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1,500-HP Pickup Truck Drag Races 2,000-HP Nissan GT-R, Can You Guess Who Wins?

The first-generation Silverado 1500 is a relatively humble truck. This one, however, is anything but a workhorse despite its work-oriented cab.
Twin-Turbo Chevrolet Silverado drag races 4.3L Nissan GT-R 19 photos
Photo: Hoonigan on YouTube
Twin-Turbo Chevrolet Silverado drag races 4.3L Nissan GT-RTwin-Turbo Chevrolet Silverado drag races 4.3L Nissan GT-RTwin-Turbo Chevrolet Silverado drag races 4.3L Nissan GT-RTwin-Turbo Chevrolet Silverado drag races 4.3L Nissan GT-RTwin-Turbo Chevrolet Silverado drag races 4.3L Nissan GT-RTwin-Turbo Chevrolet Silverado drag races 4.3L Nissan GT-RTwin-Turbo Chevrolet Silverado drag races 4.3L Nissan GT-RTwin-Turbo Chevrolet Silverado drag races 4.3L Nissan GT-RTwin-Turbo Chevrolet Silverado drag races 4.3L Nissan GT-RTwin-Turbo Chevrolet Silverado drag races 4.3L Nissan GT-RTwin-Turbo Chevrolet Silverado drag races 4.3L Nissan GT-RTwin-Turbo Chevrolet Silverado drag races 4.3L Nissan GT-RTwin-Turbo Chevrolet Silverado drag races 4.3L Nissan GT-RTwin-Turbo Chevrolet Silverado drag races 4.3L Nissan GT-RTwin-Turbo Chevrolet Silverado drag races 4.3L Nissan GT-RTwin-Turbo Chevrolet Silverado drag races 4.3L Nissan GT-RTwin-Turbo Chevrolet Silverado drag races 4.3L Nissan GT-RTwin-Turbo Chevrolet Silverado drag races 4.3L Nissan GT-R
Purchased by the current owner a year ago, the 2004 model in the featured video had its Vortec-branded V8 swapped for a 427 LSx that features a Frankenstein Engine Dynamics billet intake manifold. Gifted with an oversized throttle body, Holley engine management, a ratchet shifter for the TH400 three-speed automatic transmission, and slicks on every corner, the Silverado 1500 flaunts 1,500-plus horsepower thanks to a duo of Garretts.

As if that wasn’t badass enough, the half-ton pickup drinks 111-octane methanol fuel in the guise of VP Racing M1. Further upgraded with lightweight windows, fiberglass doors, a parachute, and a passenger-seat delete, this fellow is capable of running 8.30 in the quarter-mile. As for curb weight, the owner says that it tips the scales at 4,000 pounds (1,814 kilos).

On the other side of the runway, there’s a 2012 model year Nissan GT-R wrongly listed by the peeps at Hoonigan as a 2010 model. Instead of the stock VR38DETT, the force-fed V6 hiding under the hood is an Alpha Performance 4.3-liter billet engine that costs $60,000 right off the bat. It’s also lighter than stock, thanks to carbon-fiber goodies both inside and out.

Believed to weigh 3,750 pounds (1,701 kilograms) or thereabouts, the R35 still has working electric windows, a passenger seat, air conditioning, and a radio, even though it gulps down One Ethanol R 117-octane E85 racing fuel. Boosted to 60 pounds per square inch by two 68-millimeter Precisions, this insane machine features 370Z brakes out back, slicks in the rear, radials in the front, a MoTeC M150 ECU, a MoTeC digital dash, and a modified GR6 dual-clutch tranny. The active rear wing pretty much seals the deal.

Regarding which is the quickest, well, you have to press play and see for yourself. Spoiler alert: the carbon fiber-bodied Nissan GT-R breaks a carbon-fiber driveshaft halfway down the track in the first showdown.

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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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