Super-Charged ’54 Chevy Is the Pride of Alabama
Incredible engineering and a sledgehammer of a powerplant look to propel this vintage Chevy truck past 250 mph.
Going fast in just about anything is a pretty simple formula, really. Subtract weight, add power, stab the throttle, and hang on. But achieving ludicrous top speeds in a vintage Chevy truck requires a little more finesse. Or in this case, just a bigger hammer. That hammer being a quad turbocharged Duramax diesel. And the vessel is this 1954 Chevy truck, built by Johnson’s Hot Rod Shop in Gadsden, Alabama.
The classic Chevy was once used as a work truck by a Harley-Davidson dealership. But one of the dealership’s employees, David Pilgrim, had a vision far grander than a simple parts hauler. With the insane new powerplant and a little tuning by S&S Diesel Motorsports, the old Chevy truck is now motivated by well over 100 pounds of boost. Even though Pilgrim learned how to drive in this very truck, we’re guessing he’s having to relearn it all over again.
The purpose behind the build wasn’t just to make a show/dyno queen or drag racer. Instead, Pilgrim intends to rag it out at Bonneville and the Texas Mile. So, instead of your typical crazy low-end torque figures, this diesel engine is specially tuned to provide a fairly flat torque curve. And to make this giant brick slice through the air a little easier, Johnson’s actually worked with an aerodynamics company to optimize air flow without having to change any body panels.
Turning a vintage Chevy truck into a top speed marvel obviously isn’t easy. Or optimal. But the end result here is not only an impressive piece of engineering, but a beautiful one at that. We can’t wait to see how it performs out on the salt (and the pavement)!
Photos: Facebook/JohnsonsHotRodShop
