Kevin Moloney Las Vegas, NV...
Kevin Moloney
Las Vegas, NV
'82 Chevy Stepside
If you've ever been to a chassis dyno session, then you know how serious it is. For those of you who haven't partaken in this aggressive and loud display of horsepower, you should know this: When you strap down your truck to the rollers of an in-ground chassis dyno, you are subjecting your ride to an incredible amount of stress because the traction between the rollers and the rear tires is amazing. The industrial-strength ratchet straps and chains used to hold the truck in place barely budge under the force of brute torque, and it's a rare occurrence that the rear tires ever lose their grip. Put simply, you need a ton of power to burn out on a chassis dyno. Kevin Moloney's '82 C10 smoked the BFGs during its session at NRP in Las Vegas before the computer spit out a telltale figure: 750 hp.
Right off the bat, we love this truck because it's got 750 ridiculous horsepower. That's sideways-in-the-intersection, scare-the-bejeezus-out-of-little-old-ladies-at-the-bus-stop, make-the-hair-on-the-back-of-your-neck-stand-up horsepower. Beyond the ponies on tap, the engine and drivetrain installation is as sanitary as it gets. Doc Brown couldn't go back in time in the De Lorean and build a cleaner truck than this even if he had 10 flux capacitors and an extra Mr. Fusion. The hand-formed, twin-inlet air intake is functional and beautiful, and the smoothed-out engine compartment is immaculately detailed. Put simply, you could lick the GM Performance Parts cast-aluminum intake manifold without catching a case of carb-cleaner syndrome.
Of course Kevin's truck is shiny and powerful, but it's not just a pretty face. Kevin's been wrenching on sport trucks since his high-school days in 1977, and since then he's developed a love for drag racing. Pro-11 is his baddest truck to date though. He made sure to strip its underpowered guts and leave no area untouched, tapping the talents of Vegas-area truck builder, Misha Munoz, for the build. Kevin's requirements were to find the biggest motor and best transmission in GM's catalog and then drop those into a wickedly clean and capable chassis. The body, paint, and interior would follow suit.
Motorvation comes from GMPP's biggest big-block V-8-the 572 crate engine. It inhales fuel and air through a Barry Grant Demon carburetor, and the mixture is lit by an MSD ignition. Spent gases exit the engine bay through Hooker headers and Flowmaster 3-inch pipes. The engine is backed by a stout 4L80E automatic overdrive transmission, a custom-made aluminum driveline, and a Ford 9-inch rearend. Power smacks the pavement through 17x12 one-off Boyd Coddington wheels and BFGoodrich rubber.
The stock chassis was gusseted with 1/8-inch-thick steel plate to resist the urge to twist under the brute force of traction and torque. It was also outfitted with a full air suspension from Air Ride Technologies for maximum adjustability and ride comfort. The disc braking system was updated to slow down the beast after high-speed blasts, and then the chassis was repainted and assembled with polished stainless hardware. Some of the chassis's finer points are the chromed four-link rear suspension and the hidden air system, which doesn't intrude into the bed area.