitment issues, as this kit is compatible with both stock and aftermarket shocks.

Anvil Off Road
866.464.6553
holley.com

7. Oracle / Oculus Bi-LED Projector Headlights

Oracle Lighting’s new, patented Oculus Bi-LED projector headlights feature a unique modular design, easy plug-and-play installation, and 5,200 Lumens of pure illumination power for enhanced visibility during nighttime and weather situations of all types. Each headlight housing features a precision LED lighting projector that creates optimum light distribution and beam angle, which installs using original mounting hardware and headlight wiring without the use of additional relays or harnesses. The halo is available in white or amber illumination, and features more than 200 bright LEDs for an impressive output of light. The new modular design allows separate components (turn signals, marker lights and mounting tabs) to be installed independently, which allows these individual components to be replaced or upgraded when future options are made available.

Oracle
800.407.5776
oraclelights.com

8. Overland Kitted / Spare Tire MAXTRAX Mounting System

Traction boards are an absolute must-have item while off-roading, but depending on the vehicle, mounting a board or two is not always convenient. This is where Overland Kitted stepped in to introduce their spare tire mounting system that has been specifically designed with MAXTRAX recovery boards in mind. This American-made mounting solution features an anti-wobble design, dimple-died holes for strength and mechanical grip, and a heavy-duty tire strap from Mac’s Custom Tie Downs. This specific system works with vehicles with a rear-tire mounted reversing camera (like your Bronco), and is RotoPax compatible to carry RotoPax fuel containers ranging from 1 to 3 gallons with the use of additional brackets.

Overland Kitted
480.410.5864
overlandkitted.com

9. Flowmaster / FlowFX Cat-Back Exhaust System

Designed for 2021+ Ford Bronco 2-door models with the 2.3L or 2.7L engines, this cat-back exhaust system uses a FlowFX style muffler for an aggressive exhaust tone and increased performance gains up to 12hp and 13 ft-lbs at the rear wheels. Three-inch, mandrel-bent 409 stainless steel tubing is utilized to maximize exhaust flow and durability, and all necessary hardware is included. Install this system using factory mounting locations to make the job a breeze.

Flowmaster
866.464.6553
holley.com

10. Eaton / Detroit Truetrac & Electronic ELocker4 Differentials

If you’re planning on taking your Gen 6 Bronco off road, Eaton’s new selection of differentials could make that experience much more enjoyable. Both will act normally on the road, but will give your rig the upper hand when taking on mud and overall rocky terrain. The Detroit Truetrac kicks into action when a wheel encounters a loss of traction or the terrain changes enough. The helical-shaped gears mesh with increasing force, which transfers torque to the high-traction wheel until the wheel spin is slowed or completely stopped. Once the vehicle exits the low-traction situation, the dif goes back into standard operation. The Electronic ELocker4 functions differently as it provides electronic control through driver-selectable operation and added reliability over lockers requiring air lines and compressors. Once activated, this differential sends all available torque to both wheels equally in order to overcome the challenging terrain ahead. Both of these differentials fit all 2021-2023 Bronco rear axles not equipped with a factory locking differential.

Summit Racing
800.230.3030
summitracing.com

11. Fabtech / Heavy-Duty Tie Rod Kit

Fabtech’s tie rod kit for 2021-2023 Bronco 4×4 models reinforce the factory steering system for optimal performance when running oversized tires up to 40 inches tall. With easy, no-drill installation, this kit is designed to replace the entire stock tie rod assembly from the steering rack to the steering knuckle, which provides elite strength and durability. The oversize ball stud design at each end allows for increased steering movement and the flexible nitrile rubber boots that cover the ball studs effectively shield the studs from contaminants, which promotes extended service life and maximum performance for the steering system.

Fabtech
909.597.7800
fabtechmotorsports.com

12. Fox / Performance Elite Series 2.5-Inch Coilovers

These units are designed and engineered by off-road enthusiasts to enhance comfort, maximize suspension articulation, and increase compliance in the dirt. The 2.5-inch aluminum bodies and external reservoirs efficiently dissipate heat by increasing internal oil capacity while the remote reservoirs with Dual Speed Compression (DSC) adjusters are strategically mounted to clear aggressive mud tires as well as aftermarket skid plates and bumpers. Installation is made as easy as possible as the shocks come fully assembled right out of the box with progressively wound coil springs, reservoir mounting brackets, and all necessary hardware.

