Richard Small
The original 5.3L engine is...
The original 5.3L engine is abetted by a Magnuson MagnaCharger that pumps out 6 psi of positive manifold pressure. Small wasn't after scorched tarmac; he's got a big-block Chevelle for that. The idea was to enhance the Silverado's inherent strengths to produce a pleasing, responsive daily driver that nets a solid 19 mpg.
Small is the marketing honcho at Flowmaster, so you know what exhaust system is on his personal 1500. It's got the original 5.3L V-8 in there, but it's topped off with a MagnaCharger blower pushing a respectable 6 psi. Otherwise, the package is stock. In the interest of movin' cool on those crowded Santa Rosa roads, Richard has retained the 4L60E automatic as well as the original 3.42:1 gearset. The ride is so cushy and benign, you think big sedan.
There's virtually nothing to give up its identity. Looks like a stocker with a 2/4 slam (ala Hotchkis) and shiny wheels (Billet Specialties 8x18 with Yokohama Geolander 265/60 fatties). And that suits Small just fine. He's not after scorched tarmac; he's got a big red Chevelle to do that. He wanted to upgrade the engine, and where young Donald Hardy hails from, there are no stipulations on emissions. The Magnuson blower looks as though it were born on the engine and is governed by a special computer program.
The third in this hot truck...
The third in this hot truck triumvirate belongs to Flowmaster's Richard Small. It runs a 2/4 slam, fat-sidewall Yokohamas, and 18-inch Billet Specialties rims.
In terms of grunt, the heavy Chevy comes off the mark with tire squeal followed by wicked black strips on the pavement. The upshift is strong and the rush of power (such as it is) maintains until you run the tach into oblivion. The programming puts driveability on a higher plane by holding the gears longer before the upshift, but compared to the pull of Hardy's stroker motor, it's still a case for big cubes. Richard's runner returns about 19 mpg. CHP While we've seen and experienced the good and the bad attributes of airbags, Donald's Silverado could be the Air Lift poster child. It feels like conventional springs are working underneath. It doesn't bobble, bump, or wallow no matter what you do to it, even though the sidewalls on those 20s are rubber-band skinny. Regardless, Hardy has built a cogent, intelligent everyday driver that defies most of the modern cues and reels in 18 mpg.