Our Truck Editor Matt Moghaddam (a.k.a. DesertChief) often finds himself on some crazy adventures or covering some pretty amazing events. His new vlog series, titled "Chasing Dust," is dedicated to giving you a behind-the-scenes look into what he does on a weekly basis, whether on location or with his personal automotive projects. The new series kicked off today with the very first episode, where Matt meets up with Sandy and Justin from Shear Performance as they undertake an unprecedented project: LS-turbo swapping a 1979 Chevy truck in just three days to compete in the Cleetus and Cars burnout competition at Holley LS Fest West in Las Vegas. Can the guys yank the old motor out, build the LS and turbocharger system, and get to the Vegas in time for the event? Watch the video above to see everything that went into this monumental undertaking. 

In case you missed it, Matt took on a 4000-mile road trip last year from Alaska to SoCal, documenting his travels in another series called "The Long Road Home". 

Taking a Crew Cab, Cummins-powered Ram on trails carved out originally by Flat Fender Jeeps might sound a little crazy. Well, for Cooper Rasmussen, it's just another adventure behind the wheel of the 2017 Ram 2500 he calls Sledge. While many tow rigs see the occasional dirt road to get what they are hauling to the trail, Sledge pushes the envelope of what a tow rig can (and should) do. Yes, it’s fit with the legendary 6.7L Cummins diesel engine. However, this particular engine has been thoroughly gone through by Dynomite Diesel Products, and there’s now two turbos under the hood instead of one.

Overkill? Well, it depends on what your performance expectations are. Given this truck runs a 40-inch-tall Nitto Trail Grappler, you’d expect some power loss at the rear wheels. Sledge is putting down over 600hp to the ground! With the help of 4.88 Nitro Gears in the differentials, along with a fully built BD Diesel 68RFE transmission, this truck turns the 40-inch cleats effortlessly.

We caught up with Cooper and Sledge at the annual Easter Jeep Safari in Moab, Utah. There, we got a chance to ride along in the truck and catch it in action on the Moab Rim trial. While we’ve put together a few shots and details in the article below, to get the full picture of the build from the man who built it, just check out the video above.

Wheels and Tires

Thanks to American Expedition Vehicles fender flares, Cooper was able to run a 40x15.50R20 Nitto Trail Grappler with only a few inches of lift. This low center of gravity helps preserve the handling and stability needed on and off the trail. Opting for the 20x10 KMC Holeshot and 40x15.50 Nitto gave him the load rating the truck needed and sidewall stability a heavy truck like this benefits from.

Roof Top Tent and More

Out back, a Nemesis Industries rack secures the James Baroud Discover XXL roof-top tent in place. For when the AEV 2-inch lift springs need a little help, Hellwig Big Wig air bags are there to lend a hand.

Bumper, Winch and What's Next

Adding a little front end protection and a home for the 16.5ti Warn winch is an AEV front bumper. To prevent the winch from making regular appearances off-road, a set of ARB Air Lockers were placed in each axle. In addition to the traction aids, RCV Performance axleshafts were install up front along with a Dynatrac Free-Spin kit. The combination of the lockers and incredible grip from the Trail Grapplers has Cooper already planning for the trucks next upgrade—a hydraulic-assist steering system from PSC Motorsports.  

Want to know the limits of the 6.7L Cummins? Find out in our Threshold for Pain diesel series.

When it comes to LS engines, there are few who know them as well as Kevin Stearns, owner of Tilden Motorsports—one of the industry leaders in LS engines, parts and accessories. Located in Gilroy, California, the shop opened in 2003, and since its opening, Kevin has been getting questions about where the name of the shop came from. “The name is derived from the Stearns family tradition of using Tilden as a middle name. It’s my middle name, my father’s and grandfather’s all the way back to the former New York Governor and presidential candidate of 1876, Samuel Tilden,” Kevin said.

In addition to his LS expertise, he’s also got over 20 years of experience in the automotive industry and has done it all, from complete, frame-off restorations to custom trophy truck fabrication and everything in-between. But he doesn’t just build engines and vehicles, he also races them. He competes in one of the most grueling off-road racing circuits, Ultra4, where he races in the 4500 class in a full custom off-road racecar.

Not His First Choice 

While he loves his Ultra4 car, Kevin can’t drive it on the street, so he started looking for a '60s Camaro that he could keep street legal and enjoy every day. A brief search yielded results that were less than ideal. “I really wanted a Camaro, but I couldn’t stomach the cost. So, I looked for the next best thing, a 1969 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am. I found one that I could afford and brought it to my garage at home. Whenever I build a personal vehicle, I always keep it at home, not at the shop, and work on it almost exclusively after hours and on the weekends. Nothing personal is ever built on company time,” Kevin said. “Where most owners of Pontiac Firebird Trans Ams will only restore them, my plan was to turn mine into a pro-touring car.”

The first thing he did was strip the car down to the metal so he could strengthen up the frame in preparation for the high-horsepower numbers he planned for it. The first big mod was welding a Speed Tech subframe to the front end. High horsepower numbers mean nothing if they aren't applied with control, so bolted to the subframe are Speed Tech upper and lower control arms with ATS spindles. In the rear, Speed Tech torque arm suspension handles the power, working in conjunction with a pair of coilover shocks. 

Steel and Rubber

Brushed silver colored hoops and bronze center Rushforth wheels were positioned at each corner of the car, with 19x9-inch in the front and 20x11-inch in the rear. Nitto NT05 tires were installed on the Pontiac Firebird Trans Am with 275/35ZR20s in the rear and 245/40ZR19s in the front. Braking duties were covered by Baer six-piston calipers coupled with 14-inch rotors in the front and four-piston calipers in the rear riding on 13-inch rotors.

Blown LS

Originally, the car came with a 400ci V8 pumping out 345hp and 440 lb-ft of torque—good numbers for the era, but not good enough for Kevin’s tastes. Obviously, with Kevin’s engine building experience, the engine bay had to be upgraded with a Tilden-built LS motor. “The engine was a bit of a pet project—I wanted to produce the most power possible out of the relatively small displacement and inexpensive motor,” Kevin said. He started with a Tilden Motorsports LS block displacing 376ci.

Inside the cylinders ride eight, 11:1 compression ratio, forged pistons on either side of a custom Tilden blower camshaft. Airflow Research aluminum cylinder heads hold a blower manifold in place with a 2.4L Magnuson supercharger (the biggest one you could get at the time) riding on top. A host of Tilden racing parts were bolted to the block, including their Pro-Series oil pan and plug wires. Air passing into the engine is cooled by a C&R cooling module and C&R all-aluminum intercooler. Managing the engine is a GM 411 PCM. With tuning secrets only Kevin knows, he was able to coax 748hp and 985 lb-ft of torque at the crankshaft out of the little LS.

Power transfer to the rear wheels is handled via a Maximum Transmission full-billet 4L65E trans that was built to handle the stresses of up to 1000hp. A Ford nine-inch rear end houses 3:73 gears for the best compromise in acceleration while maintaining decent engine rpm at freeway speeds.

Color for a 'Bird 

With the frame, powertrain and suspension handled it was time to make the Firebird pretty. “My first idea for color was to paint the Firebird flat black, and because of that we nicknamed the car ‘Blackbird,’” Kevin said. “When I brought the car to my painter, Carlos from No End Customs, and told him to paint the car flat black, he told me it was a bad idea and passively refused to paint it by dragging his feet when it came time to start. This went on for weeks until I finally gave in and told him to paint the car any color, but to get it painted ASAP. A few days later he called me to come pick up the car and it was this beautiful dark gray color. I loved it, and I was so happy it didn’t end up pink—but I did have to change the name of the car to ‘Raven’ because it was definitely not black.”

Once the paint had cured, Kevin spent some time dressing up the exterior and interior. Out back on the trunk deck lid a carbon fiber “Camaro” spoiler was secured and a number of chrome pieces had black powder coating applied to them for a more sinister look including the door handles, grille and assorted trim pieces. Inside, he used a Simpson five-point harness, carbon fiber-look center console and kept the rest of the interior mostly original equipment.

Extremely happy with the finished product, Kevin drives the car on a fairly regular basis, but not as much as he’d like to. “The car is so much fun to drive, but it is so powerful it almost shouldn’t be legal. It’s got about 600 miles on it and it needs its third set of tires. Which is why I love shows like LS Fest and Nitto’s Auto Enthusiast Day—I can drive like a jackass and not die or go to jail.” Kevin said.

Click here to see video of "Raven" burning up the tires at the 2019 LS Fest West burnout competition.

When people talk about the “golden years” of Honda and Acura, they are typically referring to the period from the late ‘80s through late ‘90s during during which the brand established a reputation for building great handling, affordable and reliable cars that punched far above their weight.

The Civic, Integra, Prelude and NSX are some the widely popular models that helped put Honda and Acura in the map here in the U.S., and in the home market of Japan there were other cars like the mid-engined Honda Beat that also became enthusiast favorites.

But in addition to those, there were other lesser known cars that Honda sold in the Japanese market that haven’t been totally forgotten, but are usually overlooked when you glance back at Honda’s so-called golden era.  With that in mind we gathered up five of the most interesting and unusual vehicles from this period that give us a unique perspective on Honda’s modern history. Let’s have a look.

1. Honda Orthia

Despite its funky-sounding name, the Honda Orthia is a car that should look familiar to most people. That’s because it’s essentially a sixth generation Honda Civic station wagon that never made it to the North American market.

While there was sadly never a an Orthia Type R with a screaming VTEC motor under the hood, the car was available with a double overhead cam B20 engine and a five-speed manual transmission.

It was even available with an all-wheel-drive system and an SUV-inspired exterior treatment that makes it look more like something out of Subaru’s lineup than anything else. Given the popularity of crossover-style wagons today, you could even say it was ahead of its time.

2. Honda HR-V

Speaking of models ahead of their time, the, HR-V is a Honda nameplate we are familiar with thanks to the popular subcompact SUV that’s been on sale in America since 2016, but the current model isn’t the first Honda to use the name.

It was back in 1999 when Honda launched the original HR-V for the Japanese and European markets. Aimed towards younger car buyers, the first gen HR-V featured distinct, upright styling and was available with both FWD and AWD drivetrains.

Coolest of all, it could be had in both three-door and five-door bodystyles, and once again it’s an example of a vehicle that was likely ahead of its time when you consider the way small “active” crossovers have come to dominate today’s automotive market.

3. Honda S-MX

There was a time when many Japanese market vehicles were known for their small footprints, fashionably boxy profiles and spacious lounge-like interiors. The Honda S-MX is very much a symbol of that period.

Based on a shortened minivan platform, the S-MX debuted in 1996 and features a rear door only on the passenger side, which helps give the van/hatchback mix a particularly unique look. It came powered by a non-VTEC B-series engine and was also available with AWD.

Naturally, its interior was extremely spacious for its size, and the ability to make all of the seats fold flat into what’s basically a giant bed allowed it to become a great vehicle for camping or other “activities."

4. Honda Ascot Innova

Is that an Accord? Nope. Maybe it’s a Prelude? Nope. It’s basically a combination of both with bit of Rover 600 thrown in for good measure, as Honda had partnership with the British automaker at the time. It was called the Honda Ascot Innova and was introduced in 1992.

