The exploits of Matt Happel and the Sloppy Mechanics didn’t end with the sale of the Turbo 5.3L 4-door Fairmont. Not by a long-shot. Instead Happel turned his attention to the very vehicles that have provided so many donor LS engines for their big power budget projects – good ‘ole late-model Chevy pickups.

Happel tells us that he picked up the white Work Truck after he discovered that the frame on the “Roachero” was completely rusted through in several spots. Happel scrapped the Roachero and picked up the 2000 Chevy Silverado 2500 for just $2,500. Surprisingly the HD truck is 2-wheel-drive, and is equipped with a 6.0L LQ4 and a 4L80E trans boasting 212,000 miles of use.

“That’s too much mileage for boost,” you say? Pffft…that LQ4 is just getting broken in. Happel fabbed up a turbo kit for the Work Truck based around a mammoth 80mm GT45 Turbo that prominently pokes right out the top of the hood. The down pipe also pokes through a hole in the passenger side fender and dumps straight out into atmosphere in staight-up drag car style. The stock 4L80E was upgraded with a Circle-D Triple Billet Lock-Up torque converter, and the gears in the stock differential were welded together for a cheap and easy spool effect. 

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As you can see from the video above, the boosted work truck put down 530 horsepower and 520 pound feet of torque to the rear wheels, with a conservative 12 PSI of boost and just 12 degrees of timing advance. Happel tells us that his goals for the Work Truck are to get over 600 horsepower at the rear wheels, and to run 10’s at the drag strip.

Keep it tuned here for more videos and updates!

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