Industry News

Mike Racke has built the latest diesel-powered muscle car we have seen, and possibly also one of the nicest diesel re-powers we have ever encountered. Mike took great pains to make everything perfect on his new ride, from the factory-appearing Chevelle dash with boost and EGT gauges to the Corvette front suspension that can absorb any road hazards. Mike's resto-diesel hot rod is a 10 out of 10.

We all want our trucks to suit our every need. For most of us that means a machine we can drive every day, use to tow any trailer, punish unsuspecting sports cars with, and keep around for hundreds of thousands of miles. But that's just if you're a normal Diesel Power reader.

55 MPG -- Are you serious?
On two separate tests, Jeff was able to achieve 55 mpg on the highway going from his shop to Macon, Georgia, and back. He said the trick was to be very light on the throttle, and to keep the boost below 3 pounds or so. The twin chargers kept EGT's under 600 degrees, and the 3.21 rear-end gears kept the engine poking along at about 1,300 rpm at 60 mph. Obviously, it is not practical to drive like you are old enough to be in a nursing home, but with a bit of effort, 35-40 mpg could be achieved with ease in mixed driving--assuming you kept your foot off the skinny pedal.