Truck performance

101 Performance Projects for Your Pickup and SUV offers easy-to-follow, clearly illustrated how-to information on tricking out and gearing up a truck or an SUV--everything from appearance modifications to more extensive upgrades for high-performance exploits--with plenty of instructions for the many bolt-on solutions that are available in the marketplace. Planning, tools, expenses, pros and cons: it’s all here. The author walks owners through the nuts and bolts of lowering and lift kits, light bar and brush guards, running boards and in-car entertainment systems, winches, wheels and tires, and the full range of installations and accessories to personalize your truck or SUV.

With gas prices rising (always), alternative fuels look like an answer.  Hybrids sound good, but what about the batteries?  And fuel cells still seem to be pie-in-the-sky.  Which leaves us with good old diesel.  This book shows how to get the most out of the diesel engine, at a time when its fuel efficiency is almost as important as its massive torque.  Although most diesel truck owners probably aren’t planning to break any land speed records, advances in diesel technology, such as ultra-low-sulfur fuel, high-pressure common-rail fuel injection, electronic fuel management and variable geometry turbocharging, are bringing diesel engines into the performance arena.  And this book is the ideal guide for making your diesel engine perform--adapting intake and exhaust, torque converters, engine electronics, turbochargers, and much more.

The American pickup has always been known for its hard-working, easy handling nature, but have mainly served the purpose of being  a light workhorse. As pickups became more mainstream through time, a niche of trucks were created with high-performance in mind. Trucks like Chevrolet's SSR and Ford's SVT Lightining are familiar today, but let's not forget GMC's Syclone of the Nineties and Dodge's Li'l Red Truck of 1978-79. Dubbed as Muscle Trucks (in connection to Muscle Cars), the roots of these prestigious pickups go back to 1955, when Chevrolet introduced the Cameo Carrier. While not a hot rod, the Cameo was super cool and it proved that customers would buy a truck that could play as well as work. Ford then followed with its crossover pioneer, the Ranchero, which was half car, half truck. The Ranchero inspired Chevrolet's El Camino, and both of these hybrids featured high-performance variations before all was said and done. This book honors all the hot trucks, then and now, with a selection of outstanding color photography detailing these high-performance haulers inside and out. Among others, photo subjects include the Chevy SS 454, SS 396 and SS 454 El Camino, Cobra Jet Ranchero, GMC Syclone, Chevy SSR, Ford SVT Lighting, Dodge SRT-10, the Li'l Red Truck, and the new Dodge Hemi Rams.