Alright, folks, buckle up because I’m about to spill the beans on my insane 1000hp Chevy SS build. It was a long, sweaty, and wallet-draining journey, but totally worth it. Let me take you back to where it all started…
The Dream: I always wanted a street-legal monster. Something that could cruise comfortably but also scare the living daylights out of anyone at the track. The Chevy SS, with its already potent LS3, seemed like the perfect canvas. So, I grabbed one – a 2014 model, pristine condition, practically begging for some serious upgrades.
Phase 1: The Foundation (aka, Beefing Up the LS3): First thing’s first, that stock LS3 wasn’t going to cut it. We’re talking about tripling the horsepower, so the internals needed to be bulletproof. I yanked out the old motor and started tearing it down. Here’s what went in:
- Forged pistons and rods: Gotta handle the boost, right? Wiseco pistons and Callies rods, the gold standard.
- ARP studs everywhere: Head studs, main studs, you name it. No room for failure here.
- Performance camshaft: A custom grind from Brian Tooley Racing. Aggressive, but streetable.
- Ported and polished heads: AFR 230cc heads, massaged for maximum flow.
- Upgraded valve train: Dual valve springs, titanium retainers, the works.
Phase 2: Forced Induction (The Fun Part!): Now for the real magic. I went with a ProCharger F-1A-94 centrifugal supercharger. Why? Because I love the linear power delivery and the screaming sound it makes. Installation was a pain, required some custom bracketry and tweaking, but we got it in there.
- ProCharger F-1A-94 Supercharger: The heart of the beast.
- Custom intercooler setup: Air-to-air intercooler, huge thing, to keep those intake temps down.
- Boost controller: To keep the power in check (sort of).
- Blow-off valve: Because who doesn’t love that “psshh” sound?
Phase 3: Fuel and Ignition (Gotta Feed the Beast): All that air needs fuel! And a spark! So, I upgraded the entire fuel system and ignition.
- Fuel injectors: Injector Dynamics ID1050x injectors, plenty of flow for 1000hp.
- Fuel pump: Dual in-tank pumps, because one just wasn’t going to cut it.
- Fuel rails: Upgraded fuel rails for even distribution.
- Ignition coils: MSD coils for a strong, consistent spark.
Phase 4: Transmission and Drivetrain (Holding It All Together): With that much power, the stock transmission and rear end were going to explode. Upgrades were mandatory.
- Built 4L80E transmission: A beefed-up 4-speed automatic.
- Custom torque converter: Circle D Specialties converter, matched to the engine’s power curve.
- Driveshaft: Heavy-duty driveshaft to handle the torque.
- Rear end: Upgraded axles and a limited-slip differential.
Phase 5: Tuning and Dyno (The Moment of Truth): After weeks of wrenching, it was time to see what this thing could do. I took it to my tuner, a wizard with EFI Live. After hours of tweaking and adjusting, we strapped it to the dyno. The numbers started climbing… 800hp… 900hp… and then finally, a peak of 1012hp at the crank! I almost passed out.
The Result: So, there you have it. My 1000hp Chevy SS. It’s loud, it’s fast, and it’s absolutely terrifying to drive. But I love every minute of it. It wasn’t cheap, and it definitely wasn’t easy, but seeing that number on the dyno made it all worthwhile.
Was it worth it? Hell yeah! Would I do it again? Probably not exactly the same way, but definitely build something crazy again! Stay tuned for more updates and maybe even some track videos!