Fox
800.369.7469
ridefox.com

13. MagnaFlow / Overland Series Exhaust System

Finding the right exhaust system for your Bronco is more important than you’d think. MagnaFlow understands this fact, which is why they developed the Overland Series exhaust system for enthusiasts who plan to spend a lot of seat time both on- and off-road. This system is just loud enough to add character to an adventure rig without it sounding overly loud as to disturb the quality of conversation inside of the cab. The Overland Series exhaust features mandrel-bent stainless steel tubing that preserves exhaust flow and boosts power while offering maximum durability and corrosion resistance. A high clearance design with no tip exit provides more ground clearance and improved departure angles.

Summit Racing Equipment
800.230.3030
summitracing.com

14. American Adventure Lab / Rear Dual ARB Compressor Mount

Finding an ideal place to mount the Rear Bronco ARB dual compressor can be tough, especially if you are looking to plant it somewhere inside the interior. With this rear driver side mount from American Adventure Lab, mounting in the cabin has never been easier. Place it right where it is accessible while still being out of the way enough that you can still take advantage of the entire cargo area.

American Adventure Lab
385.202.4188
americanadventurelab.com

15. Trailrax / Modular Roof Rack

Available for 6th Gen 2- and 4-door Bronco models equipped with the OEM Ford MIC hardtop, the much-anticipated modular roof rack system from Trailrax presents a viable and attractive method to mount gear and tools for the next trek out of town. A wide array of available accessories allows for pure customization to ensure nothing is left behind. Trailrax has equipped the rack with a wind deflector to kill all road noise, and collaborated with Heretic Studios to design a cutout to flush fit one of their 40-inch off-road lights. Add the TrailRax Pak Rax for even more function and mounting capacity to greatly enhance all off-road and overland adventures.

Trailrax
385.777.2601
trailrax.com

16. ICON / Bronco Sasquatch 2-3-inch Stage 4 Lift Suspension System

This kit features precision-manufactured, custom valved remote reservoir coilover shocks in order to gain the most travel and ride quality possible for both on- and off-road situations. Jack the front of your 4-door Broncos up 2-3 inches with adjustable height, as well as 1.25-2.25 inches over stock for models equipped with the Sasquatch package. The Stage 4 package adds remote reservoirs to increase shock oil volume and heat dissipation as well as billet upper control arms to provide on-vehicle caster and camber adjustability, and feature Delta Joint PRO for up to 90 degrees of movement. This suspension system is designed to provide up to 11.5 inches of front suspension travel and 14 inches of rear suspension travel with 35-inch tire fitment. 37-inch and larger tires can also be used with the optional up-travel limiters sold separately.

ICON Vehicle Dynamics
951.689.ICON
iconvehicledynamics.com

17. K&N / Aircharger

Part #63-2619 has been designed specifically for 2021+ Ford Bronco 2.7 V-6 models, and can highly benefit these vehicles through the enclosed air box design, which shields inlet air from engine bay heat. The box lid allows for quick and easy access to the filter without the use of tools. A high-density polyethylene rotationally molded tube helps increase the volume of airflow to the engine, which provides a guaranteed increase in horsepower and torque.

K&N
800.858.3333
knfilters.com

18. TrailFX / Angled Front Fender Flare

Add tire coverage and shield paint from rocks and debris from the trail with these angled front fender flares. TrailFX has fabricated these flares from 14-gauge mild steel and finished them off with a black, textured powder coated surface. Each pair attaches using existing factory mounting points for easy, no-drill installation.

TrailFX
833.727.8784
trailfx.com

19. Universal Air / Air Suspension Conversion Kit

If you were thinking about some way to convert your Sasquatch edition Bilstein shock equipped Bronco over to air ride, Universal Air has provided the solution. This bag and bracket kit will allow for the conversion while retaining the fully functional OEM active dampening system.

Universal Air Suspension
800.864.2470
universalair.com

20. Holley / Superchips Flashcal

The Flashcal for Bronco 2.3L and 2.7L models allows for complete adjustment of a number of vehicle features that lets the end user make it his or her own. From adjusting speedo calibration for larger tires all the way to modifying daytime running lights or auto locks functionality, Flashcal can unlock the Bronco for complete control.

