2011 GMC Sierra in the Marketplace Packs 630 Wheel Horsepower

Looks like an average Sierra pickup, but this turbocharged truck has more power than a Corvette Z06.

The LS1Tech Marketplace is chock full of wicked, high performance General Motors vehicles, many of which are Camaros, Firebirds and Corvettes, but few of them pack as much power as this 2011 GMC Sierra. This pickup doesn’t really look like anything special from the outside, especially if you don’t notice the massive front-mount intercooler. However, thanks to a big single turbocharger setup, the odds are good that this half-ton truck will slaughter beat of the stock performance cars that make the mistake of lining up.

Best of all, it was listed for sale by “TAPyvehc93“, so this monstrous sleeper Sierra could be your weapon for the 2019 racing season.

The Machine

The details are short on this 2011 GMC Sierra 1500, but we know that it is powered by a 5.3-liter V8 with a stock bottom end, but it features worked 243 cylinder heads and a Trick Performance Products stage 3 turbo kit, which introduces a 76-millimeter turbocharger to the equation. With the help of larger fuel injectors and an E85 ethanol gasoline blend, this truck laid down 630 horsepower at the rear wheels with 13 pounds of boost pressure.

The seller points out that there is more room for tuning that would lead to more power, but the available thrust is sent to the rear wheels by means of a stock 6L80 automatic transmission with a 3,400 stall convertor, a two-piece steel driveshaft and a Detroit Tru-Trac rear differential. It appears to have some average Goodyear truck tires that likely don’t help much with launch grip, but this Sierra does have a set of VAS traction bars to help on a hard pull.

Nice, Clean Truck

Other than the big turbo kit and the supporting modifications, this is just a nice, clean 2011 GMC Sierra. The black leather interior looks very clean, with the extra gauges mounted on the A-pillar, and the exterior looks completely stock. As mentioned above, if you don’t notice the intercooler behind the grille, there is nothing about the exterior of this truck that allows it to stand out from any other 2011 GMC pickup.

According to the folks at Kelley Blue Book, a 2011 GMC Sierra SLE Extended Cab pickup with the 5.3-liter V8 and 60,000 miles has a private party value of around $18,000. Of course, that doesn’t include any upgrades, and this half-ton pickup has an array of upgrades to the engine, transmission and drive line, so this truck is priced reasonably at $23,000.

This 2011 GMC Sierra is the perfect pickup for someone who wants a fast half-ton that can still serve as a great daily driver.

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Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com