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Three projects, no shortcuts.

A 408 stroker on the stand, my dad's 1995 C1500, and the '71 Nova I'd wanted since I was a kid. These builds are what filled the weekends after my accident in 2022. This page is the running build log.

Engine '95 C1500 '71 Nova
Bare LS block stripped and prepped for the 408 build

Project 01 · 408 Stroker

From a junkyard 6.0 to 408 cubic inches.

An LQ9 iron block stripped bare, punched .030" over, and built back out to 408 cubic inches on a 4.000" crank and 6.125" rods. Zero decked with LS9 gaskets and milled 823 rectangular-port heads to get the quench and the compression where I wanted them. It's a torque build first — it has a two-ton truck to move — but a 6.7L with those heads doesn't exactly struggle for horsepower.

The Holley Terminator X currently running the Nova's LQ9 on the test stand comes with it. Once the truck reaches that stage, the Term X moves over and becomes the 408's engine management.

Short block

  • BaseLQ9 iron block, .030" over
  • Displacement408 ci / 6.7L
  • Crank4.000" stroke
  • Rods6.125"
  • Pistons−3 cc
  • DeckZero decked

Top end

  • Heads823 rectangular-port, milled .010"
  • Chambers~68 cc
  • Head gasketsLS9 .055"
  • Springs.660" valve springs
  • Cam duration229/247 @ .050
  • Cam lift / LSA.629"/.630" · 111.5 LSA

Induction, fuel, exhaust & control

  • IntakeNNBS / LY6
  • Throttle body92 mm
  • Injectors50 lb/hr
  • Headers1-7/8" long tubes
  • Engine mgmtHolley Terminator X
Target output: roughly 550–600 hp and 525–575 lb-ft at the crank, or about 475–525 whp through the T56. Estimates, not dyno numbers — they'll move with final compression, head flow, intake, and tune. I'll post real figures once it's on the rollers.
Pulling the 6.0 out of the Escalade donor in the driveway Engine build progress Engine build progress Engine build progress Engine build progress Engine build progress Engine build progress
1995 Chevy C1500 extended cab in the driveway

Project 02 · 1995 Chevy C1500

My dad's truck.

This one isn't a project car I went looking for. My dad bought it new while he was stationed in Okinawa, Japan, and it's been in the family ever since. After my accident in 2022 took my riding weekends away, rebuilding it is what I put them into.

Today it's a dark blue extended cab on stock ride height and worn wheels. The plan is a two-tone blue-and-white respray, dropped over polished five-spokes, with the brakes, suspension, and interior brought back along the way — and the 408 from Project 01 between the rails.

  • StatusIn progress
  • HistoryBought new by my dad in Okinawa, Japan
  • CabExtended cab
  • EngineThe 408 stroker from Project 01

Drivetrain

  • Transmission2006 GTO T56 six-speed
  • Rear3.73 Truetrac
  • Shift point6,200–6,400 rpm
  • Rev limiter~6,700 rpm

Chassis & body

  • BrakesDisc all around
  • Suspension2/4 drop
  • WheelsPolished five-spokes
  • PaintTwo-tone blue and white
C1500 rear three-quarter Concept rendering of the finished two-tone C1500

Second image is the concept target, not the current state.

1971 Chevy Nova in primer on polished wheels

Project 03 · 1971 Chevy Nova

The childhood one.

Rebuilding my dad's truck catapulted into this: the muscle car I'd wanted since I was a kid. A '71 Nova in primer, sitting on polished five-spokes, waiting on its LQ9. The 6.0 is already alive on the run stand — Holley Terminator X, aluminum radiator, and a gauge panel wired up so every problem gets solved on the cart instead of under the hood. That Terminator X is the stand's controller and eventually goes to the truck; in the car the Nova runs a PSI harness on a 0411 Gen III PCM. The coil covers already say Nova LS 6.0, so there's no backing out now.

Engine

  • Base2003 LQ9 iron block 6.0
  • Displacement364 ci, stock bore
  • Heads799 cathedral-port, stock valves
  • Springs.660" duals + trunnion upgrade
  • CamTSP Cathedral 3/4 Race
  • Cam duration232/240 @ .050
  • Cam lift.629"/.615"
  • LSA / ICL110 LSA · 109 ICL
  • Head gasketsLS9 .055"
  • DeckZero decked
  • Compression~11.1:1 static

Induction, fuel & exhaust

  • IntakeTBSS
  • Throttle bodyHolley 92 mm, drive-by-cable
  • Injectors50 lb/hr
  • FuelEFI, 58 psi target
  • HeadersHooker Blackheart 1-7/8"
  • Exhaust3" dual

Drivetrain & chassis

  • Engine mgmt0411 Gen III PCM
  • HarnessPSI
  • TransmissionStage 1 4L80E
  • ConverterCircle D 245 mm, 3,500–3,600 stall
  • Rear gear3.73
  • BrakesDisc front, drum rear
  • Suspension2/3 drop
Target output: roughly 500–525 hp and 450–475 lb-ft at the crank, or about 420–450 whp through the 4L80E. Estimates until it's tuned and on a dyno, not measured numbers.

Build overview — walkaround of where the Nova is, and the LQ9 running on the test stand.

LQ9 with custom Nova LS 6.0 coil covers LQ9 on the run stand with gauge panel and Terminator X Nova build progress Nova build progress Nova build progress Nova build progress Nova build progress Nova build progress Nova build progress Nova build progress Nova build progress Nova build progress Nova build progress Nova build progress

Reach out

Want to nerd out about any of these?

I keep notes on every step. Happy to share parts numbers, mistakes I made, or just talk shop.

travis@stonerclan.com