Holley
866.464.6553
holley.com

21. Rock Slide Engineering / Tailgate Table

Rock Slide Engineering’s tailgate table is a lightweight aluminum folding table that attaches to the tailgate of the Ford Bronco or any flat surface. This table attaches easily and provides two separate flat surfaces, then folds closed to 1 inch thick for ease of use and storage. This black powder coated unit also features trash bag holding points and an integrated bottle opener to pop open your cold ones after setting up camp.

Rock Slide Engineering
435.752.4580
rockslideengineering.com

“These clear tails feature an attractive design and functional LED lighting elements including high-powered reverse lights and unique perimeter lighting for a unique touch.”

22. Oracle / Flush-Mount (lensless) LED Taillights

Designed for the new Bronco, Oracle’s low-profile taillight design helps avoid potential damage while on the trail as opposed to the factory housings that protrude out significantly more. These clear tails feature an attractive design and functional LED lighting elements including high-powered reverse lights and unique perimeter lighting for a unique touch.

Oracle
800.407.5776
oraclelights.com

23. Go Rhino / FS Series Frame-Mount Sliders

Enjoy the extra protection of your Bronco’s body and rockers from using Go Rhino’s frame-mounted sliders. They mount directly to the frame, and the one-piece welded design acts as sturdy side bumpers to keep your ride as dent-free as possible. These rugged sliders are North American made from steel and are finished in a black powder coat finish for long-lasting performance.

Go Rhino
888.427.4466
gorhino.com

24. Havoc Off-Road / Tailgate Tire Mount

The Havoc Off-Road tailgate tire mount is the perfect solution for lifted Broncos with oversize tires. Featuring a heavy-duty cast aluminum hinge with hardened hinge pin, this tire carrier assembly handles tires up to 40 inches in diameter. The tailgate tire mount works with all factory equipment, including third brake lights and rear-facing cameras.

Havoc Off-Road
855.460.6800
havocoffroad.com

25. Westin Automotive / Winch Tray

Designed to mount directly to the frame of 2021-2022 Bronco models, the Westin/Superwinch tray is tested to a maximum 16,500 pounds of straight-line pull. Most 8,000- to 12,000-lb winches up to 10.25 inches tall will fit, making this tray highly adaptable to your desired specs. The tray features completely bolt-on assembly, as well as boasting pre-drilled holes for quick mounting of hawse or roller fairlead, and even works with factory sensors to make for a simpler install.

Westin Automotive
800.345.8476
westinautomotive.com

26. Spicer / Ultimate Dana 60 Semi-Float Rear Axle

Dana/Spicer is the supplier for the stock rear Bronco axle, and has now made this semi-float rear axle that offers the benefits of the celebrated Ultimate Dana 60 axle, such as Spicer chromoly steel axle shafts and ring and pinion gearing, a nodular iron diff cover, heavy-duty brackets, optimum weight capacity, and more. This direct-fit solution reuses the Bronco’s same wheels and brakes, and matches well with the Ultimate Dana 44 front axle, which allows the reuse of factory 5-lug hubs.

Spicer
spicerparts.com

27. Targe / Windshield Gard

Those who drive their Bronco as often as possible will definitely benefit from the Windshield Gard. This part is pre-shaped from ClearPlex film and is applied to the windshield to protect against on- and off-road hazards such as rocks, sand, and general debris that could potentially crack the factory glass. The film’s hard coat also resists impact damage and scratches to prolong its clarity for many adventures to come. Because it is pre-shaped, installation of the Gard is easy enough for anyone to handle without the need to alter the film in any way.

Targe
targegard.com

28. Stallion 4×4 / Interior Console Storage Tray

Keep your items organized and tidy with this handy storage tray. Keep all that loose change, flashlight, sunglasses, and all the other belongings nicely tucked away within the console. This high-quality ABS plastic tray allows easy power cord access on both sides to keep your cell phone properly charged from the available power port.