Along with its styling, the Ascot Innova also borrowed other bits from the Prelude including an optional 2.3L H23 engine that made 165hp and four-wheel steering system.

Despite its handsome “hardtop,” Ascot Innova was never sold in large numbers, and a nice example is an even rarer sight today. If you’ve always dreamed of having a four-door Prelude though, this is the car for you.

5. Honda Ascot Five-Cylinder

The Ascot was also available in a more traditional four-door sedan body style, and the second generation Ascot sedan was an especially interesting machine.

Despite being a compact Honda sedan, the car has proportions of a rear-drive machine with a long hood and a shorter rear deck. Sadly it’s still front-wheel drive though, but it’s powered by longitudinally mounted five cylinder engine like the one in the Acura Vigor.

So while it may not be enthusiast material in the traditional sense, the Ascot’s unique engine and drivetrain layout and unusual styling make it another great example of an interesting car from a very exciting period of Honda’s history.

Looking for another forgotten Honda? Check out the abandoned V10 NSX project from the late 2000s.

The past five years haven’t exactly appeared promising for the diesel engine’s reputation. What with the dieselgate scandal and all the buzz surrounding electric propulsion, diesel has definitely taken a backseat in headline news, even despite its extremely high take-rate in the ¾-ton and larger truck segment. However, Ford and GM have still managed to forge ahead with their plans to offer more fuel efficient half-ton series pickups, FoMoCo having released the 3.0L Power Stroke in ’18 and the General recently announcing plans to debut its inline-six version of the Duramax in 2020. In addition to 30-mpg capability, these state-of-the-art common-rail workhorses provide an effortless towing experience to the end-user, along with a quiet ride and virtually zero tailpipe emissions.

But how does GM’s 3.0L diesel stack up against the 3.0L Power Stroke? Better yet, how does the aging 3.0L EcoDiesel in the Ram 1500 fare against these newcomers? To answer those questions and more, we’ll delve beneath the valve covers of each power plant to compare hard-parts, fuel system components and power ratings.

Battle of the 3 Liters

Whether or not the Big Three intend to keep diesel relevant or eventually succumb to the electric takeover remains to be seen, but for now these are the most efficient internal combustion engines you can find in a domestic half-ton truck: the 3.0L EcoDiesel V6 found in the Ram 1500 and Jeep Grand Cherokee (left), the 3.0L Power Stroke V6 available in Ford’s F-150 (center) and the 3.0L Duramax I6 slated for ’20 Chevrolet Silverados and GMC 1500s.

3.0L EcoDiesel Hard Facts

The Old Man

Things were definitely hunky dory when Ram occupied the half-ton diesel segment all by its lonesome from ’14-’17, but the arrival of Ford’s 3.0L Power Stroke stripped the EcoDiesel of virtually any accolades it laid claim to. After all, the V6 Power Stroke boasts better fuel economy, higher towing and payload ratings, more horsepower and a superior torque curve. Though the EcoDiesel will receive a slight power uprate in the coming ’20 Jeep Gladiator pickup (reportedly checking in at 260hp and 442 lb-ft of torque), it remains to be seen how FCA, in conjunction with engine builder VM Motori, will keep this aging power plant competitive in the years ahead.

Rock-Solid Bottom End, Proven Injectors

The 3.0L EcoDiesel might be the most dated diesel in the half-ton segment, but its architecture has proven durable in its now seven-year production run. The combination of a compacted graphite iron block with a one-piece bedplate ensures it will have no problem coping with added cylinder pressure and that main bearing cap distortion is never an issue. At the same time, its rigid construction offers VM Motori plenty of room for growth as far as horsepower and torque figures are concerned. In the aftermarket, it’s believed that most of the factory hard parts can handle more than 600hp. Another high mark for the EcoDiesel revolves around its use of solenoid-style injectors as opposed to piezoelectric units, which gives them a slight edge in the reliability department. It may technically be considered the old man on the block now, but the EcoDiesel platform still has a lot of potential.

3.0L Power Stroke Hard Facts

More Torque Than the EcoDiesel

Often thought of as a new and improved version of the Lion V6 engine produced in Europe for use in the Land Rover Discovery and Range Rover, Ford’s 3.0L Power Stroke V6 packs a bigger punch than the EcoDiesel—and it does so earlier in the rpm range. Not only do 10 more ponies check in sooner than with the VM Motori 3.0L, but the Power Stroke’s peak torque output arrives at 1,750 rpm and that same 440 lb-ft sticks around until 2,250 rpm.

Broad Power Band

As proof that the 3.0L Power Stroke is more than ready to work, take a look at the engine dyno graph from Ford. Even more impressive than the aforementioned 440 lb-ft number being sustained for 500 rpm, if you follow the torque curve you can see that at least 400 lb-ft of twist is available from 1,400 rpm to 3,400 rpm. In terms of trying to justify just how potent the 3.0L Power Stroke is, when you break out the calculator you’ll discover that the engine produces 1.37hp per cubic inch and 2.4 lb-ft of torque per cubic inch. Twenty years ago, those numbers would’ve been half that.

MPG King

Although a diesel-powered F-150 can out-tow and out-haul an EcoDiesel-equipped Ram 1500, Ford’s key objective with the 3.0L Power Stroke was to field the most fuel efficient full-size pickup in North America. According to an EPA-estimated 30-mpg highway figure in 4x2 SuperCab form, Ford achieved its mission in surpassing EcoDiesel Rams for the mileage crown (an HFE trim 4x2 Ram is good for 29-mpg highway). Of course, the 10-speed SelectShift automatic transmission behind the 3.0L Power Stroke played a necessary supporting role in Ford’s accomplishing the mpg feat.

3.0L Duramax Hard Facts

Six in a Row…

Breaking away from the V6 mold, GM decided on an I6 diesel for the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 1500s—and its torque figures don’t disappoint. With 460 lb-ft of torque available from 1,500 rpm through 3,000 rpm—and 95 percent of that torque already online at 1,250 rpm—we have zero doubt that GM’s new mini-Duramax will be the Cummins of the half-ton world. Similar to the EcoDiesel and Power Stroke, GM reduced the overall weight of its engine by using a lighter material to construct the block—only GM didn’t go with compacted graphite iron. Instead, the I6 Duramax features a cast-aluminum, deep-skirt crankcase, complete with seven main bearing caps securing the forged-steel crank. Other key parts of the rotating assembly are the forged-steel connecting rods and hypereutectic aluminum pistons. A DOHC aluminum cylinder head provides easy breathing and a unique, electronically-variable intake manifold offers dual air inlet pathways for each cylinder.

DEF and 5,000 RPM?!

Notice the DEF gauge in the gauge cluster. This means, just like the EcoDiesel and Power Stroke, GM’s 3.0L Duramax will utilize “diesel exhaust fluid” as part of the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system tied into the engine’s emissions equipment. Since 2011, DEF has afforded GM the ability to meet stringent NOx emission regulations while making more power with its 6.6L Duramax diesel mills. Also take note of the tach and the engine’s 5,100 rpm red line. Not bad for an I-6 diesel!

High Expectations

It remains to be seen how heavily Chevy and GMC will impact Ford’s grasp on the half-ton market when the 3.0L Duramax debuts in 2020, but we’re eager to see a toe-to-toe shootout between the two. GM certainly seems to have the engine side of things figured out, thanks to the inherently torquey I6 configuration, injection pressure that exceeds 36,000 psi and a variable geometry turbo that’s rumored to produce 43 pounds of boost right out of the gate. We can’t wait until these things begin to populate dealership lots.

Curious to know more about the 3.0L Power Stroke? Check out the history behind the makeup of the V6 diesel currently powering F-150s here!

Every time-attack competitor wants to be hair-splittingly fast, but there’s something extra special about a car that can dominate the track one day and (legally) get you to work the next. The Gingerman Raceway for #GRIDLIFE Midwest is the ultimate way to experience these multipurpose streetcars at their best.

Despite the Street Modified class restrictions, the quickest driver trailed just 11 seconds behind the overall and Unlimited Class winner, Tom O’Gorman, who ran a time of 1:24.485 around the 2.14-mile, 11-turn course. Now that’s a speedy grocery-getter.

Shawn Krebsbach took the new Street Mod overall record this year. RS Motors built and tuned his Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution 9 engine with 28 psi of boost blasting from a G25-550 turbocharger, and then they built the original transmission to handle the power. Professional Awesome Racing designed the cut-air splitter design, diffuser and fender vents. With that combination, Krebsbach blasted the car past the checkered flag with a time of 1:35.638, and there’s still more opportunity to up the horsepower. “Last season, I prepared myself and my car to set a fast lap right out of the gate for 2019,” he said. “The hard work paid off!”

His wasn't the only fast Street Modified car at the event. We've highlighted our five favorites, so that not only can you see their racing excellence, but also get some ideas on how to upgrade your own street-legal track car.

1. The "Ding Fling" Is the New Thing

After a rough time at #GRIDLIFE’s recent Mid-Ohio opener, Jackie Ding thrashed to compete at the Midwest Motorsports Festival. BMSPEC provided the aerodynamics while TF Works offered a hand in prepping the car so Ding could come back with a vengeance, and with a patented-pending driving style called the “Ding Fling." In fact, he flung his supercharged ’07 Honda S2000 and all its 450hp over the finish line at 1:35.985, which earned him second in class and a new Track Modified RWD record. He was ecstatic about the well-earned outcome. “To have such a phenomenal showing at one of our biggest events of the year makes me extremely proud. This is exactly what motivated me to keep going through the tough times,” he said.

2. The Boss Man

Eric Rockwell of Blue By You Racing (get it?) was just milliseconds behind Ding for the RWD Track Mod record at 1:36.558. He piloted the eye-catching deep blue and yellow liveried 2013 Ford Mustang Boss 302R while his son, Alex Rockwell, competed with its equally striking light blue sibling in the Unlimited class. Eric’s 302R is powered by a 5.0L 32-valve Ford V8 that sends 450hp to the wheels.

3. Revving to the 9s

This Honda S2000 is not like the other. Alex Moss’ S2000 is equipped with a ‘07 Acura TSX K24a2 engine, or in laymen’s terms, a K-swap. But that wasn’t enough: It’s also supercharged. Moss revved the yellow rocket ship around the course for a time of 1:37.243.

4. Less Is More

Multi-#GRIDLIFE class winner Matt DeReus hones his skills by accomplishing more with less. After competing in his ‘03 Evo 8, and every racecar he could get his hands on, DeReus hit the track to compete in #GRIDLIFE’s time-attack series in his mostly-stock ‘03 BMW M3. The car’s reputation and DeReus’ dynamic driving secured a best time of 1:37.704. 

5. All the Horsepowers

Michael Aumick, with the help of Turn in Concepts, pulled off a 1:38.076 around the track. That number is even more impressive when you consider Aumick’s power struggles with a severe case of understeer in his ‘08 Subaru WRX STI. Speaking of power, this thing is a beast. It’s equipped with a Garrett-charged (GTX3076r gen 2) IAG Stage 4 closed-deck engine. A twin-disc Competition Clutch kit drops 550 lb-ft of torque and 606hp to the wheels. 

Need a reminder of why #GRIDLIFE Midwest is so cool? Click here to see for yourself.

