Beat-Up Chevy Silverado Is Set to Get a 1,700-HP Big Block Swap

Already a budget 10-second pickup, this Chevy Silverado is shooting for the 8s following its forthcoming rebuild.

Though trucks – and used vehicles in general – aren’t exactly cheap these days, one can still find the occasional deal – particularly high-mile, beat up models that are in need of major repair. That’s precisely what happened with this Chevy Silverado, which YouTuber Lawrence Tolman recently picked up on the cheap in bone stock condition with 326,000 miles on the clock – not to mention its fair share of dents, dings, and other wear and tear. However, Tolman wasn’t exactly looking for a new daily driver or restoration project, but rather, a vessel for a serious big block swap.

That powerplant is, more specifically, a turbocharged 535 cubic-inch Gen VII big block capable of churning out as much as 1,700 horsepower and 1,100 pound-feet of torque. Our host purchased his pickup for a mere $3,000 back in 2020 and began ripping into it, and the results, well, they speak for themselves. What was once a beat up hauler destined for the scrapyard is now a 10-second certified ripper that packs more of a fun per dollar ratio than just about anything else.

As we can see in this video, the build didn’t just come together all at once – but rather, it happened in stages, with Tolman toying around with the stock powerplant extensively before he began planning to replace it with a new, massive mill – a process that he’s just beginning. Along the way, there were plenty of dyno runs and parts swaps as he worked to make it the ultimate beater/sleeper pickup, a title that it has most certainly earned at this point.

With copious amounts of boost feeding its old, tired engine, this Chevy Silverado managed to rip off a 10.92-second quarter-mile pass at 125 mph, making it one heck of an impressive machine, particularly given its humble beginnings. However, with its new powerplant and a forthcoming four-wheel drive conversion, Tolman is shooting for the 8s, meaning that this incredibly cool project isn’t finished by any means – rather, it’s just getting started.

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Brett Foote

Brett Foote has been covering the automotive industry for over five years and is a longtime contributor to Internet Brands’ Auto Group sites, including Chevrolet Forum, Rennlist, and Ford Truck Enthusiasts, among other popular sites.

He has been an automotive enthusiast since the day he came into this world and rode home from the hospital in a first-gen Mustang, and he's been wrenching on them nearly as long.

In addition to his expertise writing about cars, trucks, motorcycles, and every other type of automobile, Brett had spent several years running parts for local auto dealerships.

You can follow along with his builds and various automotive shenanigans on Instagram: @bfoote.