Stallion 4×4
800.474.8955
stallion4x4.com

29. American Adventure Lab / P.A.C.S. Drawer

The Pivoting Accessory Compartment System (P.A.C.S.) drawer is an easy, no-drill storage solution that easily maximizes the organization of your goods. The factory cargo cubby and jack that sit below the drawer are still easily accessible, which makes this box that much more adaptable. A latching mechanism keeps the drawer securely closed so the contents stay in place while your Bronco is in motion. The top plate has built-in mounting points so that bungee cords or tie downs can keep anything placed on top of the drawer planted at all times. Further customize the drawer with optional accessories and coating options.

American Adventure Lab
385.202.4188
americanadventurelab.com

30. WeatherTech /Floorliner HP

The difference between good and great is all in the details. Take your Bronco to the next level with WeatherTech. Their FloorLiner High Performance (HP) offers the next generation of laser-measured protection for your interior. These mats offer high walls for formidable coverage, waterproof retention devices to stop leaks, and underside nibs to help the mats stay in place. Plus, FloorLiner HP is custom fit to your Bronco’s year, and as always, it’s 100% made in America. Level up your Bronco and discover vehicle protection that keeps up with you.

WeatherTech
800.441.6287
weathertech.com

31. Baja Designs / Ford Squadron Sport/S2 Sport Fog Pocket Light Kit

This kit is designed for the Ford Bronco enthusiast that is looking to light up the trail with ample light, and stand out from the pack. With style, fitment, performance, and ease of installation, this kit specifically utilizes a set of S2 Sports in Driving/Combo, a set of S2 Sports in Wide Cornering, and a set of Squadron Sports in Spot. The brackets used to mount this performance oriented light setup ensure no cutting or drilling, and the wiring that is included will allow for the lights to be operated from a toggle switch in the cab. This is a comprehensive kit and does not require any additional parts for installation.

Baja Designs
760.560.2252
bajadesigns.com

32. Midland Radio / MXPW115 Ammo Can Case Station

The MXPW115 is made in the USA and built into a genuine, surplus ammo can. The base station is waterproof and nearly crushproof, ensuring that it stands up to the most rugged of environments. When setting out on an extended excursion, power will not be a concern. The MXPW115 Ammo Can Base Station comes stacked with a 4Ah LiFePo4 Battery, providing up to 20 to 25 hours of listening and 4 to 12 hours of general use battery life for any adventure. The base station charges through AC power and Midland Radio’s MXPW01 Solar Panel (sold separately). With multiple power options, the MXPW115 is sure to bring communication throughout the duration of any off-grid expedition. Outdoor adventurers can stay safe by receiving the latest NOAA Weather Radio alerts as well as the ability to reach others in case of an emergency. The MXPW115’s other features include a volt and amp meter, laser engraved faceplate, 3 AMP USB Port, 3-Watt dual speakers, headphone jack, two sets of power poles, and a fan switch.

Midland Radio
816.241.8500
midlandusa.com

UNIFIED BY ONE THEME: LESS IS MORE

February 24, 2023 by RITA AND JERRY ANDERSON

We were driving in the industrial part of our city when we saw a “plain Jane” 1966 Mustang convertible for sale. Both of us smiled. We located the owner. He was a very good guy – no hassles on the price. we smiled again and bought it.

One of my theories has been “Less is More” – simple but not easy.

All of the custom pony graphics (12 of them) as well as the flames were hand carved by owner.

I looked to Smeding Performance for a crate engine with plenty of torque and reliability. Bored 0.060-inch oversize, the 311ci small-block is packed with Keith Black forged flattop pistons, an Elgin hydraulic camshaft, factory iron heads with 1.94/1.60-inch valves, an Edelbrock 600-cfm carburetor, a Performer 289 dual-plane manifold and an Autolite distributor with Pertronix ignition.

The roll bar including a third brake light was made by the owner

The battery is located on the passenger side inside the red Samsonite suitcase. It is paired with another red Samsonite suitcase on the driver’s side of the trunk separated in the back by a pony covered in red leather.
The small model car hides the gas filler which was moved to inside the trunk when the original filler was shaved.
The taillights are in view in the picture. They were hand built by the owner and are one-of-a-kind.
The smoothy bumper on the back mirrors the same smoothy bumper on the front.

A hand-crafted air cleaner and radiator cover with embossed ponies are featured in the engine bay.
What you will NOT see are the bolts. There have been more than 70 bolts and nuts ingeniously hidden from view giving a clean look to the engine compartment.
You also will not see the battery which has been moved to the trunk.