Any horsepower junkie entrenched in their own automotive niche knows what it takes to reach a certain level of performance with their preferred engine, so when a few setups over-achieve they take note. When it’s done with a dated engine platform, it only adds to the intrigue. Such was the case for the trucks and their owners showcased in this piece. Each of them a highly modified version of the 7.3L Power Stroke, the last engine most diesel enthusiasts choose to pursue big horsepower with, these underdogs make considerably more horsepower than their comparably modified counterparts.

In the first two examples, the notorious 650rwhp wall that most stock internal 7.3Ls can’t get past was breached. In the last example, an old body style Ford sporting a fully-built 7.3L cleared more than 900rwhp on fuel—easily the most we’ve ever seen from a HEUI-injected 7.3L (and which turned out to be a new “fuel-only” record for the 444 ci V8). If you’re not into dyno racing, they’ve also been successful in backing up their dyno numbers at the drag strip. For the inside scoop on these anomalies, we’ll spell out their parts combinations, along with how well they’ve fared so far at the track.

Daniel Sayres’ ’00 F-350

Daniel’s standard cab, two-wheel drive Super Duty has been his baby since he acquired it at age 16. Throughout the years its horsepower has grown from the 235hp it left the factory with to more than 800hp at the crank. In that time, the stock bottom end has remained completely untouched, with the factory rotating assembly racking up more than 200,000 miles along the way. Equipped with slicks, it’s been as fast as 123 mph and change through the quarter-mile. In the eighth, Daniel has run a 7.4 with a conservative launch. Both of those numbers say his F-350 is capable of running mid-to-low 11s.

More Than Just a Pretty Engine Bay

Not looking to reinvent the wheel, Daniel selected some of the most proven aftermarket components in the 7.3L world for his build. Comp Cams’ shimmed 910 valve springs replaced the factory units, the stock pushrods were ditched in favor of Smith Brothers’ chromoly versions and the head bolts were replaced with ARP head studs one at a time (so as to not have to replace the head gaskets). The injection system was pumped up with a set of 250cc Full Force Diesel hybrid injectors equipped with 200-percent over nozzles, a Marty’s Diesel Performance electric fuel system based around the use of an Aeromotive A1000 was installed and a Swamps Motorsports Gen3 high-pressure oil pump was bolted above a stock 15-degree HPOP. Thanks to a T4 turbo mounting system from Irate Diesel Performance, the box S467.7 from BorgWarner feeds the engine plenty of boost.

709RWHP

Despite having the restrictive, factory heads still in the mix and running 250/200 injectors (whereas most 7.3L gurus making 650hp or more run 350/200s or larger), Daniel’s Super Duty laid down an impressive 709rwhp on the dyno. When we asked him if that number came with the assistance of nitrous he told us it hadn’t. Then he proceeded to activate his nitrous system, drawing gas from a cold and near-empty bottle and made 742rwhp on a subsequent pull. Whether its 700-plus number was facilitated with Gearhead Automotive Performance tuning, help from the BTS 4R100 transmission or a bit of luck, Daniel’s truck makes 75-100 more horsepower than similarly-equipped 7.3Ls do.

Caylon Golden’s 724RWHP Short Bed

When Caylon Golden’s short bed ’00 F-250 pushed right past the proverbial 650rwhp wall on the dyno, we had to find out more about his setup. Was he running ported heads? Was the bottom end built? The answers to both of those questions was no, and no. The short block was completely as it left the factory (stock crank, forged-steel rods, pistons, cam) and only the inevitable upgrades had been made to the heads and valvetrain (stiffer valve springs and chromoly pushrods) with a set of H11 head studs anchoring them to the block. For fuel, a set of 300cc, 200-percent over nozzle (300/200) hybrid injectors and a fuel supply system making use of an A1000 are employed. High-pressure oil volume is maintained thanks to an SRP1 high-pressure oil pump. Airflow comes in the form of a billet compressor wheel S475 BorgWarner turbo from Barder Turbo Service.

Low 11s

At the drag strip, Caylon applies at least 700rwhp to the track to trap more than 93 mph through the eighth-mile. Despite leaving the starting line with little-to-no boost on tap, the shorty Super Duty still managed to cover the ‘660 in 7.6 seconds. With the type of 60-foot his truck is capable of (1.6 to 1.8-seconds), Caylon is all but guaranteed low 11s in the quarter-mile. So what makes his engine so much more potent than most 7.3Ls with similar mods? Whether it’s in the tuning (he runs Tyrant Diesel files), the S475, the 300/200s, the Tyrant-built 4R100 or all of the above, it’s clear Caylon knows what he’s doing.

Nicholas Lima’s 920RWHP OBS

Having already dipped into the 10s in the quarter-mile with his old body style F-350, Nicholas Lima has quickly established himself as one of the heavy hitters in the 7.3L community. At a recent get-together coined the 7.3 Jamboree, his OBS put down 920rwhp on the chassis dyno—a new fuel only horsepower record for the 7.3L Power Stroke. On this same set of rollers, a reputable Dynocom load cell unit in use at Bean Machine, another nasty 7.3L set up in much the same way laid down 808rwhp two years before. When Nicholas beat that number by more than 100hp, those gathered around the dyno were in awe.

What’s Under the Hood?

Unlike the previous two trucks that still sport factory-assembled rotating assemblies, Nicholas grenaded his a few years back. However, with no plans to slow down, he enlisted the help of Morris Motorsports for a built engine. The competition-ready 7.3L sports ported heads and a custom grind cam in addition to aftermarket rods and a girdle. Endless fueling is made available courtesy of a set of Unlimited Diesel Performance’s Stage 5 injectors, which flow 455cc of fuel through 400-percent over nozzles, aptly named the company’s “Fire Hoses.” For air, a T4 turbo mounting system accommodates an S400SXR “Gangster 76mm” charger from Forced Inductions. Longtime 7.3L diehard Dan Kropinak of SDK Performance is responsible for writing the 920rwhp tune.

Putting Those Ponies to Work

Despite fighting some shifting issues with the 4R100 automatic, Nicholas still squeaked into the 10s on an older setup (smaller injectors, different tuning). With the transmission issues addressed, the 920rwhp punch his F-350 currently packs should be good for getting him deep into the 10s, along with trap speeds approaching 130 mph. This isn’t the first time we’ve taken note of what the engines leaving the confines of Morris Motorsports are capable of (on top of the impressive time slips they help achieve). It’s a small North Carolina shop that obviously has a lot figured out when it comes to the 7.3L Power Stroke—and Nicholas plans to keep leaning on his even harder in the years ahead.

Upgrade your 7.3L Power Stroke on any budget with our budget diesel mods!

The 2019 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat is already the quickest and most powerful production sedan on the planet with its 707hp, supercharged 6.2L HEMI V8. Steering wheel-mounted shift paddles keep the driver’s hands on the wheel as it transitions between gears with its eight-speed automatic TorqueFlite transmission.

New for this year, it features a performance grille with a pair of aerodynamically designed inlets to channel cool air to the engine compartment. Launch Assist tasks wheels sensors to monitor wheel hop to prevent driveline-damaging wheel hop and retain traction. Line Lock engages only the front brakes to hold the car in place to spin the rear tires to warm them up and clean off any debris before racing. Plus, there’s an “After-Run Chiller” that continues to cool the supercharger/charge air cooler after the engine is turned off.

To top all that off, now they are offering the blacked-out Octane edition which is a unique combination of equipment and trim, including some features not previously available on MOPAR’s hottest four-door. Available in either Pitch Black or White Knuckle exterior paint, two full-length satin black center stripes with Octane Red pinstripes on the outer edges grace the entire top length of the car. Expect complete black exterior badging, including the grille, decklid and fender badges. Four performance oriented 20x9.5-inch forged aluminum-forged Cross Brace wheels in low-gloss black are included (similar to the wheels on the Challenger Scat Pack 1320), which include knurled bead seats that reduce the tire slip created by hard launches. Big brakes ride behind each wheel hub with Brembo six-piston front calipers and four-piston units in the rear.

They didn’t forget to improve the look of the interior, too. The Octane Edition has SRT performance seats with Houndstooth inserts and official SRT Hellcat badging with red stitching. In fact, red stitching is featured throughout the cabin and complements the red seat belts and gloss black interior accents.

Special edition muscle car packages are always popular, and we expect MOPAR fans will love the 2019 Charger Hellcat Octane edition.

If you love Dodge, you need to read our Challenger Buyer's Guide.

One of the most interesting elements of the Formula Drift rulebook is the flexibility in engine configurations allowed by the sanctioning body. While there are some fairly tight restrictions around suspension pickup points, retaining a large portion of the original unibody, and a strict approved tire list, there are effectively no restrictions on what engine powerplant can be used. Horsepower is effectively unrestricted, the only rule that might be restrictive to power is the requirement that a single set of tires must last for two whole laps around each track. This creates a wide diversity of engine configurations that is relatively unique to Formula Drift, especially considering that there are no requirements to utilize the same engine manufacturer as the body of the vehicle like you might see in other sanctioning bodies. We decided to look under the hood of several Formula Drift race cars from the 2019 entry list to see what some drivers were running to stay competitive.

1. Chelsea DeNofa & Vaughn Gittin Jr.: Ford Roush Yates RY45 V8 With Nitrous

The Ford Mustang RTR team of Chelsea DeNofa and Vaughn Gittin Jr. utilize a Ford-style engine, built by well known NASCAR engine shop Roush Yates out of Charlotte, North Carolina. The engine is based on the Ford FR9 architecture, and is approved for stricter sanctioning bodies like NASCAR and Off Road Truck competitions. For 2019, both Gittin Jr. and DeNofa upgraded their engine setup by adding direct port nitrous to help boost the overall horsepower numbers to over 900hp. For years, the Ford Mustang RTR program has been known for their reliability and mechanical consistency, and the new upgrades have already yielded a podium for Chelsea DeNofa at Formula Drift Orlando. 

2. Fredric Aasbo & Jhonnattan Castro: Papadakis Racing Toyota 2AR-FE I4

The lone four-cylinder engine setup in Formula Drift is used by two different cars on the grid. Fredric Aasbo’s Toyota Corolla is the flagship car on the Papadakis racing team, while Jhonnattan Castro’s Toyota GT86 also utilizes the same engine setup in a slightly de-tuned configuration to emphasize reliability. Stephan Papadakis is well known for his days as a Honda drag racer, and has used that knowledge from drag racing to push out big horsepower drift engines. The current configuration pushes out over 1,000hp using a combination of high boost through a Borg Warner turbocharger and a direct port nitrous setup. Papadakis shows a very detailed build of one of these engines on his Youtube channel, which is worth a watch if you’re a fan of high strung four-cylinder engines!

3. Dean Kearney: Twin Turbo Dodge Viper V10

Dean Kerney’s Dodge Viper is not only one of the most obscure and interesting drift cars on the Formula Drift grid, it also claims to be the highest horsepower engine in any drift car in the world. The engine features a pair of Garrett 4088 turbochargers feeding the Gen 3 Viper engine, which pushes out more than 900hp at just 3,000 RPM, and an equally impressive amount of torque. Overall, the package is good for more than 1,400hp if they could find a dyno that could handle the output, but the final output is undetermined because most dynos will shut down well below that threshold. Kearney’s Viper is the lone Dodge currently on the Formula Drift grid, although Samuel Hubinette won two of the first three championships in Formula Drift in various Dodge Viper chassis.

