Turbocharged I6 Chevy Trailblazer Achieves 10-Second Quarter-Mile Times
@Nivlac57 via YouTube
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A modified straight-six SUV producing over 1,000 horsepower? Absolutely, a 10-second quarter-mile is possible. Thanks for your inquiry, says a Trailblazer tuner.
Calvin Nelson (@Nivlac57 on YouTube) dedicated numerous hours to transforming his 2008 Chevrolet Trailblazer into what he refers to as the ultimate sleeper street car. Forget that his vehicle is actually a modified SUV called “Project Johnny Cash.”
While the Trailblazer retains its Vortec 4200 engine, its stock straight-six has been turbocharged, generating 1,004 horsepower to the wheels. At 10:16, Nelson gives a brief overview of the Trailblazer setup. It’s important to note that the vehicle didn’t launch quickly right away—some troubleshooting was necessary, involving a significant amount of trial and error with the boost settings.
Initially, Nelson used his “daily driver” setting as a starting point for the first run, estimating around 7 psi of boost. The initial test was almost intended to gauge the capabilities of the brakes and other components. During the warm-up run, the Trailblazer completed the quarter-mile in 11.870 seconds, reaching a speed of 101.9 mph.
After further adjustments to the boost (a slight increase initially, then more for the upper gears) and altering the lower control arm position to reduce tire hop off the line, the Trailblazer achieved a significantly better quarter-mile time of 10.769 seconds at 128.43 mph. You can check out this record-setting run at the 5:04 mark of the video.
“Certainly, there’s still more potential to tap into,” Nelson acknowledged. “But for a shakedown, a sort of debut for this car, it performed exceptionally well.”
Not aiming to be a dragster, breaking into the 10s was the day's main goal, and the Chevy succeeded. However, there’s more potential to explore. Nelson has identified numerous aspects to improve following that first track day. At the top of his list are adjustments to the rear suspension, the addition of an oil cooler, and a revision of the transmission tuning. We’re excited to see what Johnny Cash will achieve after these enhancements. However, don’t expect Nelson to modify the current-gen “What the heck is that?!” Trailblazer, like the one his mother purchased.
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Turbocharged I6 Chevy Trailblazer Achieves 10-Second Quarter-Mile Times
The initial drag strip performance of the 1,000-wheel-horsepower SUV was impressive, but it didn't completely hit the target. This leads to the need for additional modifications.