The custom door panels have ponies as well.
The interior upholstery was done by Denny Gattis.

The car has been shaved. The side pipes were built by owner.

A close-up of the roll bar showing the third brake light.
The speakers include hand-carved ponies and have been built into the headrests which swivel to the front for your listening pleasure when driving down the road.

The hood was the last project I did and includes flames carved from wood and attached to the hood.

The turn signals that have been removed from the front valance and reinstalled in the front louvers that have been cut out and mounted with hand-crafted head lamp assemblies.
They were moved in 2006, well before Ford thought of installing them in the same location in the 2015 Mustang.

Under the Hood of Performance: David Keyser’s ’97 Ford F-250 7.3L Monster

September 6, 2023 by John Mata Jr.

David Keyser’s Daily Driven OBS Ford F-250

When you first see David Keyser’s white 1997 Ford F-250, it looks exactly like how you may have imagined it if someone were to describe it to you—a white 1997 Ford 250. Of course, the truck has been given a few custom visual treatments, and the wheels, tires and suspension work are all glaring changes but for the most part, the body, paint and interior are all still in bone stock condition. These were things that David wasn’t interested in changing up all too much anyway. These OBS F-Series pickups are cool-as-hell to boot and are now officially ‘classics’, so leaving them in largely as-is condition will fetch zero complaints from us. What David was hoping to improve upon, however, was his truck’s power output. He was all consumed by the thought of beefing this thing up way past factory specs.

“I originally picked the truck up from the original owner in Florida in November of 2012,” David tells us. “It was a completely stock 2WD truck with 126k miles, and my plans for it weren’t all that grand. That all changed though after my dad took me to my first Rudy’s diesel event at Piedmont Dragway in Julian, North Carolina. I was instantly hooked on diesel performance from that day forward.”

With a newfound goal in mind, David started working harder and scraping up extra funds to spend on performance parts. Since he was a much younger man at this point (he is currently only in his mid 20s now), David’s budget for big purchases was limited. That’s not to say that he didn’t drop some decent money into the bucket back in the early days with his F-250.

“I started off with a TS Chip, a S&B intake and a 4-inch MBRP exhaust, and I drove the truck around with only these mods for about 70k miles going back and forth to college and work,” he admits. “In 2018, I finally threw in some Rosewood injectors, a T500 HPOP, a mild build transmission that I assembled myself, along with some custom tunes on a PHP Hydra from JeliBuilt Performance.”

While all these additions sound like they would be enough to keep David satisfied, all the power gains did leave him wanting even more.

David owns up to and is fine with his insatiable appetite for heightened performance. “I’ve always been the person who wants to perfect everything, which normally creates a lot more work for myself. Overall, I was hoping to build the ultimate 7.3L F-250 that I could drive daily and drag whenever I wanted to.”

Unfortunately, this led to him jumping on a deal of a lifetime (or so he thought) when a unique opportunity presented itself.

“I picked up a bunch of used parts from a good buddy Joey who had an injector tip break off, which messed up his motor. Well, I bought some parts from that engine and installed a set of 275/200 Full Force Diesel injectors, Irate Diesel T4 S369 turbo kit and fuel system, 6.0 intercooler and a Colt Cams stage 2 cam. It was a lot of good parts that I really wanted, but 8 minutes into the first drive, after installing everything, a connecting rod bent. That ended up costing way more time and money than I had planned on spending. I did reach the point of deciding if my goal still made sense, and I was so unsure of which direction take next.”

After some brief deliberation, David knew that throttling back his truck’s engine output just wasn’t an option. Sure, gaining some reliability would be nice, but in the long run, giving up on going big would officially go down as being a major fail in his eyes. Instead of going backwards, David leaned into rebuilding his engine to handle the level of performance he really wanted.

“I’ve been through lots of setups since I first built the engine in 2019, but my current configuration has been great so far. I have an awesome lineup of so many great products like the 455/400 from Unlimited Diesel, the Forced Inductions turbocharger, some killer machine work from Crutchfield Machine and so much more but it’s the custom E4od from A1 Transmission that is one of my favorite pieces on the truck.”