4. Alex Heilbrunn: Supercharged Chevy LSX V8 

While Alex Heilbrunn’s utilizes a BMW E46 chassis and body panels, the engine under the hood of his car is very different from what was sold on the BMW dealearship lot in the late 90’s and early 2000s. Heilbrunn switched to the Chevy LSX-based engine platform, utilizing a custom block from RHS that emulates the LSX architecture, topped off with a Whipple 4.5L supercharger. The Chevy LS engine platform became popular in the late 2000s with the drifting audience because of the cheap cost and abundant torque out of the box, and several drivers like Heilbrunn have proven the setup to be easily turbocharged or supercharged to more than 1,000hp with consistent and reliable results. We profiled Alex Heilbrunn’s “Monster BMW” back in 2017, and the engine package has only seen some incremental upgrades since then.

5. Daijiro Yoshihara: Turbocharged Chevy LS9 V8

Contrary to Heilbrunn’s supercharged setup, Daijiro Yoshihara went the turbocharged route on his Subaru BR-Z chassis. The 4-cylinder motor that came stock in the Subaru BRZ was relatively unproven back in 2013 when Yoshihara built the chassis, so he also chose to convert the chassis to a Chevy V8 engine package. For Yoshihara and the team, the turbocharger route allowed them to push well over 1,200hp with ease, then dial back the boost for reliability. The tuerbocharger option tends to push higher horsepower than the supercharger option, but with the downfall of turbo lag. In race trim, Yoshihara’s engine setup routinely sees around 900hp on race day.

6. Kyle Mohan: Mazda 3-Rotor 20B

Kyle Mohan is the lone Mazda driver on the grid in 2019, and his rotary engine is quite unique. Rather than utilizing pistons to compress the gases, the Mazda “Wankel” engine uses a three-sided rotor developed by German engineer Felix Wankel, and Mohan’s configuration uses a trio of rotors paired to a Precision Turbocharger and nitrous to push over 1,000hp to the rear wheels. Mohan is one of the few drivers on grid who uses Ethanol fuel, which burns cooler and helps avoid detonation at higher boost levels, to keep up with the rest of the Formula Drift grid. 

7. Ryan Tuerck: Toyota 2JZ-GTE Turbocharged I6

After a major crash in practice during Formula Drift Long Beach, Tuerck had to build an entirely new chassis before Orlando. Luckily, Tuerck the engine package remained largely the same for the new chassis, and the Toyota 2JZ-GTE turbocharged engine that originally came stock in the Toyota Supra is well known for handling over 1,000hp on the stock iron block. Tuerck told us about the new Garrett G42-1200 turbocharger pushing record numbers during a pre-season dyno session back in March before the 2019 Formula Drift season started, and he pushed the new chassis to a second place finish at Road Atlanta just a few weeks ago. Several other drivers also utilize the 2JZ-GTE engine in a Toyota GT86 chassis in the series, but Tuerck is the only one to podium so far this season with the setup.

8. Forrest Wang: Toyota 2JZ-GTE Turbocharged I6

While Forrest Wang also uses a Toyota 2JZ-GTE engine, similar to Ryan Tuerck, it is swapped into a very different Chassis. Wang’s Nissan S15 originally started as a right-hand drive vehicle from Japan, and the Nissan SR20 engine that came in the chassis was replaced with the Toyota powerplant. Many drivers in the mid-2000’s preferred the Nissan SR20 as the engine they initially swapped into their drift cars because it was easily found in wrecking yards in Japan and easily upgraded to over 350hp, the current demands of Formula Drift require much higher horsepower than the SR20 engine has been proven to consistently hold, and Wang has swapped his last several competition cars to utilize the Toyota inline 6 engine. Wang utilized the more than 1,000hp from his Precision Turbo package to earn a podium at Formula Drift Long Beach, and currently sits in fourth position overall in the 2019 standings.

9. Federico Sceriffo: Ferrari V12 Engine With Nitrous

Federico Sceriffo blazed onto the Formula Drift circuit last season with his Ferrari 599 GTB drift car, but removed the superchargers for 2019 in favor of a more lightweight setup. To make up for the drop in horsepower from removing the superchargers, Sceriffo added a 100-shot nitrous setup which appears to have helped with the overall weight distribution and competitiveness in 2019. Sceriffo’s Ferrari is the only V12 on the Formula Drift grid, and is the first and only exotic car to compete in Formula Drift. 

10. Travis Reeder: Tesla-Based Electric Motor

The most unique powerplant on the 2019 Formula Drift grid isn’t a combustion engine at all. Travis Reeder’s Napoleon Motorsport-built Chevy Camaro EL1 utilizes a Tesla based electric motor package that recently became the first Electric powered drift car to compete in a professional series at Road Atlanta. We first caught wind of the vehicle at Formula Drift Long Beach, but the car wasn’t allowed to compete due to safety concerns. The big red box you see under the hood of the Camaro EL1 is actually the battery and inverter system, and a pair of tubes with air filters resembling a traditional combustion intake were recently added to help with cooling and breathability. The actual electric motor sits under the rear of the car between the axles, and there isn’t a traditional driveshaft like you would see in most rear wheel drive vehicles. The car has already made waves and ‘broken the internet’ when it debuted, but Reeder and the team continue to push for higher results. 

Check out all of the latest drifting content on DrivingLine, including Formula Drift event coverage and driver profiles.

One of the near-certainties about racing on a closed course is that all participants are traveling in the same direction. Aside from the occasional crash where a vehicle gets turned around and slides back into the pack, in general, each and every driver is moving on a predictable path from start to finish.

Unless, of course, you're figure 8 racing. Yes, it's exactly what it sounds like. Instead of a track in the shape of an oval, or a continuous road course, figure 8 racing features a crossover in the very middle where there's a strong possibility of having a close encounter with a hurtling hunk of steel that's moving at a 90-degree angle to your own forward progress.

What a great idea.

Humble Beginnings

The very first figure 8 races can be traced back to the end of World War II. While there have been similarly-designed race tracks in more traditional forms of racing—such as at Suzuka in Japan, where the crossover point was elevated as a bridge over the roadway below—it was the Indianapolis Speedrome that would become known for ignoring that safety-first feature in favor of flat track madness in the 1940s.

The Speedrome would be a one-fifth mile Mecca for figure 8 fans, hosting the world championships of the sport starting in 1977. It's a major endurance event thats last three hours, pays out tens of thousands of dollars and is filled with serious competition fielding well-built, very expensive race cars that look like they should be jousting on a local dirt oval rather than careening headlong into traffic.

Laps are fast, with 10 to 15 seconds often being all that separates a driver from safely making it through the intersection they just safely survived and having to spurt through it once again. Drivers need to look not just straight ahead, but also around and behind them to gauge what traffic is going to be like once they hit the choke point, with gloved fingers crossed that they can navigate through it with a minimum of scrape, rattle or roll.

Wait—It Gets Weirder

While the professional rigs that occupy the upper echelon of figure 8 racing might be the most polished competitors in the sport, there are a number of surprisingly wild variants on the standard format that command even more attention.

Of these, one of the most eyebrow-raising is school bus figure 8 action. Think about the logistics of this for a second. If the primary goal is to make it through that center gap as quickly as possible, without making any contact with a rival, imagine how much more difficult that becomes when you extend the length of your vehicle by 24 feet or so. Oh, and then fill it with passengers, too, because there are number of tracks where as many as 10 spectators can ride along inside the bus as long they're wearing helmets and have signed a waiver.

School bus racing is such a popular addendum to the figure 8 scene that a cottage industry has sprung up to support it. You can simply show up at the track and have a bus waiting for you, prepped and ready for chaos, without having to invest in your own multi-row race vehicle. Some tracks even offer the sport as a team building exercise for corporations willing to think (and smash) outside of the box.

Even crazier than school bus figure 8 racing, however, is chain racing. In this freaky flavor of competition two cars are connected via a 20 foot length of steel chain. The front driver is in charge of accelerating and steering. The second driver—yes, they have to work as a tandem—operates the brakes, because the first car doesn't have any (just like the rear car's motor has to be rendered non-operational).

Forget stage rally. Chain racing is unquestionably the most directly cooperative form of competitive driving in the universe. Not only does it require the ability for the drivers to mind-meld, but you also have to have a fairly competent pair of cars chained together to have a shot at winning. It's attrition, pure and simple, and making it to the checkered flag is as much of a victory as coming in first place. Chances are if you can survive to the end, you're still in contention for the podium.

Does that sound like fun? It's actually one of the most enjoyable low-buck motorsports on the planet, according to the thousands of pilots who participate each and every year. There's decent money to be had, too, with purses approaching $750 a night for each win and most also-rans making enough to pay for gas money. And, potentially, therapy.

Wide Appeal

Who is getting behind the wheel in figure 8 racing? In many respects, there's significant crossover from other types of wheel-to-wheel racing. Some participants are circle racers looking to make a little extra cash, while others come from a rally or ice racing background and can appreciate the controlled catastrophe coiled and waiting to happen each and every lap. There are also those who view it as simply a more accelerated version of demolition derby, a better platform to showcase their driving skills than simply pointing their car at an opponent across the asphalt and flooring the gas.

Whatever draws you to the cockpit or the stands, one thing is for sure, there are few spectacles like figure 8 racing to get your pulse rate rising. It may not offer the speed of Formula One or the gravity-slipping ballet of WRC, but it's definitely the kind of motorsport where almost anything can happen from green to checker. It's a very basic lesson more than one racing series could stand to learn in the modern era of limited passing, crippling aero and paralyzing parity.

Looking to read about more oddball racing? Check out the Renault Sport Cup.

The guys at Shear Performance are no strangers to tight deadlines. As the shop owner, Justin Shears has been building custom hot rods for his customers for years, many of which turn heads at various shows in SoCal. Shop Manager Sandy Sausser is known for working at lightning speeds, especially when it’s him against the clock. So it was only fitting that they bought their show vehicle just four days before the 2019 Holley LS Fest West in Las Vegas—and it didn’t have an LS in it yet.

Nicknamed “The Lunch Truck,” this 1979 Chevy C30 single cab has certainly been around the block. Though the history of it isn’t quite clear, the box on the bed was built to vend some sort of food and beverage at some point. With heated cabinets for hot food and hidden refrigeration coils, this truck probably fed crews of people. The guys were told it was last used as a locksmith truck, which was evident by the presence of dozens of keys thrown about the bed box. While the truck hadn’t ran for many years, it easily rolled up and down the trailer, had brakes and seemed to be in working mechanical order.

Under the hood was a stock small block 350 (which Sandy later found out to be a Goodwrench crate engine, likely replacing the original engine decades ago), which did run—briefly. Because the rules of LS Fest require all participant vehicles to be powered by a variant of the LS block, Justin and Sandy had to swap in something that was allowed, and try to squeeze every ounce of power from it, all in just three nights. The shop was busy wrapping up other customer vehicles bound for LS Fest West, so the guys only had evenings at the shop to work on this project.

Beginning with the LS Swap

Work began on the first night, cutting off the exhaust, draining all fluids, disconnecting hoses and unbolting the peripheral components under the hood. Soon after, the small block 350 was out of the hole, and the C30 was ready for the transplant. On night two, Justin began the teardown and assembly process of an LS-based 6.0L iron block they found at a junkyard. The new motor was suspiciously clean inside, but Justin checked as much as he could while putting the long block back together.

