LS1Tech Member Selling a GMC Sierra Sleeper with Turbo LS Power

GMC Sierra looks like a clean, average pickup, but what is under the hood is far from average.

If you pulled up next to this 2004 GMC Sierra 1500 in the staging lanes of your local drag strip, you might expect an easy heads-up run for most lightly modified muscle cars. However, once you see what is under the hood, the odds are good that you might become a bit less confident. This Sierra 1500 was posted to the LS1Tech Marketplace by SwtNLow731 and thanks to the built LS V8 and an On3 Performance turbo kit, this short cab, short bed pickup is a hell of a sleeper.

Turbo Sierra Introduction

When the OP first posted this 2004 GMC Sierra 1500 for sale, he provided the following details.

2004 GMC Sierra 1500 RCSB 2wd. Silver with charcoal inside. Hot heat and cold ac. Power windows and locks. Zero rust anywhere on it. Paint is in really good condition. Truck has had a lot of love somewhere along it’s life. I bought it to daily and have been doing so but with a 2 year old and already owning a z06 I need something a little more practical. So I’m going to let the truck go. Like stated above someone done their homework on this one. I’ve had several of these trucks and this is by far the most impressive one I’ve had (on waste gate only).

Motor 4.8 with all gen 4 forged internals. All new bearings and seals when rebuilt. Rings have been gapped for boost. Has a huge 10an catch can. Motor work has around 3500 miles on it. Has 862 heads that been worked. ARP head studs. Sloppy stage 2 cam 228/230 585/585. Deka 80# injectors with a 450 pump in the tank. On3 7665 turbo kit. 60mm waste gate. All the hot side is completely wrapped. Has 3 inch down pipe Into 4 inch all the way to muffler with a 4 inch turndown right before the axle. 4l80e transmission with circle d 2800 converter. Upgraded internals. It has tru cool external transmission cooler. Factory rear axle with Yukon locker and 4.10 gears. Assassin traction bars. Truck is lowered 2 inches all the way around.

Just had window tint completely redone. It has the factory seats with a console out of a 03-07 Yukon/Tahoe. Interior is really nice minus a quarter size hole in drivers bolster. It has boost gauge and an afr gauge on the pillar. Pioneer single din usb/aux/Bluetooth head unit. Just recently change oil, plugs, msd wires, and checked everything over real well. This thing will be an absolute beast with a few more psi and some tires.

The seller also included the pictures shown here.

Great Street Sleeper

The seller doesn’t mention any power numbers or track times, so we are guessing that this turbo LS isn’t set up to make insane power or make huge numbers. That being said, a properly built 4.8-liter LS V8 with a good turbo setup has proven to be a great choice for a solid street machine. If you want a sleeper Sierra that will beat a great many of the average performance cars on the road, this 2004 GMC sounds like it would fit that bill perfectly. It is powerful, but not to the point that it would be a bothersome daily driver. The upgraded seats and sound system add to the daily driving aspect as well.

Of course, if you like the look of this truck and you don’t need a daily, the forged bottom end would likely yield plenty more power with a few more upgrades. In other words, it isn’t a monster-power build now, but it could be.

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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