Our goal with the Hot Truck was performance and style within a budget. Why pay as much as 38,000 greenbacks for a full boogie Sierra, when projects such as the Hot Truck come in at a mere 20 grand? To match the go-fast image on a limited bankroll, we contacted NOS for a full nitrous kit. Holley Performance is the parent company of NOS, so they know how to make motors scream, no doubt about it. NOS recommended a wet fogger system to pump the squeeze into Hot T’s 4.8L motor. The system is a cinch to install and a breeze to operate. It comes with an interior-mounted activation switch, the necessary mounting hardware, a 10-pound NO2 bottle, and various lines and solenoids.
When using nitrous, the engine requires a richer-than-regular fuel mixture, which is administered through a fuel solenoid tapped off the fuel rail test port. Upon engaging, both solenoids open to release a predetermined amount of fuel and nitrous, in a mix or fog, directly into the intake tube. Our system was set for a 100-horse shot. However, different orifice sizes are available to squirt more or less nitrous to the motor.
Since this is a Stepside truck, we wanted to clean up the tail end and cover a newfound friend: the nitrous tank. SnugTop has put the finishing touches on its Snuglid tonneau cover for the new Stepside models. The cover features a one-piece mold and gas-charged shocks for easy opening. As with many SnugTop products, it comes from the factory ready to bolt on, color-matched and all. On the fullsize GM Stepside, the only modification to be made is removal of the rear gate wing; the tonneau has a lip that overhangs the bedrails. After installation we had a safe compartment for our NOS tank and a far, far sleeker truck.
Once the truck had all these goodies bolted up, we just had to take it for a spin. Although nothing of handling or suspension had changed — where the truck would only lay rubber for a few yards before the NOS — with the system engaged, the tires couldn’t hold onto asphalt. As the day closed, the Hot Truck had a safe and lockable compartment for all our goodies. In the next issue, we’ll throw some real ponies into our 4.8L wonder motor. And if that ain’t enough, how ’bout a full boogie suspension drop courtesy of Sleeper Suspension Development?