The next day, Justin and Sandy began building the wiring harness needed to run this engine in the truck, splicing and re-pinning a stock GM truck harness and computer to suit their needs. Once the wiring harness was completed, the engine was dropped into the hole with the help of some motor mount adapters, and mated to the existing TH 400 automatic transmission.

Built for Boost

But that was only half the battle, because the boys at Shear were hungry for boost. Simply running a naturally breathing LS wasn’t enough for the Lunch Truck, so they started plumbing the piping needed for an off-brand GT45 turbocharger. Sandy focused on making the exhaust work with the turbo and installing the wastegate, while Justin tackled the fueling needs for the extra air coming in. The truck was idling shortly after, breathing through a “custom” hole in the hood Sandy made with the plasma cutter for the exhaust stack to vent through.

Becoming Donut-Ready

Together, they completed the swap in the time frame needed to get to LS Fest West, however, the Lunch Truck still wasn’t donut-ready. In order to do proper burnouts, both tires need to spin, and that’s not possible with the open Dana 60 rear differential that came under the Chevy C30. Instead of buying a spool or limited slip, Sandy opted for the ol’ Lincoln Locker. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the term, it entails draining the differential oil and welding the spider gears in the carrier so they are permanently “locked,” ensuring both tires will spin at the same speed at the same time.

The Dana 60 is plenty strong enough to handle the abuse from the turbocharged LS, but the tires and wheels that came with the truck were outright dangerous. Justin and Sandy mounted a set of 265/75/16 Nitto Terra Grapplers to a set of steel wheels with a fresh coat of white powder coat. The all-terrain Terra Grapplers fit the truck body much better than the highway-terrain tires that came with it, and they’ll come in handy if the Lunch Truck ever finds itself off the pavement.

Once at the show, with only hours to spare before the Lunch Truck had to be slaying tires and making smoke, Justin took the time to make adjustments to the tune, and solve for the E85 fuel that’s now rushing through the truck veins, in order to make the most horsepower they can. Once the tune was settled, the truck headed for the skid pad at the Cleetus and Cars burnout competition, under its own power, sounding healthy and menacing.

30 Seconds of Glory

Unfortunately, that feeling of accomplishment only lasted about 30 seconds or so on the skid pad. After the third donut, Sandy, who was taking the reins, noticed something was off. The truck wasn’t sounding right and stopped making power. Not risking total failure, the two drove the truck back to the pits to investigate. It was determined that the truck had likely grenaded a piston (or two) during the burnout. With 18 psi of boost on the stock internal components, it was almost bound to happen, but no crowd pleaser ever played it safe.

Phase Two Begins

The Lunch Truck, now leaking oil and misfiring horribly, made it back onto the trailer and to the shop again, where it awaits phase two of its wake-up call. Justin and Sandy have plans to replace the internal components of this 6.0L with forged variants, able to handle higher boost pressures and more fuel before failing. Now that the shop isn’t under the gun, they will also have time to fabricate a proper water-to-air intercooler with an ice box on board, drastically reducing intake air temperatures, resulting in much more power.

Justin and Sandy have a lot of work on their hands to make this burnout machine indestructible, but now with much more time (and sleep), you can bet it will be a completely different machine. 

Without a doubt, the return of The Lunch Truck will be an epic sight. Be sure to follow along on Driving Line for more content around this build, and some of the other crazy creations to come from Shear Performance.

Like the story? See the video, here!

In case you don’t follow news from the world of video games, the annual E3 Show is currently underway in Los Angeles, and while this year’s event hasn’t been nearly as heavy on racing game news as past years, there was an interesting reveal from the Forza team over the weekend. No, it wasn’t the announcement of the next entry in the franchise—in fact, Turn 10 Studios confirmed there won't be a new Forza title coming out this year. However, we did get a look at the next expansion for Forza Horizon 4, and it looks interesting to say the least.

While the last edition of Forza Horizon featured a Hot Wheels-themed expansion that was surprisingly fun, this time Forza has teamed up with another iconic toy maker for the LEGO Speed Champions expansion, which will launch on June 13.

Building on the ever-expanding Speed Champions line of LEGO kits, the expansion promises an entire LEGO-themed world to explore and a wide variety of LEGO vehicles to drive. You can expect it to be heavy on stunts and the light-hearted fun that LEGO games and movies are known for.

Among the LEGO machines featured in the expansion are the Ferrari F40 Competizione, the ‘64 Mini Cooper S and of course the original Horizon 4 cover car, the McLaren Senna. On its own the expansion will cost $19.99, but it’s already included if you bought the Ultimate Edition of the game or the Expansions Bundle.

While the LEGO Speed Champions expansion might not appeal to those who want their Forza experience to be as lifelike as possible, it could potentially open the game to a whole new audience and be a new favorite if you happen to have young ones in the house. We’ll certainly be interested to try it out for ourselves when it drops later this week.

Still haven't tried Forza Horizon 4 yet? Watch our review!

In last week's episode of Chasing Dust, Driving Line Truck Editor Matt Moghaddam spent three days at Shear Performance as they performed a lightning-speed turbocharged LS-swap on a 1979 Chevy C30, nicknamed "The Lunch Truck." This week, Matt and the guys at Shear head to Las Vegas for the 2019 Holley LS Fest West, ready to shred some tires at the Cleetus and Cars burnout competition. But equipped with only an 18 psi boost spring for their wastegate, will the freshly-swapped C30 handle the abuse of a full throttle burnout? Watch the video above to see for yourself!

Want to know more details of what went into the Lunch Truck? Check out the build feature here.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of Ford’s turbocharged EcoBoost engine, which was first introduced in 2009 as a way to improve both the fuel efficiency and performance of its cars and trucks. First appearing stateside in the form of a 3.5L twin turbo V6, the EcoBoost family has gone in to take many forms, and these days the engines can be found under the hood of everything from the humble little Fiesta to the halo car Ford GT.

While there will always be those who favor traditional, naturally aspirated engines over their turbocharged counterparts, there’s no doubting what the adoption of the EcoBoost engine has done for Ford’s performance credentials.

So with that in mind we thought we’d take a look down the line to break down and compare some of the most enthusiast-friendly variants of the EcoBoost family, starting with the smaller displacement three- and four-cylinder engines.

1.0L EcoBoost Three-Cylinder

There was a time when a three-cylinder engine was considered a joke, found only in underpowered cars that put fuel economy above all else. A lot of that reputation started to change when Ford introduced its pint-sized turbocharged 1.0L EcoBoost three-cylinder to the North American market in 2014.

Available in certain trims of the Fiesta, Focus and later the EcoSport crossover, the 1.0L EcoBoost naturally offered superior fuel economy when compared to a larger four-cylinder engine. Depending on its exact application, the 1.0L EcoBoost makes about 123hp and up to 148 lb-ft of torque.

It was also surprisingly fun to drive when mated to manual transmission and powering a lightweight car like the Fiesta. While it may not win any drag races, there’s ample amount of torque for an engine of its size and a flat powerband you typically wouldn’t associate with an economy car.

In fact, the little engine was so capable that Ford even used it to power an open-wheel formula car that set a Nürburgring record for a three-cylinder vehicle. The turbocharged "triple" also provides a unique exhaust note that is quite different than your typical four-cylinder engine.

From an enthusiast standpoint, the biggest drawback of the 1.0L EcoBoost in the U.S. is the lack of aftermarket support. In Europe there are aftermarket tunes and upgrade parts available, but because the engine is relatively rare here in the states, it lacks the aftermarket backing of the larger EcoBoost motors.

1.6L EcoBoost

Moving up the chain, we get to the 1.6L EcoBoost four-cylinder engine. Ford also offers 1.5L variant of the EcoBoost four cylinder, but the 1.6L is the one with the enthusiast credentials. In many Ford products, the 1.6L EcoBoost became the defacto replacement for larger naturally aspirated four-cylinder engines, but the application where this powerplant shines the most is the 2014-2019 Fiesta ST.

In the North American market Fiesta ST, the 1.6L EcoBoost makes 197hp and 214 lb-ft of torque, and given the popularity of the ST as an entry level hot hatch, this powerplant enjoys a healthy amount of aftermarket support.

There are a number of companies offering upgrade parts and tunes for the 1.6L EcoBoost engine in the Fiesta ST. Mountune USA, for example, offers its MR230 package, which includes upgraded exhaust system, intercooler, intake and a revised ECU tune that raises output to 227hp and 250 lb-ft of torque. At $2,499 for the whole kit, it offers a nice bang for the buck.

There are also options for those who want take their little 1.6L pocket rockets even further, like the Mountune MR280 that features a larger turbocharger and raises output to 286hp and and 275 lb-ft of torque. The price for the kit including a Cobb Accessport tuner comes in a little over $3,300.

2.0L EcoBoost

Over the last decade, the turbocharged 2.0L four-cylinder has become "the new small block V8" in terms of its popularity and variety of uses, and the EcoBoost 2.0s have found their way into many different Ford and Lincoln cars and crossovers.

While cars like the Fusion, Escape, Edge and Lincoln MKZ might not be popular platforms for modification, there are companies like Livernois Motorsports that offer upgrades for many different 2.0L EcoBoost applications if you ever wanted to add some extra muscle to your Ford family hauler. Depending on the specific mods, you can get close to 300hp for not a whole lot of money.

For the most part, the 2.0L EcoBoost engine can be seen as the modern equivalent of the V6 option for Ford family sedans and crossovers, but for the U.S. market the most exciting application of the 2.0L EcoBoost was in the 2013-2018 Focus ST. In this guise, the 2.0L made 252hp and 270 lb-ft of torque and came mated exclusively to a six-speed manual transmission.

Like its smaller Fiesta ST cousin, the Focus ST also has a lot of aftermarket support. There are a number of packages available to get easy power from Focus ST including Mountune's 275hp MP275 package at $2,000 and an MR300 package that boosts numbers to 300hp and 350 lb-ft of torque for a little under $3,000.

From there you can go even further with more serious engine upgrades and a larger turbocharger. It will simply be a matter of how much you want to spend and how streetable you want your car to be. In terms of power potential, the 2.0L EcoBoost certainly isn't lacking.

2.3L EcoBoost

Finally we get to the big boy of the EcoBoost four-cylinder family and perhaps the most versatile of the bunch. Not only does the 2.3L EcoBoost appear in everyday vehicles like the Explorer and the reborn Ford Ranger, it's also the volume engine for the Mustang and the powerplant for the red hot Focus RS.

Even the workhorse Ranger has some aftermarket potential thanks to its use of the 2.3L EcoBoost. Livernois Motorsports currently offers a touch tuner that adds up to 80hp and 100 lb-ft of torque to the midsize pickup for the affordable price of $599.

With the launch of the redesigned S550 Mustang in 2015, the 2.3L EcoBoost also became the most common engine for America's original pony car. While it may be lacking power when compared to the V8 Mustangs, the EcoBoost Mustang offers a whole lot upgrade potential and a unique driving experience.

For 2019, the Mustang EcoBoost makes 310hp and 350 lb-ft for torque, and the aftermarket has a variety of options for those looking to go further. Ford Performance even offers a warranty-friendly upgrade package that adds 25 peak horsepower and 70 lb-ft of torque. Big turbos and upgraded engine internals can you take your EcoBoost Mustang even further, well into the 500hp range if you are so inclined.