While the best place to get a glimpse of the performance parts that are currently featured on David’s rig, it’s easier to consult the spec box as that was a wildly abbreviated rundown of the truck’s arsenal, there was still one more item on his list he wanted to check off the list once the work under the hood was wrapped up.

“The truck was originally a 2WD, and since I had some extra time in 2020 during the pandemic lockdown, I swapped it over to 4×4 using 2006 F350 SRW axles and a Sky’s Off-Road Design ‘05+ SD axle swap bracket kit to make it happen”, David says proudly. While he was daily driving this truck the majority of time since he first purchased it, he picked up a new service truck earlier this year, so the 7.3 is not currently being driven on an everyday basis. “Some of my best accomplishments with the truck include my personal best of 7.11 at 99.8 with it in the 1/8, and the truck weights 6,405 pounds with myself in it. We have sled pulled it in the past to a 2nd place finish, and have won local hard tire classes and placed several semifinals in 7.70 or ET classes. I do miss driving this truck every single day but I still plan to race it at local events and hopefully dip into the 6’s one day.”

1997 FORD F250

OWNER: David Keyser

HOMETOWN: Roxboro, NC

ENGINE

Assembly by Owner, Machining by Crutchfield Machine,
Siler City, NC
1997 International 7.3L 8-cylinder
797 hp @3,050 RPM, 1464-lbs-ft torque @ 3,050 RPM
444 displacement
OEM crankshaft
Manley Pro Series I-beam billet rods
Factory pistons, .030 valve relief
DieselSite high volume LPOP oil pump
OEM oil pan w/ Morris Motorsports welded in dipstick
Colt Cams Stage 2 billet cam
Duration: INT-192 EXH-200
Lift: INT-430 EXH-433
Factory style water pump and metal cooling fan
Mishimoto radiator
Crutchfield Machine mild CNC ported heads
Smith Brothers pushrods
Power Stroke Products springs
Eco Diesel cryo-treated rockers

ASPIRATION/FUEL SYSTEM

Irate Diesel intake w/ 3-inch plates and comp kit
CSF 6.0 intercooler
Forced Inductions 476/87/1.0 turbocharger (57 PSI boost)
CSF 6.0 intercooler
Turbo Smart 45mm wastegate
Swamps Diesel Gen 3 billet housing over stock 15-degree
-10An Feed and -8An return fuel lines
Unlimited Diesel Stage 5 injectors 455/400’s
Nitrous Express single .076 jet (roughly 100hp boost)

PROGRAMMING

PHP hydra programmer tuned by JeliBuilt Performance
Nitrous Express Max5 and PCS 2800 E4od controller

EXHAUST

OEM exhaust manifolds, Irate Diesel T4 up-pipes
3-inch hood stack and 1.75-inch hood stack wastegate

TRANSMISSION

Trans mods by Chris Garrett, Royston, GA
1997 Ford E40d transmission
Goerend triple disc extreme clutch and converter (2200 stall speed)
Custom A1 Transmission valve body and shift kit
Factory OBS shifter and OEM size shafts and joints
Borgwarner BW4407 transfer case

CHASSIS

Stock Ford 2WD frame
4×4 swapped
Sky’s Off-Road Design ’05+ axle swap kit
Punch Out Performance adjustable 4-link
PMF drag link, dual steering stabilizer kit, adjustable track bar
Flight Fab ladder bar style traction bars
18-gallon rear fuel tank (front tank deleted)
(2) Interstate MTP-65HD battery
Beans Diesel sump and rear tank modified for sump

REAR SUSPENSION

‘06 F350 SRW 3.73 axle
Factory 2WD OBS springs
QA1 DD901 shocks
Factory 200 brakes
Yukon Grizzly locker
Sky’s Off-Road Design ‘05+ swap rear brake line

FRONT SUSPENSION

’06 F350 SRW 3.73 axle
Fox Racing stock height F350 shocks
Factory ’06 springs and brakes

WHEELS

18×12 Weld Racing Cheyenne wheels

TIRES

325/45R18 Hoosier DR2 tires

BODY

1997 Ford SuperCab body
CP Addicts clear headlights, smoked taillights
TruXedo tonneau cover

INTERIOR

ISSPRO EV gauges
Pioneer head unit
Memphis Audio M Series speakers

Unboxing! Billet Aluminum Hood Hinges for 1988-98 Chevy C/K Trucks from Eddie Motorsports

