How To Squeeze A Cummins Into A Corvette

2009 - Volume #33, Issue #5, Page #38

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When his father suggested that Ryan Lusk put a Cummins engine in his 1968 Corvette, Lusk dismissed the idea. But when two friends said it couldn't be done anyway, Lusk couldn't ignore the challenge.
    He proved them wrong, and this year he turned heads when he started drag racing with his Cummins-powered Corvette.
    The Mitchellville, Iowa, resident works as a diesel mechanic and started his own sideline business - Low Budget Diesel Performance, focusing on diesel conversions and boosting diesel performance. Lusk had already converted several gas pickups to diesel before he started installing a 1998 12-valve Cummins in his Corvette, together with 1995 47RH Dodge lock up overdrive transmission with a Goerend Brothers triple billet torque converter. The 'Vette was also fitted with a Sonnax billet input shaft and hub, Goerend-built valve body and many other modifications to get ultimate power from the engine.
    Lusk's first challenge was putting a big engine in a small space. "I cut out the floor of the car and built a new floor out of 1 by 1-in. angle iron for frame work, and .040 aluminum plate," Lusk says.
    The next challenge was modifying or making everything tie into the transmission and engine. One sponsor, Gilmore Diesel Performance from Kingdom City, Mo., built and modified the transmission, and another sponsor, PureFlow Technologies, supplied a fuel system. Lusk and a few friends and relatives did the rest of the car work themselves ù including making frame changes, building motor mounts, welding in a 14-pt. roll cage, adjusting the Ford 9-in. rear end, and building the tilt front end. Because of the space needed for the roll cage Lusk (reluctantly) removed the Corvette's dashboard and replaced it with a smaller aluminum dashboard.
    "Graham from Sargent's garage in Des Moines, Iowa, aligned the car and it launches beautifully down the track," Lusk says. "The guys still can't believe that engine fit in there."
    While it's a hassle to get some parts, such as the injection pump, Lusk designed the car so he can pull out the transmission with minimal work.
    Changing engines improved gas mileage to about 26 mpg and the car drives and rides great, Lusk says. It sounds like a truck so people look twice when he starts the car. Because of the car's 3,650-lb. weight (with driver), he competes in the pro-stock class at National Hot Rod Diesel Association races. In early races this year he completed the 1/8-mile distance in 7.87 seconds at 90 mph. Lusk's brother, Nick, also drives the car in the Sportsman ET class.
    The car has a single small Schwitzer turbo and uses turbo blankets supplied by sponsor Turbo Performance Products to help spool the turbo at the line. Lusk plans to change his injectors and turbo setup to boost his power to 55 to 65 hp in the near future.
    More details of the Corvette's specifications can be found on Lusk's business' website. He invites readers to contact him regarding diesel-rebuilding challenges they might have.
    Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Ryan Lusk, 5185 NE 116th St., Mitchellville, Iowa 50169 (ph 515 967-3342; lowbudgetdiesel@yahoo.com; www.lowbudgetdiesel.com).

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How To Squeeze A Cummins Into A Corvette ENGINES Engines When his father suggested that Ryan Lusk put a Cummins engine in his 1968 Corvette Lusk dismissed the idea But when two friends said it couldn t be done anyway Lusk couldn t ignore the challenge He proved them wrong and this year he turned heads when he started drag racing with his Cummins-powered Corvette The Mitchellville Iowa resident works as a diesel mechanic and started his own sideline business - Low Budget Diesel Performance focusing on diesel conversions and boosting diesel performance Lusk had already converted several gas pickups to diesel before he started installing a 1998 12-valve Cummins in his Corvette together with 1995 47RH Dodge lock up overdrive transmission with a Goerend Brothers triple billet torque converter The Vette was also fitted with a Sonnax billet input shaft and hub Goerend-built valve body and many other modifications to get ultimate power from the engine Lusk s first challenge was putting a big engine in a small space I cut out the floor of the car and built a new floor out of 1 by 1-in angle iron for frame work and 040 aluminum plate Lusk says The next challenge was modifying or making everything tie into the transmission and engine One sponsor Gilmore Diesel Performance from Kingdom City Mo built and modified the transmission and another sponsor PureFlow Technologies supplied a fuel system Lusk and a few friends and relatives did the rest of the car work themselves ù including making frame changes building motor mounts welding in a 14-pt roll cage adjusting the Ford 9-in rear end and building the tilt front end Because of the space needed for the roll cage Lusk reluctantly removed the Corvette s dashboard and replaced it with a smaller aluminum dashboard Graham from Sargent s garage in Des Moines Iowa aligned the car and it launches beautifully down the track Lusk says The guys still can t believe that engine fit in there While it s a hassle to get some parts such as the injection pump Lusk designed the car so he can pull out the transmission with minimal work Changing engines improved gas mileage to about 26 mpg and the car drives and rides great Lusk says It sounds like a truck so people look twice when he starts the car Because of the car s 3 650-lb weight with driver he competes in the pro-stock class at National Hot Rod Diesel Association races In early races this year he completed the 1/8-mile distance in 7 87 seconds at 90 mph Lusk s brother Nick also drives the car in the Sportsman ET class The car has a single small Schwitzer turbo and uses turbo blankets supplied by sponsor Turbo Performance Products to help spool the turbo at the line Lusk plans to change his injectors and turbo setup to boost his power to 55 to 65 hp in the near future More details of the Corvette s specifications can be found on Lusk s business website He invites readers to contact him regarding diesel-rebuilding challenges they might have Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Ryan Lusk 5185 NE 116th St Mitchellville Iowa 50169 ph 515 967-3342; lowbudgetdiesel@yahoo com; www lowbudgetdiesel com

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