Chevy Sonic Gets the V8 Treatment
LS swaps might be everywhere these days, but Nathan Hoy brings something a little different to the table. Inside his blue 2017 Chevrolet Sonic sits an LM7 V8 truck engine. You read that right, this man turned an honest daily driver into a hoot and a half. He goes by @nate_the_ls_guy on Instagram and calls this rather unassuming Chevy the SuperSonic.
Mind you, this is not the first time someone decided to plonk a V8 inside Chevy’s cute little family hatchback. Cleetus McFarland has done it before, and so has PMR Motorsports. For his V8 Sonic build, McFarland chose an 8.8L Chevy big-block, while PMR swapped an LS3 and gave it the rally treatment. Hoy, on the other hand, decided a 5.3L truck engine would be perfect for his little Sonic. However, he did run into a few problems.
Firstly, the Sonic was never designed to fit a V8, and so, Hoy had to get creative—cutting and splicing the inner structure, the K-frame, along with a few other rearrangements. He installed a front-sump oil pan, which freed up space for the steering hardware. Hoy has also invested in some heavy-duty springs for the suspension struts. Given the V8 is a bit of a porky item, the coilover stunt should pay off.
It’s Almost Complete
According to the Drive, Hoy hasn’t bothered with super-expensive parts. Most of the stuff, including the wiring harness and the driveshaft, are either from Amazon or eBay. While he is aware and seems prudent with his spending, he’s likely sparing no expense on the exhaust front. To go to all this effort and not have it sound the way it should is a crime, and fortunately, by installing a set of cast-iron shorty headers, Hoy isn’t committing any.
The build is far from over. In one of his latest Instagram posts, Nathan Hoy is seen explaining how a 5-speed T5 manual transmission is the next logical step for his SuperSonic. As far as builds go, this Chevy Hatchback is among there as one of the best sleepers you’ll ever come across. You’d never guess what’s hiding under the hood until it starts up—and those stock wheels are definitely not helping its case.
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