Then you've got the upcoming 2020 EcoBoost Mustang Performance Package that ups the factory output of the 2.3L to 330hp, in addition to the other handling and aerodynamic upgrades it provides.

Last but not least we get to the alpha of the 2.3L EcoBoost family, the now-departed Focus RS. In RS trim, the 2.3L EcoBoost was honed by Ford to make a solid 350hp and 350 lb-ft of torque for one of the hottest hatchbacks ever to wear the blue oval badge.

Despite being packed with performance from the factory, the 2.3L EcoBoost in the Focus RS can get even more powerful with aftermarket help. For example, Mountune's $1,200 MR380 package bumps horsepower up to 380, and their MRX turbo upgrade can produce up to 550hp with supporting upgrades.

While Ford's smaller displacement EcoBoost engines have had a great run up to this point, the next ten years will likely be different—at least for those of us in North America. With Ford's decision to stop selling small cars and sedans here, some of the best EcoBoost-powered enthusiast vehicles will no longer be available. We'd absolutely love to see Ford have a change of heart and at least offer the ST and RS models of their small cars here as specialty products, but the odds don't look good.

If larger displacement EcoBoost engines are your jam, there's still a lot to be excited about, and we'll be back soon with part two to take a look at the six-cylinder EcoBoost offerings.

In the meantime, see how you can get an extra 96hp out of the EcoBoost Mustang.

2019 has been a season of highs and lows for Ryan Tuerck and several of the Nitto drivers. In Long Beach, Travis Reeder was denied the opportunity to compete in his Chevy Camaro EL1 Electric drift car, while Ryan Tuerck totaled the Toyota GT86 chassis he has been competing in since the 2012 drift season. In Orlando, Chelsea Denofa rose to the podium while Vaughn Gittin Jr. recovered from a major crash in practice to finish in the Final 4, but Reeder’s team chased mechanical gremlins in the Camaro EL1. Atlanta trended upwards for Tuerck as he took a second place podium finish and Reeder was finally was able to debut his Camaro EL1 drift car, but downward for Gittin Jr. and Denofa as they both lost out in the Top 16 round. As each round on the Formula Drift schedule begins, the slate is wiped clean and each driver is given a fresh opportunity to dominate the competition.

Qualifying

For the past several events, Formula Drift drivers have flirted with a perfect qualifying score. We’ve seen more 99-point runs in 2019 than in the previous several seasons combined, and it seemed impossible for any driver to perfect the perfect 100 point qualifying run that had only previously been achieved by Tanner Foust at Sonoma in 2007. Wall Speedway would prove to be that breakthru event as Justin Pawlak pushed his Roush Mustang to a perfect 100 point run, claiming the top qualifying position and permanent bragging rights in the pits. Fredric Aasbo, Daijiro Yoshihara, and Forrest Wang trailed close behind him with 98 point runs, but the distance between the top position and the rest of the field felt like an eternity due to the perfect score. Nitto Tire drivers Ryan Tuerck (Q9), Chelsea Denofa (Q10), and Vaughn Gittin Jr. (Q11) had qualifying runs of 95 points / 95 points / 94 points respectively, showing just how tight the field is in that three points separate second place from ninth place on grid. Alex Heilbrunn (Q15 - 92 points) and Travis Reeder (Q31 - 81 points) also earned a score to take them to the Top 32 tandem battles, but the day would be Justin Pawlak’s to soak in.

Tandems to die for

Top 32 tandems came and went smoothly for most of the Nitto Tire team. Tuerck was first to line up on the banked oval, taking out Dirk Stratton’s Chevy Corvette in his first tandem battle. Travis Reeder was paired with 2017 Formula Drift champion Fredric Aasbo in the first round, and Aasbo would emerge victorious from that battle. Alex Heilbrunn would push Kazuya Taguchi to a “One More Time” battle before Taguchi took the victory, while Chelsea Denofa would earn a fairly easy victory over “Rad” Dan Burkett when Burkett wrecked his Supra in the first turn of the first lap. In the final run of Top 32, Gittin Jr. would eliminate Dean Kearney’s big horsepower Dodge Viper unanimously, setting up a Top 16 tandem bracket with three remaining Nitto Tire drivers.

Tuerck would earn a unanimous victory in his Top 16 battle with longtime friend and three-time Formula Drift champion Chris Forsberg, while Gittin Jr. would need a “One More Time” battle with points leader Odi Bakchis before earning his ticket to the Top 8. Unfortunately, Chelsea Denofa was controversially defeated by Piotr Wiecek in his Top 16 battle due to a car-to-car collision where Denofa was deemed to be at fault for slowing too much during his transition in front of the crowd. Sliding into the Top 8, Tuerck ended Pawlak’s chase for a perfect event by eliminating the top qualifier, while Gittin Jr. would need another “One More Time” battle against Ken Gushi before stamping his ticket to the Final 4.

Tuerck continued his success, triumphing over defending two-time champion James Deane in his Final 4 battle, guaranteeing a second consecutive final round finish for Tuerck. On the other side of the bracket, in what will likely be one of the most talked about battles of the event, Gittin Jr. again pushed to a “One More Time” battle against Fredric Aasbo not once but twice, pushing to an event-high of 8 total OMT battles before a crash at the top of the bank ended his day.

Road Atlanta Rematch

In a rematch of the Atlanta final round, Tuerck and Aasbo would battle for the top rung of the podium. By getting to the final round, Aasbo had already guaranteed himself the championship lead in the season points standings, while Tuerck was looking to earn his first win in more than four seasons and avenge the loss in Atlanta. The first battle for the event win was too even to determine a winner, and the judges demand that the drivers push to a “One More Time” battle. At last, Tuerck earned the victory over Aasbo, eliminating the 2009 / 2014 / 2016 champion in the Top 16 (Forsberg), the defending 2017 / 2018 champion in the Top 4 (Deane), and the 2015 champion (Aasbo) in the final. Tuerck was quick to credit his team, his comfort behind the wheel, a well setup car, and the overall grip of his tires for the win. “These Nitto Tire NT555 G2’s had the grip out there! We were able to surge on people all weekend, we were one of the fastest cars on track with grip, and we were able to send it and have a good time!” said Tuerck.

Tuerck moves into third place overall in the championship points standings at the halfway point, just 53 points behind Bakchis and 56 points behind current leader Aasbo. Gittin Jr. (8th place, 96 points behind Aasbo) and Denofa (10th place, 123 points behind Aasbo) both are within striking distance for the championship. Heilbrunn sits in 17th place overall, and will look to make an impact on the second half of the season. Reeder sits in a three-way tie for 21st position, but leads the Rookie of the Year standings by 31 points.

Can Ryan Tuerck overtake Fredric Aasbo and Odi Bakchis in the second half of the Formula Drift season to earn his first career championship? Stay tuned to DrivingLine.com to find out!

Have you seen under the hood of these cars? Click here to see the engines of Formula Drift.

Without a doubt, one of the things we love most about Gridlife is how it always seems to bring out something new each year. 2019 brought out even more new stuff than past years, along with a lot of our old favorites along the way. Time attack, drift, music and lifestyle, even wheel-to-wheel racing—there were surprises seemingly around every turn.

And while you'll undoubtedly read lots of high-level, overarching event coverage around the web, here's a more granular look at six cars and drivers impressed us the most in the drift segment.

1. Vaughn and Chelsea RTR Mustangs

Everywhere these two go, they seem to shred a little bit harder, solo or (especially) in tandem. Gridlife was no exception.

Rain or shine; alone or with lucky ride-along passengers; morning or evening; Friday, Saturday or Sunday (after most had gone home); they were out there, slaying NT555 G2 Nitto tire rubber and putting on a hell of a show for fans and automotive photographers alike. Just two weeks after Hyperfest and a week before FD New Jersey, they were pushing as hard as ever—now that’s dedication.

2. Ryan Tuerck in a Toyota Corolla

After his brutal wall slam in Long Beach, Ryan Tuerck’s GT86 demo car had to be converted to his Formula D competition car, which left him without a demo car for bash-style events like Gridlife.

Not to worry—Tuerck is tight with Toyota, who set him up with this awesome RWD-converted Corolla drift machine.

If this car looks familiar, it should. Built by Papadakis Racing, it's mechanically very similar to Fredric Aasbø’s RWD Corolla FD competition car. The handshake agreement between Tuerck and Toyota specified that the car had to be returned in the condition it was loaned, so Ryan didn't go as crazy with it as he probably would’ve liked. But that didn’t stop him from shredding his fair share of Nitto tires.

3. BMW E46 and Saab "Saabaru" Wagons

Falling in close proximity to Wisconsin's annual Final Bout drift bash (held the weekend prior), this year's Gridlife Midwest Festival attracted plenty of advanced pro-am and amateur drifters.

While several of them left us with positive lasting impressions, maybe none did so quite as much as these two tire killers in their loosely matching E46 and “Saabaru” 2JZ-powered drift wagons.  

If either one of these machines were mine, I would probably baby it. Not these guys. Every session they turned up the wick, smoked out the crowd and looked great doing it.

4. Adam LZ Nissan S15

Another Hyperfest holdover, Adam LZ and crew made their first trek out to Gridlife as major players this year.

He treated fans to 2JZ-powered Nissan S15 drift demos and ride-alongs, and entertained showgoers all weekend.

He logged fewer runs than at Hyperfest, and we can’t recall seeing his SR20-powered S13 take the tarmac at all, but nonetheless, it’s always great to see someone so influential in the digital space killin’ it in the real world.   

5. Twin Yellow BMW E46 M3s

Call us suckers for harmony and symmetry, but we really liked this sportsman drift effort.

Speaking from personal experience, we're well aware of just how difficult it can be for one gearhead to finish one project car, let alone two BFFs to finish their cars at the same time and in completely matching trim! But that seems to be exactly what's happening here.

We don't recall having seen either of these two drift Aces half past Gridlife, and we can tell they were staying a bit on the cautious side of crazy. But we really hope to see more of them in the future, and we're excited to see what they have in store for us.

6. FCP Euro Mercedes E55 AMG

Something else we're really stoked on is the number of European cars being retrofitted for drift duty. E30s, E46s—they’ve always been preferred chassis across the pond, so it only makes sense that they would be here, as well. But this is ridiculous.

Not only is it an E55 AMG—at a time one of the most powerful and sought-after in the Mercedes line—but it’s campaigned and cared for by the true professionals at FCP Euro, builders of two of three World Challenge TCR competition cars that drove demos during the weekend.

Not even a small engine fire could keep this drift taxi out of contention, when one cropped up Friday night. It popped back up on the grid the next day, as eager and ready to get some as the day before.

But Wait! There’s More!

Can you believe it? All this content and we haven’t even touched on all the time-attack, wheel-to-wheel racing, and general partying that went on at this year's Gridlife Midwest Festival.

Keep an eye out for part two with all that stuff, coming very soon.

Don't forget to follow Gridlife and Driving Line across the web and social, for even more yet to come this year.

What kind of engine is necessary for pro-level drifting? Click here for the engines of Formula Drift.

Platform sharing is a common practice in the car industry. After all, when it can cost as much as a billion dollars to bring an all-new vehicle to market, it only makes sense to get as much out of that major capital investment as possible by spreading the technology far and wide throughout a company's lineup.

