Rolled out for the 1999 model year alongside the Silverado, the first-generation GMC Sierra is a pretty capable pickup for that particular era. The Vortec 6000, which was offered on the heavy- and light-duty lines of trucks, also happens to be a dark horse in a straight line.
When it was new, the 6.0-liter engine based on the LS family of small-block V8s featured a cast-iron block for durability and cast-iron heads to bring the point home. Developed exclusively for towing, the overhead-valve Vortec 6000 cranked out 300 horsepower and 355 pound-feet (481 Nm) fully stock.
Not bad for regular unleaded, sequential-type port injection, and a compression ratio of 9.4 to 1, right? The Sierra in the following video is a little different, though, retaining only the bottom end of the original engine. The biggest mod over the factory setup is the 80-millimeter turbo, and the owner has also converted to E85 for bigger bangs on the drag strip.
Contrary to the naysayers, 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline isn’t a wimpy fuel championed by environmentalists. Because it’s based on alcohol, the cooling effect on the air/fuel mixture offers significant performance increases. Ethanol also raises the octane rating, translating to superior knock resistance that enables a slightly higher compression ratio.
The long-bed and single-cab Sierra also features a Powerglide transmission, which is preferred over the Turbo 400 by some drag racers thanks to its simplicity and durability. Introduced in 1950 and discontinued in 1973, the Powerglide was supplanted by the Turbo-Hydramatic series.
Lined up against a very loud Honda Civic from the sixth generation of the compact economy car, the GMC doesn’t break a sweat against the Japanese hatchback on the blacktop. Not only does the pickup launch harder off the line, but it makes the pass in 10.1 seconds at 135.3 miles per hour (217.7 kilometers per hour) as opposed to 11.7 seconds at 126.8 mph (204 kph).
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. Full profile
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