Imagine taking the supercharged power from the 2018 Yenko Camaro, and stuffing it into the Chevy Silverado, that’s essentially what you get (almost) in this truck. The short-bed, single-cab truck is getting a whole lotta pickup with a more powerful engine and some killer styling upgrades thanks to Specialty Vehicle Engineering (SVE). With nearly every performance modification thrown under the hood, these Yenko Silverados will come to you with 800-horsepower, and running it on all-time 4WD, so you’ll be able to take down like-horsepower sports cars who can’t get their traction issues sorted out (we’re looking at you Hellcat).
The core of the Speciality Vehicle Engineering’s Yenko Silverado package is a 6.2L LT1 based upgraded 6.8L power plant with a roots-style blower to top it off. Internals have all been upgraded, including a forged steel crank, H-beam connecting rods, forged aluminum pistons, and CNC-ported LT1 cylinder heads.
The engine is fed by upgraded direct fuel injectors to keep a healthy supply of fuel flowing to the engine. Exhaust gases from the engine through stainless steel headers that flow into high-performance catalytic converters, and into a dual exhaust system.
When it’s all said and done, the SVE upgrades bring the power output of the Yenko Silverado to 800-horsepower and 750 lbs-ft of torque. However, the engine upgrades are only one element of the performance package; SVE makes sure the truck can handle the power, and also look the part.
Handling is greatly improved with a 2” suspension drop up front, and 5” drop out back on the rear leaf springs. They toss the front stock sway bar for a thicker 1.5” replacement. Stock GM wheels are replaced with bigger wheels that are wrapped in meaty 305/40/R22 tires, and stopping power comes from a GM Performance brake package with six-piston calipers and 16.1” vented rotors.
The truck then gets a custom vented hood, racing stripes, and badging to make sure you know what you’re about to tangle with. There are other additional upgrades from there, and the price of the Yenko Silverado will start out at $46,995, plus the price of the truck, so these are easily going to pass the $100,000 mark for the completed build. Even if you do have the money to drop, the Yenko Silverado is being limited to only 25 builds for 2018, so get them while they’re hot!
Shawn Henry is a Texas native who has spent the majority of his career building and selling F-Bodies and Corvettes. Now studying journalism, he is taking a new direction with his love of GM Performance vehicles.