There's another form of parts sharing, however, which sometimes makes strange bedfellows of vehicles that seemingly have nothing to do with each other. We're talking about the weird world of parts bin brothers, with one vehicle serving as the organ donor to another in a back alley swap of lights, switches and sometimes even mechanical bits, all done under the cover of darkness with little or no corporate acknowledgement beyond a signed check and a promise never to tell.

Let's take a look at a few of our favorite automotive hand-me-downs.

1. The Lamborghini Diablo's Headlights

When you're a small company spending most of your development dollars on things like enormous V12 engines and bespoke all-wheel drive systems, the little details can sometimes slip through the cracks. Such was the case with the Lamborghini Diablo, which underwent a facelift at the end of the '90s that forced the supercar to give up its trusty pop-up headlights in favor of a more modern, crash-friendly setup.

Enter Nissan, which just happened to have a warehouse filled with 300ZX headlights gathering dust. Italian-Japanese synergy saw the Z32 lighting fit flush into the Diablo's front fenders, giving it a renewed lease on life that carried it through the final few years.

2. The Lotus Esprit's Taillights

Speaking of small companies without a lot of resources, Lotus was in a similar dilemma when it came to sourcing taillights for the redesign of its Esprit sports car in the late 1980s. In bed deep with Toyota already on the engine tuning side of things (having lent its expertise to the Japanese giant), the Esprit benefited from lamps originally outfitted to the drift hero AE86 Corolla.

A persistent rumor exists that Toyota actually paid for part of its development contract with Lotus in Corolla parts. The real reason for their inclusion, however, can be found in an interview with Peter Stevens, who was responsible for the new look coupe. He claims that "tooling and homologation of unique taillights would have cost more than the budget for the entire car," and that the vehicle was as a result designed around the Trueno's blinkers.

3. The Lotus Elise/Exige/Evora's Engines

The drivetrain partnership between Toyota and Lotus didn't just pay dividends for the larger of the two companies. The Elise, Exige and Evora sports cars each featured a series of Toyota-built motors: naturally-aspirated and supercharged versions of the 1.8L Corolla motor for the Exige and Elise, and a 3.5L Camry-sourced V6 for the Evora (supercharged in the Evora S, and also available in special versions of the Exige). Lightweight British design combined with Japanese reliability makes this one of the best organ swaps in automotive history.

4. The Pagani Zonda C12's Motor

Another interesting heart transplant can be found inside the very first Pagani Zonda supercar. The C12 went with a tried, tested and true 12-cylinder mill built by Mercedes-Benz: the M120. This motor was most often found in the SL-Class roadsters and S-Class sedans, and it was also used as the platform for the brand's GT championship entry in 1997.

The original C12 is the most straightforward borrow, as it didn't even retune the M120 but rather took advantage of the 6.0L engine's stock 440hp and 460 lb-ft of torque. This number would climb as the Zonda took advantage of larger displacement versions of the V12 built by AMG later on in its lifecycle.

As an aside, the Zonda C12 also stole its climate controls from the pedestrian Rover 45 sedan.

5. The McLaren F1's Mirrors

Like the Pagani, the McLaren F1 also snuck in a third-party V12 engine and stuffed it behind the cockpit. The thing is, that motor was so thoroughly worked over by McLaren engineers that it barely resembled the unit found in the 7 Series it was pulled from.

Those Volkswagen Corrado side mirrors, on the other hand? Now we're talking!

6. Those UPS Truck Headlights

UPS has used a number of different manufacturers for their trucks over the years, relying on stalwart platforms from Ford, Freightliner and GM. Likewise, several companies have provided the bodywork as these vehicles have evolved into their current state.

The most recent iteration of the big brown UPS truck has a link to a somewhat forgotten, and definitely unrelated, piece of automotive history. The aero-look headlights that have been grafted onto the vehicle are straight from the Oldsmobile Alero, a car that hasn't been in production for 15 years. Apparently the supplier had a few pallets left over from the defunct brand's glory days, and just like that the familiar round-eye look of the UPS truck has been replaced with a modern squint.

7. All Those Switches Inside the Tesla Model S

As Tesla has found out after extensive quality issues with early run vehicles, building a car can be quite hard. It only makes sense, then, to lean on a partner for help whenever possible.

Fortunately for Tesla, it had been working with Mercedes-Benz parent company Daimler for quite some time leading up to the Model S launch. This meant that it could lift the shifter, steering column, wiper stalks, window switches and even the seat controls straight from the Mercedes-Benz parts bin. It's a fun mix of C-Class, R-Class, E-Class and more universal MB components. The accelerator pedal, however? That's a gift from Ford.

Want to go beyond parts sharing? Check out these weird badge-engineered cars that shared more than just a few bells and whistles.

Looking to have fun off-road, but don't want to join in with the Jeep crowd? Wanting to drive something 'different' is the primary impulse behind the entire customization component of the automotive hobby, and sometimes starting out with a unique platform already gives you a leg-up over the more common rigs you'll encounter out on the trail.

Still, you don't want to get stuck just for the sake of walking your own path. You need something that will get you home at the end of the weekend, not just raise eyebrows at the trailhead.

Which off-beat off-roader is right for you? Check out our suggestions below.

1. Isuzu VehiCROSS

The Isuzu VehiCROSS was so ahead of its time in styling that looks like someone parked a time machine in a mud pit. First displayed at the Tokyo Auto Show in 1993, Isuzu would raid its parts bin to bring the production model to America for the 1999-2001 model years.

What does that mean for off-roading fans? Despite its Mars Rover vibe, the VehiCROSS relies on tried, tested, and true hardware lifted from the Isuzu Trooper, one of the most ubiquitous rebadged automobiles of all time. This includes its 3.5-liter, 215 horsepower V6 and much of its four-wheel drive system, a 'Torque-On-Demand' setup that shuttles power to the front axles as needed in normal operation. It did have a beefier suspension setup than the Trooper, making it a fun and rugged off-road option that combines out-there looks with low production (just over 4,000 sold) rarity.

2. Mazda MPV

Wait a minute—off-roading in a minivan? If that's a hard 'no' for you, then you might want to check out of this list right now, because the Mazda MPV is the first of a couple family haulers we're suggesting you tackle the trail with.

Built on a platform derived from the 929 luxury sedan, the first-generation (1989-1991) Mazda MPV was a weird mutt of a vehicle. While it didn't feature sliding side doors like most other vans of its ear, it did offer a V6, a manual transmission, and rear-wheel drive, with the option of a locking four-wheel drive system much like you'd find on a truck-based SUV. It wasn't intended to be used anywhere other than on slippery, loose surfaces, with the owner's manual actually warning against its operation on dry pavement.

Another bonus: the MPV actually came with a slight suspension lift in 4x4 form, meaning you can more easily fit off-road tires underneath it.

3. AMC Eagle

When is a station wagon not just a station wagon? When it's the AMC Eagle, a wood-paneled cross-breed that offered not just a four-door wagon model but also a coupe, sedan, a hatchback and later the Sundancer convertible.

It's hard to stress how truly odd the Eagle was when it first went on sale in 1980. Not only were there no other four-wheel drive cars on the market at that time, but AMC went all-in on the outdoorsy look by jacking up the ride height on its Concord/Spirit models and renaming them after the bird of prey. The full-time four-wheel drive system was a licensed Ferguson Formula design similar to what had been used on the Jensen FF in the 1960s and 70s, and allowed for the retention of an independent front suspension.

4. GMC Safari/Chevrolet Astro

The second minivan in our round-up of unusual off-road options is actually a two-for-one. Both the Chevrolet Astro and the GMC Safari were box-like 8-passenger models that provided an available all-wheel drive system starting in 1990. Surprisingly, it was another Ferguson Formula partnership, and was paired with the van's venerable 4.3-liter optional V6.

The stock all-wheel drive system will only get you so far off the beaten path, but both the Astro and the Safari can be swapped to a full low-range NP233 transfer case from the S10/S15 pickup trucks using nothing more than a floor jack and simple hand tools. Once installed, you've got the go-anywhere capabilities of a true locking four-wheel drive system combined with the versatility of a van you can sleep in when it inevitably breaks down on your next weekend trek.

5. Toyota RAV4

The first-generation Toyota RAV4 was offered as both a four-door and a two-door model, with the latter adding the extra bonus of an available removable top.

Sound like any other off-road 'utes you might have seen scrambling through your local mud pit? While the RAV4's all-wheel drive system and suspension aren't nearly at the level of similar-sized vehicles like the Suzuki Sidekick, its short wheelbase makes it nimble on the trail, and upgrades such as a lift, taller tires and a skid plate are all out there for the enterprising explorer who wants to drive something different.

6. Subaru Outback

It's hard not to see a lot of the AMC Eagle in the Subaru Outback. Brought to market in the 1990s in a bid to expand the Japanese brand's market to include more than just AWD-seeking northeasters, the Outback perfectly timed the rising SUV craze and quickly became a best-seller.

It also happens to be a fairly capable off-road chariot. Depending on whether it is sporting a manual or an automatic transmission, the Outback's all-wheel drive system either locks power distribution at 50:50 front and rear, or more actively manages it in the moment to seek out the best possible traction. A set of taller springs, decent tires, and perhaps the XT edition's turbocharged engine, and you're good to go for anything that doesn't involve dedicated rock-crawling. Consider, too, the Subaru Forester, which shares much of its platform with the Outback wagon.

7. Toyota Tercel 4WD Wagon

If you're not afraid of fragility, or intimidated by the task of trying to find parts for a mid-80s Japanese car that very few people actually bought, then consider the Toyota Tercel 4WD Wagon.

Although slower than molasses with their 62 horsepower four-cylinder engines, the little wagons are surprisingly tough, and their on-demand 4x4 system is particularly adept at parsing treacherous terrain. With a small but dedicated underground of owners sharing information on homemade skid plates and which lift kits and tires fit best under the wagon body, the Tercel 4WD is a very unique ticket to get you away from it all.

Looking for more weird SUVs? Click here for some of the weirdest production SUVs.

In the early part of this decade, rumors and speculation about a new rear-wheel drive sports car being co-developed by Toyota and Subaru had reached a fever pitch. Needless to say, enthusiasts were ecstatic about the idea of a new affordable sports car option on the market, and the idea of a car being built for driving enjoyment over fast lap times stood out in a market full of ever more powerful vehicles.

Finally in the summer of 2012, the Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ went on sale in the U.S., and now that the cars have been available for nearly seven years, they've become an enticing option on the secondhand market.

While other performance cars have received substantial upgrades and power bumps over the course of their lifespans that make the newer models a lot more desirable than earlier examples, there haven't been any major changes to these cars over the years. That means a secondhand example can potentially be a great choice for someone on a budget. There have, however, been a number of different versions of the cars sold in the states, along with minor mechanical changes that are certainly worth being aware of if you're in the market for a used example.

That's why we decided to put together a quick buyer's guide to break down some of the differences and changes in the FR-S, 86 and BRZ over the years.

2013-2016 Scion FR-S

While Toyota's version of the car was badged as "86" or "GT86" in other markets, here in the U.S. the car arrived as part of the now defunct Scion brand where it was sold as the FR-S. Scion operated a bit differently than other car makers, with "haggle-free" dealerships and not a lot of trim options.

