For a few days every fall, the annual Dino’s Git Down in Glendale, Arizona becomes the center of the Chevy/GMC truck universe. Thousands of haulers in seemingly every flavor roll up to the show, from iconic postwar classics to late model sport trucks (and everything in between).
While that’s easily reason enough for truck fans to descend upon the event, this year had a bit of extra incentive: a chance to win one of three brand spankin’ new LS3-style crate motors from BluePrint Engines and Summit Racing.
And after talking with a lucky winner who took home one of those LS3 powerplants, we’re happy to report that the 500+ horsepower engine is in good hands.
The young man’s name is Angel Queiro and he’s been a gearhead all his life.
“We had a ’64 Impala and I grew up going to shows in it with with my dad,” Angel explains. “I’m a mechanic, my dad’s a mechanic—I just fell in love with cars through him.”
As it often does though, family life intervened and Angel’s dad had to sell the Impala. In its place came a 2001 Chevy Silverado 1500—so can you guess where that LS3 is going?
“It was my dad’s truck. He had it for a few years, but gave it to me when I needed to go to school,” Angel says. “I’ve had it five or six years now.”
Under Angel’s ownership, the Silverado has been lowered and turned into a custom show truck. “I’ve always found it awesome to have a giant truck an inch to the ground,” he smiles. “Now it needs some power to it, you know?”
And power it’ll get. The engine Angel won is a fully dressed 376ci LS3-derived long block with EFI (part number MLL-PSLS376EFI). BluePrint Engines says the motor makes close to 550 horsepower and easily cranks out over 460 ft.-lbs. of torque.
….Which, if you’re doing the math at home, is plenty of giddayup for a full-size Chevy truck.
Now that his Silverado has a suitable powerplant, Angel says that it’s full-speed ahead on the swap. “It’s going in as soon as possible. My biggest challenge right now is trying to get the other parts,” he laughs. “I’ve got to save up.”
Here’s our favorite part of the story:
Once it’s done, Angel assures us that the LS3-powered Silverado is staying with him for a long, long…long…time. “I’m keeping it forever. I’m going to do everything my pop wanted to do with it—stuff that he couldn’t do, you know, because he was raising a family,” he grins.
“It’ll be my son’s truck one day, man.”
And we know that new motor will give the Queiro family years of smiles in between.
Mulling over your own LS Swap project? This LS Engine Swap Guide is a great place to start.
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