Car Craft – October 2019

BAG ’EM

AND

DRAG ’EM

What: 1978 Cadillac

Deville

Who: James Kabke

Where: Las Vegas, NV

Drivetrain: Twin-

turbo 6.0L LQ9/4L80E

James Kabke bought

this 1978 Cadillac

Deville with the intent

of making it a quick flip. Instead, it turned into an ever-

evolving project. Now, it features a 6.0L LQ9 with a pair of

70mm CXRacing Turbos. “I drove it all over,” James said.

“The car is reliable and fun, then people started noticing it,

and I just went off the deep end.”

The chassis features a mild 24V hydraulics system,

which still uses shocks in the rear and original springs up

front, so it rides comfortably but doesn’t bounce high like a

traditional lowrider.

The 4L80E features a Precision Industries billet converter

and hardened input and output shafts. Power exits through

a 10-bolt rear axle with Eaton Truck Loc. It makes 600 hp

at the tire on 9 pounds of boost.

LANDSCAPER

WORK TRUCK

What: 1987 Mazda

B2000

Who: Jeff and Roy Kay

Where: Chatsworth, CA

Drivetrain: Twin-turbo

4.8L/T56

When the Kay brothers

aren’t mowing lawns, they’re mowing tracks with this 1987

Mazda B2000. We found former autobody-shop teacher Jeff

Kay and his brother, Roy, road-racing the truck at LS Fest

West. Surprisingly, the truck has stock front suspension, with

only an upgraded electric power-steering rack from an MR2.

The engine is a junkyard 4.8L LS with 6.0L LQ9 heads,

which lowers the compression to make room for boost

from two 60mm ball-bearing turbos. The truck features a

McLeod twin-disc clutch and T56 transmission. Out back

is a narrowed 9-inch with a Detroit Locker, 3:50 Yukon gears,

and homebuilt four-link.

The cab is small, but luckily, there’s plenty of room in

the bed, which now houses a surge tank with two Walbro

450-lph fuel pumps inside. The Weed Eater and rake cover

the rollbars in the bed, and the push mower is gutted and

fixed in place.

60 CAR CRAFT OCTOBER 2019

GRANNY’S BURNOUT MACHINE

What: 1983 Mercedes 240D

Who: Three-Five Customs

Where: Napa, CA

Drivetrain: Twin-turbo 6.0L LQ4/Tick Performance T56

This plain-Jane Mercedes 240D has 416,000 miles on the clock,

but it was brought back to life with a wild twin-turbo 6.0L LS

powerplant. The 862 heads are accompanied by a Tick Performance

Stage 2 cam with titanium valvesprings and pushrods. A Tick

Performance–built Tremec Magnum takes care of shifting duties

and fuel management comes by way of a Holley HP. It features two

60mm turbos and beautiful piping under the hood.

It’s no surprise this burnout machine puts on a good show. The original rear axle features welded internals to

keep both tires spinning. The car will be given away at LS Fest East in Bowling Green, Kentucky, September 6–8,

L 2019. Go to ThreeFiveCustoms.com to enter!

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