Initially, there was just one variant of the FR-S available, packing a 2.0L naturally aspirated four-cylinder boxer engine that made 200hp and 151 lb-ft of torque. The only major "option" was a six-speed automatic transmission to replace the standard six-speed manual. The base price was $25,600.

A bit later in the model year, a limited run "10-Series" FR-S was introduced to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Scion brand. Along with a unique exterior color, it also featured upmarket options that weren't available on the standard FR-S, including HID headlights, keyless start and automatic climate control. A 10-Series FR-S was priced about $2,000 higher than the standard car and would be the first of several special edition FR-S and 86 models sold in the following years.

If you are simply looking for a base platform to build on, a search around the classifieds shows the price range for an early FR-S with typical mileage and no major defects to be somewhere between $13,000 and $16,000.

If you are looking to daily drive the car, it might be worth trying to find one of the special edition models to take advantage of the additional creature comforts, but mechanically you'll be getting the same car either way.

Perhaps the biggest drawback of buying a used FR-S at this point might be having to drive a car from a brand that no longer exists. Then again, if you want your outdated Scion to become a Toyota, that's nothing a bit of badge-swapping can't take care of, and many FR-S owners were already doing that as soon as their cars rolled off the showroom floor.

2013-2016 Subaru BRZ

Hitting American shores right around the same time the FR-S arrived was the 2013 Subaru BRZ. Mechanically, the FR-S and BRZ were nearly identical with the same engine and transmissions and the same overall layout and body structure. The BRZ, however, had a slightly different suspension setting that was aimed a bit more toward neutral handling rather than the tail-happy nature of the FR-S.

A base model BRZ was priced a tad higher than a base model FR-S, but the extra money got you standard HID headlamps and a navigation system that will likely feel outdated compared to today's tech.

Unlike the FR-S, the BRZ was also offered in two distinct trims: the Premium and Limited models. While the extra money for the BRZ limited didn't get you any mechanical upgrades, it did include upgraded upholstery, automatic climate control, push button start and other minor add-ons.

As far as used car pricing goes, early BRZs tend to fall pretty close in line with their Scion counterparts, with perhaps a slight bump for the Subaru name. Clean title, unmodified examples of early BRZs with an average amount of miles seem to be priced between $14,000 and $17,000.

Some buyers will prefer the styling and branding of the Subaru, while others will favor the Scion, but unless you have specific preference, the differences between the cars are minute enough to just choose the best available example of either model.

2017-2019 Toyota 86

With the Scion brand phased out prior to the 2017 model year, the FR-S became known as the Toyota 86 in North America, and the car also received a refresh. Along with the new branding, the 2017 Toyota 86 got a new front bumper and headlight design, new taillights, new wheels and a revised interior with a new steering wheel design.

There were some minor mechanical upgrades, as well, including a bump in horsepower and torque to 205hp and 156 lb-ft for cars equipped with the manual transmission. Stick shift cars also got a shorter final drive ratio and the suspension settings were slightly tweaked as well.

As with the FR-S, there continued to be limited edition models including the 2017 "860 Special Edition" that featured unique exterior styling and the 2019 TRD Special Edition. For 2018, an "86 GT" model was added to the lineup with improved creature comforts over the standard car but with the same mechanical specs.

Naturally, being newer and slightly improved when compared to the FR-S, the Toyota 86 carries a higher price on the secondhand market. A look around the classifieds shows 2017+ Toyota 86s to bottom out at about $20,000 and go up from there depending on the mileage or whether it's one of the more desirable special edition models.

2017-2019 Subaru BRZ

As with its Toyota counterpart, the Subaru BRZ also received a refresh for the 2017 model year that included the same small horsepower and torque bump for manual transmission models, shorter rear end gear for improved acceleration and revised suspension tuning.

The 2017 BRZ also received updated styling, which included a redesigned front bumper with LED headlights, a new wheel design and an upgraded interior with a new steering wheel and a new LCD display on the instrument cluster.

Perhaps the biggest change to the refreshed BRZ was the availability of a new Performance Package that didn't add any horsepower but did add Brembo brakes up front, a set of SACHS dampers for improved handling and a unique wheel design. It's only available on the upmarket Limited models, but cars equipped with it will naturally be more desirable on the used market.

In addition to the optional Performance Package, there was also the ultra-limited, handling-focused 2018 BRZ tS, which featured stiffer springs, larger wheels, additional chassis stiffening and more aggressive aero with a large carbon fiber rear wing. Unfortunately, the engine was the same as the standard car. Just 500 examples were built, and its price was a hefty $33,495.

2017+ BRZs haven't sold in large numbers, and the few that are available on the used market seem to bottom out in the low $20k's with Performance Package-equipped cars being even harder to find and naturally priced higher.

Automatic vs. Manual

Whether you are in the market for a used example or even considering a new one, the biggest choice an FR-S/86 or BRZ buyer will make will likely be the transmission. When it comes to this, the best advice we can give is "go for the stick." While there's nothing inherently wrong with the six-speed autobox and paddle shifters in these cars, an automatic just doesn't seem to jive with the ethos of this platform.

While there are plenty of performance cars these days that come with fantastic automatics that are well-suited to their mission, in a small sports car that puts driver connectivity and fun over outright performance, a stick is the right choice. Not only that, but the power bump that came with the refreshed versions in 2017 didn't apply to automatic-equipped cars.

New vs. Used

One thing to consider with any late model used car is to make sure you compare the pricing of a pre-owned car versus a brand new. Especially if you are looking to buy a 2017+ model, it might be worth checking out new dealer inventory because depending on the exact incentives offered or how much a dealer is willing to deal, you may be able to find a discounted brand new car for nearly the same price as a one that's one or two years old.

Buyer Beware

While there are people who will advise against buying any car that's been modified, it's best to take things on a case by case basis. If you find a car that's been appreciated and tastefully upgraded by a caring enthusiast a purchase can make a lot sense, but always do your homework.

As with any used performance vehicle or sports car, you'll want to keep an eye out for crappy mods and signs of abuse. The fact that both the FR-S/86 and the BRZ were seen by many as drift machines means many examples have been beaten on and put away wet.

Even when new, the FR-S, 86 and BRZ offered some of the most fun you can have in a car for the money, and now that the cars have started to age, they can make great used cars as well. Whether you are looking to leave it stock and enjoy it, lightly modify it or build something serious, there is no denying the potential of this modern, lightweight, rear-wheel drive platform.

Want to wait for a new example instead? Check out the upcoming 2020 Toyota 86 Hakone Edition.

Over the years, we’ve had the opportunity to feature an assortment of incredible vehicle builds. More often than not, we’re only able to show you the final product. This leaves the months and sometimes years of hard work and build progress undocumented. It was with this in mind that we jumped at the opportunity to take a look at a build that’s taking place now (but very close to completion).  

It’s called the Trophy T. A hat tip to the famed Trophy Rat, it's something that blends the spirit of a hot rod, tech of a race car and art for art’s sake. Built and owned by Tim Odell of Vice Unlimited, the Trophy T is a hand-built four-wheel drive rig that merges used parts and new technology in a way few vehicles ever do. While we recently got a chance to sit down with Odell and chat (watch that video here), we wanted to give you a glimpse of what will soon be hitting the dirt (and street).

Don’t worry. We’ll have a proper feature breakdown with all of the details coming once the Trophy T is finalized. For now, we encourage you to check out this amazing build.

Diamond T Cab

The Trophy T moniker is derived partly from the 1946 Diamond T 404 sheetmetal that surrounds it. While nearly every panel has been modified in some way, much of the 73-year-old body has been well preserved.

Turbo LS

Looking to achieve a more balanced rig, Odell placed a 364ci LQ4 GM V8 just behind the truck’s cab. Feeding the ON3 Performance turbo are a set of custom stainless steel headers, which in addition the PAC Racing springs, a JEGs camshaft and MSD Atomic Airforce intake, create the 650hp it’s putting out.

9-Inch Diff

For builder Tim Odell, it’s often easier for him to build what he needs versus forking over thousands of dollars to buy a new part. This is how his custom 9-inch centersection came to be. Since his entire front suspension would be built from scratch, he was able to fabricate a housing that would tuck neatly into the front of the chassis.

HMMWV Portals

The custom front diff commands a set of gearboxes that came off of a retired HMMWV. While these portal boxes were originally designed to work with an independent suspension, pairing them with the long-travel A-arms took some serious fab work. Aside from being readily available, the ground clearance afforded by the portal boxes was a major draw.  

Flipped 14-Bolt

The rear axle would be another custom creation that was the result of necessity and having parts on hand. Starting off with a full-float 14-bolt rear, Odell chopped up the legendary heavyweight rear axle and created an off-set diff that would now have the housing flipped upside-down from its traditional configuration. Like the front, the 14-bolt is fit with a Detroit Locker.

Pinion Pump

Flipping the 14-bolt was necessary to have the tires turning in the correct direction thanks to the mid-engine layout. (The portal boxes upfront took care of that issue there.) While Odell isn’t too worried about the differential's strength, he wanted to make sure oiling wouldn’t be an issue. This is why there’s now a belt-driven pump sitting next to the yoke. This custom fluid pump should ensure that the pinion bearings stay fed at all times.

ProDash

Taking a look inside the cab you’ll find a Holly EFI 12.3-inch ProDash sitting above the mount for his iPad. This iPad setup will be paired with a Ride Controller module, which will work as a digital switch panel for the vehicle. Shifters for the 4L80e transmission and NP205 transfer case, along with the Wilwood hand brake can been seen peaking through the handmade aluminum center console.

Chassis Construction

There’s a blend of reinforced sheetmetal and tubing that runs throughout the build. The primary chassis however is comprised of 1¾-inch, 0.120-wall DOM tubing. The entire chassis was notched, cut and formed in-house.

TIG Welded

Welding is a bit of an art form in itself. This is especially true for TIG welding. While using a MIG would have been a bit faster, Odell has taken the time to TIG weld every single piece on the Trophy T.

Rear Suspension

While there are still adjustments being made to the suspension, the overall set up is slated to stay the same. The rear is currently setup with trailing arm lowers that use a Fox 2.5 coilover and bypass shock. To keep the axle on center, the upper control arms have been triangulated. A Currie Antirock sway bar has also been paired with a set of custom arms to add stability to the mix.

Front Suspension

The A-arm suspension up front is using a coilover/bypass setup as well, along with the help of a Fox 2.0 nitrogen bumpstop. Though Odell says he’ll probably have a little shock tuning to do to have it all dialed in, he’s happy with the overall travel and ride height he has planned.

Grapplers

Putting the power to the ground will be a set of 40x13.50R17 Nitto Trail Grapplers. These will be mounted on a set of Hutcheson Rock Monster double-beadlock wheels (not shown). The reason for going with the Trail Grappler was two-fold. First, he needed a tire that wouldn’t compromise off-road performance, and he knew the Trails could deliver on that front. Second, he wanted something street-friendly since this vehicle would see plenty of pavement as well.

Details

This isn’t just an Ultra4 car, nor is it some single-use rat rod. The details than run throughout are outstanding and we look forward to showing you this project in its entirety once it is complete. For now, be sure to check out more photos of the build in the gallery below.

Learn more about the Trophy T from the builder in our Vice Unlimited Shop Profile video.