DEAN SOMERVILLE

Hi Dean, great truck — how long have you owned it?

Thank you. I’ve owned the truck for just over three years now, and it’s been my daily work truck ever since I imported it into the country. It’s only been recently that I have modified it — it’s been just a good old truck to throw my tools in and get around.

Amazing patina! Where did the truck come from?

Yeah, the patina is 100 per cent natural. There are a lot of fake ones out there and they are great also but nothing like having a natural one. I imported it from a guy in San Jose in California, where the summers are long, warm, arid, and mostly clear and the winters are short, so a lot of cars there have a great patina. One of the modifications I did was mini-tubs. I had to get a small section welded in, so the wheel wells have a fake patina on them to match the rest.

LS in a Ford? Why did you choose that motor?

This is a work truck, so I needed something reliable and economic, with a bit of punch right out of the box. I picked up an LS1 Gen III engine and 4L60E transmission from LS Imports in Auckland for $4500 and 120,000km on the clock, so a really good deal. It is a relatively easy conversion so my son and I put it in; I just had to keep my Chevy mates happy!

Turbo also! How did the turbo conversion go?

I have only just completed the turbo conversion. Everything was brand-new gear: BorgWarner turbo, Turbosmart wastegate, big intercooler — all gear this old hot rodder was not familiar with. Fortunately, one of my sons, Matt, has plenty of experience with Jap turbos and was the main push behind the project. We tuned it on the dyno and made 428kW at the hubs on high boost. Being a work truck that still was a bit radical for the road so we turned it down to 330kW on 5psi (low boost) and 380kW on 9psi. It’s taken a year all up to do the conversion, fitting it around work and family, etc.

That’s a huge amount of power. Were any other modifications done to it?

These old trucks had the fuel tanks inside the cab, so we customized it and moved it under the chassis. Tubbed the back guards, and narrowed the Ford nine-inch diff to accommodate the larger tyres — it was frying the stock tyres with no traction.

Sounds like an interesting ride. Any advice for people thinking of LS-turbo converting their own?

If you’re after a lot of power for a reasonable price from an LS, then bolting a turbo on it will give you just that! It’s a reasonably stock LS, but they are good for a little boost. Stock heads, stock bottom end — the only internal changes would be the valve springs, just to stop them floating under boost, and a set of fuel rails and 1100cc injectors. It’s a fun truck. It can be driven as a normal daily-driver or you can have all the fun that comes with all the power! Just do your homework before buying the parts. Boosted cars need quality parts.

Any plans in the pipeline to do more to it?

It’s going to get a 3000rpm high-stall torque converter and a bit of work on the 4L60E gearbox to make it stronger. Currently, the factory torque converter has a lockout and won’t let you load boost. At some point get forged internals, but for now I like the old sleeper-truck look it has going on.

Must be a few people you want to thank for their help with it?

For sure. My son, Matt, for his knowledge and help; Mark Rosamond for the custom fuel tank; Miro Street Panelbeaters for the painting of the tubs; Graeme Kidd Engineering for the wheel tubs; Chris from Prestige Tuning & Motorsport for the tuning.

All great people to have involved. Thanks for your time, Dean.