NOS and a Tonneau Cover on a GMC Sierra - Our Hot Truck Gets the Race Treatment

With the tube replaced, you...        read full caption With the tube replaced, you can see why the nozzle is put on the backside of the intake tube. It will be fed by stainless steel braided hoses that don’t easily turn corners. When it comes to nozzle placement, consider routing these lines when placing the fogger nozzle.

When it comes to mounting...        read full caption When it comes to mounting the Nitrous tank, it’s really up to the individual. In truck applications it’s best to stuff them in the bed on the passenger side, toward the front. This should offset the driver’s weight, distribute the weight of the tank among front and rear, and allow maximum usable bed space. The NOS mounting bracket for the NO2 tank features enlarged clamp fasteners for easy removal. If you need to remove the tank, simply unbolt it before releasing the stainless line.

Here you can see the solenoids...        read full caption Here you can see the solenoids and stainless lines mounted under the engine cover. There are two solenoids: one for nitrous and one for fuel. The fuel line is tapped at the inspection port, right behind the mounting bracket. Since this is a mechanically switched system, the solenoids have only four wires total to connect to the hog switch on the throttle.

The hog switch turns on the...        read full caption The hog switch turns on the system. Its positioning — behind the throttle body — allows the switch to activate only at wide-open throttle, providing a safety gap so cylinders don’t blow through. As the switch engages, it opens the solenoids to allow fuel and nitrous in. It’s critical that this is installed with clearance of wires and lines: Nothing must touch it except the throttle plate at wide-open throttle.

On the back end, SnugTop installed...        read full caption On the back end, SnugTop installed its Snuglid. It features gas shocks, lightweight construction, easy removal, and double locks for security.

The retaining channel comes...        read full caption The retaining channel comes as one piece, laying right into the bed, on top of the bedrails. There’s no need to remove the rail caps on the bed, because the Snuglid overhangs and seals to them.

Mounting brackets tuck inside...        read full caption Mounting brackets tuck inside the stake pockets and are only seen as hex-head bolts from the outside. SnugTop slapped in the frame, bolted down the brackets, and screwed on the lock plates. Until the Snuglid is laid on and lined up, the fasteners aren’t tightened, facilitating easier movement for proper alignment.

The top is hinged in front...        read full caption The top is hinged in front by two flanges met by coinciding receiver flanges. Shocks are connected only after these flanges have been seated and locked in with key-chain-style rings.

The tailgate’s rub guard...        read full caption The tailgate’s rub guard is next to be removed. It’s easy to yank off: Simply unscrew the exposed fasteners and peel back the adhesive.

With the rub guard removed,...        read full caption With the rub guard removed, there are a few unsightly fasteners spot-welded to the sheetmetal. SnugTop supplies color matched buttons to hide these fasteners, or they can be removed, filled, and repainted for a more complete conversion.

In our last issue we took GMC’s Hot Truck and made some appearance upgrades. Continuing along the theme of devilish speed within a budget, we’ve selected race products that offer easy bolt-in installation and apply to many ’99-and-newer GM fullsize trucks. In this issue, we’ll improve upon the Hot Truck’s performance and appearance by installing Holley’s NOS system and SnugTop’s Snuglid.

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?