1947 Hudson Pickup - Diesel Speed Demon

If the Lexan windows weren't held in with thread setters, you might think this truck was just for show. Hudson and racing go hand in hand. Smokey Yunick was the mechanic responsible for the 308ci, six-cylinder gasoline engines that powered Hudson to NASCAR championships in the early 1950s. It's interesting to consider what would have happened if Hudson had outfitted its cars with a diesel.

This land speed and road racer is powered by a 7.3L Power Stroke with fire-ringed heads and 100hp injectors. The High Tech Turbo found on top is nicknamed the Big Bad Wolf and has an 88mm compressor wheel. The electronics are controlled by Sniper tuning, and it's all backed by an ATS 4R100 transmission with an ATS Five Star torque converter. Notice the custom hydraulic brake booster and aluminum radiator. Another trick feature is the air intake, which is incorporated into the original cowl vent that opens and closes.

Here Randy Simmons holds up his extended air dam. He told us the Hudson cuts the wind better than he expected. The factory front and rear fenders also look like they were built for speed.

Out back, there's an intercooler cooled with twin electric fans and a DEI Cry02 system that sprays liquid CO2 on the outside of the intercooler. The 5-inch exhaust stack was welded together with pieces from a cat-back exhaust kit, and the rollcage is compliant with strict SCTA rules. The fuel cell and FASS fuel system provide biodiesel to the Power Stroke. Randy bought a GAST electric air compressor with dual 8-cfm heads from eBay. It fills the air tank, which supplies the air shocks found at all four corners. There are two batteries and a driveshaft alternator for plenty of electrical power.

In the rear, a four-link suspends a Ford 9-inch axle with 2.71 gears and a spool. Between the rear axle and the transmission lies a Gear Vendors overdrive. Randy told us his top speed on the dry lakebed was 138 mph. The car is traction-limited on the dragstrip, yet has made 95-mph quarter-mile passes. Randy is considering adding 400 pounds over the rear axle to solve the traction problem. Thanks to its air ride suspension and giant antisway bars, this pickup corners surprisingly well when it competes in road races. Randy hinted that with all his wheelspin, the Hudson would be the ultimate drifting setup.