Hi all, I don't have a truck yet but I'm dead set on chevy, because they're the best of course. This will be a long post as I tend to ramble. Please stay with me. I don't know exactly what I want but I know I want to go fast. I'm no stranger to building engines, I had a 1992 eagle talon that ran 10's that still had full interior.
Anyway 1st off I like SMALL trucks. Regardless of what I get it will be a regular cab short bed, most likely 4x4 manual trans.
I figure I'm going to spend around 3,500 bucks for the truck and another 3,500 in mods off the bat. I'll have to save up for further mods. I think 3500 should be able to get me a decent starter truck.
Okay so there is the s10/sonoma. They are the smallest and lightest which I like. To go fast, there is the wynjammer supercharger. It comes with fuel and a computer for $3,100. I'll figure another $400 for odds and ends. It supposedly gets 275 horsepower to the wheels, which I think in that small of a truck is plenty. My only issue is the lack of other aftermarket for the 4.3 v6. You can't even get long tube headers for them. I know everyone is going to say V8 SWAP! but that's out of my area of expertise. I could make it a quick little truck, but I just don't know about the 4.3
Next would be a c/k1500 with a 350 vortec. I'd possibly even get a tahoe/yukon two door but I like the idea of a truck better. It'd have to be 96+. They seem to be hard to find in manual trans with a 350. It's like finding the holy grail to find a reg cab short bed manual 4x4 350 in good condition for just $3500 bucks. I could spend a little more on the initial purchase I guess but thats if I can even find one for sale. What I do like is the chevy 350 in them. Any hill billy shop can work on them and make good power. One thing is these trucks are bigger. I don't like that at all. Wynjammer supercharger is still on the table, but I don't think it would be as fast as the s10 out of the box. HOWEVER I think the aftermarket of the 350 would make up for it and it has more potential! Again Wynjammer comes with fuel and a computer for cheap so I like that.
Lastly there would be the 2000+ silverados with the LS engines. Again, bigger truck than a s10 which I don't like, manual seems hard to find and if you do, they only come in 4.8. Also it would be tougher to find a clean example for 3500 bucks (BUT possible! I've done it already, automatic trans however.)
For speed the sky is the limit. On3 has a turbo kit for these trucks and it's nicely priced around $3500 bucks. The truck would absolutely scream with even a single turbo. It does NOT come with everything I would need though. I would need to get exhaust from the downpipe back (at least $500) some type of tuning computer ($500-$1500) and then someone to dyno tune it (another $500 at least) Not to mention I'd need more odds and ends to complete the turbo kit install which I'd budget around another $500 bucks but I bet I'm vastly underestimating that cost. So I'd have to figure in another $3000 bucks at least which I don't really have. You know how much it would suck just having a turbo kit sit in a box in the corner for 2-3 months while I save up money to put it on?
Anyway what would you get? I'm leaning towards the s10 because they're easy to find, cheap, can be quick right out of the box with the supercharger, I can afford it, and its the smallest which I like.