April 30, 2020 by Chris Hamilton

Billet Aluminum Hood Hinges for 1988-98 Chevy C/K Trucks

Fits 88-98 C/K Chevy/GMC Trucks
92-99 Blazer/Jimmy/Suburban/Tahoe Yukon

●High strength, precision billet aluminum construction
●Utilizes sealed bearings & stainless steel nitrogen gas struts (included) for smooth operation
●Bolt-on application for steel, fiberglass, or carbon fiber hoods (specify when ordering)
●Available in raw machined or bright polished finish as well as a variety of Fusioncoat and anodized colors
●Sold in pairs
●Made in the USA

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LS ENGINE: 2002 6L IRON TRUCK BLOCK STROKED FROM 364 CID TO 408 CID

Small-block Chevrolet engine: blueprint iron block stroked to 383 cid

Tale of the Tape

Sources

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Ricky Holly’s Incredible ’79 Unibody Chevy Pickup

BLAZER PLUS A SQUARE

TRICK PAINT

UNDER THE HOOD

AWARD-WINNING INTERIOR

Truck Specs

Unleashing Diesel Power: Turbo Time’s Lightning Bolt Solenoid Upgrade

Turbo Time’s Lightning Bolt Solenoid Upgrade

Unleashing Big-Block Power: Exploring the Legendary Lineup of Chevrolet’s Mark IV Big-Block Engines

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Rat Roller Cam Tech

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Fastener Facts

The Dyno Room

SOURCES

UNLEASH YOUR INNER PAINT WHISPERER

Prep Your Ride for the Show Season or Weekend Drive

CLAY

Scratches and Swirls

Wax or Sealant

Goodbye Cord, Hello Convenience

SOURCES

Unleash Your Bronco: The Ultimate Guide to 6th Gen Customizations

Exciting New Parts & Products For Your 6th Gen

1. Bestop / Sunrider & Skyrider Tops

2. Hella / Black Magic LED Light Bars

3. Body Armor 4×4 / Odyssey Bumpers

4. Belltech / 4WD Forged Upper Control Arms

5. Ironman 4×4 / Overland Accessories

6. Anvil Off Road / Rear Shock Mount and Rear Lower Control Arm Axle Skid Plates

7. Oracle / Oculus Bi-LED Projector Headlights

8. Overland Kitted / Spare Tire MAXTRAX Mounting System

9. Flowmaster / FlowFX Cat-Back Exhaust System

10. Eaton / Detroit Truetrac & Electronic ELocker4 Differentials

11. Fabtech / Heavy-Duty Tie Rod Kit

12. Fox / Performance Elite Series 2.5-Inch Coilovers

13. MagnaFlow / Overland Series Exhaust System

14. American Adventure Lab / Rear Dual ARB Compressor Mount

15. Trailrax / Modular Roof Rack

16. ICON / Bronco Sasquatch 2-3-inch Stage 4 Lift Suspension System

17. K&N / Aircharger

18. TrailFX / Angled Front Fender Flare

19. Universal Air / Air Suspension Conversion Kit

20. Holley / Superchips Flashcal

21. Rock Slide Engineering / Tailgate Table

22. Oracle / Flush-Mount (lensless) LED Taillights

23. Go Rhino / FS Series Frame-Mount Sliders

24. Havoc Off-Road / Tailgate Tire Mount

25. Westin Automotive / Winch Tray

26. Spicer / Ultimate Dana 60 Semi-Float Rear Axle

27. Targe / Windshield Gard

28. Stallion 4×4 / Interior Console Storage Tray

29. American Adventure Lab / P.A.C.S. Drawer

30. WeatherTech /Floorliner HP

31. Baja Designs / Ford Squadron Sport/S2 Sport Fog Pocket Light Kit

32. Midland Radio / MXPW115 Ammo Can Case Station

UNIFIED BY ONE THEME: LESS IS MORE

Under the Hood of Performance: David Keyser’s ’97 Ford F-250 7.3L Monster

David Keyser’s Daily Driven OBS Ford F-250

1997 FORD F250

Unboxing! Billet Aluminum Hood Hinges for 1988-98 Chevy C/K Trucks from Eddie Motorsports

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