Few people know this, but the first Chevrolet Colorado was offered with a five-cylinder engine. Nicknamed the Vortec 3500, it belongs to the Atlas engine family, which also includes inline-four and inline-six versions. Few have been modified for performance, but as this Ford Fairmont wagon equipped with one of them proves, they can produce insane numbers. Imagine a quarter-mile in 8 seconds at 153.64 miles per hour?
The Crazy Project of Calvin Nelson
This fast wagon belongs to Calvin Nelson, known as Nivlac57 on YouTube. He has built several of these Atlas engines, including a 4.2-liter inline-six that produced over 1,000 wheel horsepower in a fifth-generation Chevrolet Camaro. Nelson’s channel is growing significantly, and he now helps other enthusiasts build their own hot rods powered by Atlas engines.
From Six Cylinders to Turbo Five Cylinders
This Fairmont wagon has been fast for a while. It was already running the quarter-mile in 8 seconds with the larger inline-six under the hood, but Nelson wanted to take on a new challenge with the often-overlooked inline-five. The result is a combination producing about 720 wheel horsepower, which far exceeds the current capabilities of the chassis and suspension. He plans to fix this by adjusting the four-link system at the rear for better power transfer to the ground.
The Secrets of Engine Tuning
For this project, Nelson retained the engine’s original aluminum block, as well as the stock camshafts. The cylinder head was prepared by Snyder Performance, while MW Steel created a custom intake manifold with an impressive look. The 75/88mm turbo is undoubtedly the component that makes the biggest difference in terms of power, paired with a huge intercooler that Nelson estimates can cool power for up to 2,000 horsepower. With only 211 cubic inches of displacement, this engine develops over 4 horsepower per cubic inch at the wheels. That’s simply brutal.
A Sound That Evokes Sports Commitment
Hearing it rev beyond 7,500 RPM is a real treat. Close your eyes and you might think you’re listening to a rally Audi Quattro, or perhaps an Audi 90 IMSA GTO. It’s crazy to think this is an American engine, designed and sold here (albeit in relatively limited numbers) in a simple pickup truck! It was even available with a five-speed manual transmission, apparently robust enough to handle serious power.
Atlas Engines: An Underrated Alternative
We never tire of these builds based on the Atlas. They are a real alternative to the Japanese 2JZ and are much cheaper than Stellantis’s 3.0-liter Hurricane.