America is the home of the V8 engine. Large displacements, cheap power, and the rumble of eight exhaust headers go with almost every cool thing ever made except maybe the Viper and Buick GNX. So what would you say to a Ferrari engine powering the 1971 Chevy C10, not from under the hood, but from within the pickup’s bed?
That’s what renowned digital artist Al Yasid has envisioned in this cool rendering, which we dubbed the Wombo Combo. And even though Italian power transplants are rare, we find this CGI contraption to be quite plausible.
As far as engine swaps are concerned there’s nothing worse than putting a Chevy V8 in a Ford and the other way around. If you want to start American Civil War II, just turn up to a car meet in an LS-swapped Mustang. However, there is a lot of precedent for this mid-engined machine.
First, Ferrari swaps are happening. You’ve probably seen that Toyota GT 86 with a big V12 under its hood. But I also happen to love a particular 1968 Mustang packing a twin-turbo F430 V8 engine. Of course, even if they come from wrecked cars, Maranello’s advanced powerplants are expensive, so a build like this can only be completed by somebody with a lot of clout for SEMA.
Can you get the 50YO truck to sit this low?
Yes, and it’s not even theoretical. A few days ago, I showed you a 1971 Chevy C10 with the exact same ride height, which was achieved through a custom Porterbuilt chassis, notched at the back and fitted with AccuAir air ride.
For the wheels, Al Yasid seems to use the fifteen52 Tarmac design with a deep-dish look. Basically, it’s the famous setup of Ken Block’s Fords. The bodywork is mostly stock, but with that restomod clean effect, like the Eluminator F100. Boy, I really need to stop talking about Fords in a Chevy story!
Can the engine be mid-mounted? Yes, of course. There’s a 1984 Dodge Rampage out there with a 392 HEMI in the middle. Plus, the Fast and Furious franchise shows anything is possible with enough money. You’d need not only the engine and gearbox, but also the control unit.
Add the pushrod racing suspension into the mix and you’ve got a real nightmare on your hands. And what engine is that? Well, when Yasid says “Thanks Enzo” he probably means it figuratively because that appears to be the V12 out of a 2003 supercar. One of those can sell for as much money as a complete supercar.
The 6.0-liter V12 from the Enzo delivers 650 horsepower and 485 pound-feet of torque. It sounds like a lot, but you could get those numbers from and decent LS build or a complete LT4 crate. But then you wouldn’t have twelve headers or a cool carbon fiber intake.
