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If you've been watching the build of our sleeper Hilux you'll have seen us throw the old single-cam carb-fed NA four-cylinder in the bin, in favour of a turbocharged 2.7-litre DOHC 2TR four-cylinder from a modern Toyota commercial vehicle. People have been impressed with the power this pretty simple engine has made (SEE THE VIDEO HERE) and this is partly due to how modern engines are designed.  So, why do modern engines seem to make power much easier than older engines? There are several reasons for this, but it mostly comes back to engines being far more efficient, and better...

Buckle up, kids. This week I'm dishing some hacks out that I've learned the hard way through years of struggling with nugget project cars. Cars are an awesome hobby, but they can test you with mental acrobatics or physical pain, so here are a few of my top tips for whomever is undertaking a project, no matter if you're a newbie or a seasoned veteran.  From bodgy Subaru RS Turbos, to nugget E30 BMWs, decrepit V8s, to my out-of-control pound puppy Pontiac, I've done the hard yards so you guys can learn from my mistakes. Knowledge is key, organised knowledge...

We love swapping engines in our cars. But what do you do when "everyone" has seen Barras in Bugattis, Novis in Nissans, and LS V8s in everything? Well, you look at some forgotten gems...   3-cylinder: Ford EcoBoost "Dragon" We have done a lot with three-cylinder engines on the show over the years, and while people tend to sleep on them in favour of swapping in a larger four-cylinder, there is real charm and fun to a hard-revving three-pot. Ford's turbocharged DOHC EcoBoost three-pot unit has been available since 2009, with the post-2013 998cc (codenamed "Fox") produced between 74kW and 103kW. ...

Workshop Manuel takes us through what you need to do to getan old or abandoned engine running safely. 

Mini-trucks cop a lot of grief online for much the same reason that people hack on Limp Bizkit: fashion. There will be some people howling at their computer or phone screens right now at that statement but I'd say you people need to read Jazzy Green's story first [CLICK HERE]. I agree there are plenty of crappy mini-trucks around, there are just as many bodgy cars of other styles too.  Being one of the last styles of vehicle to use a body-on-frame construction, with simple chassis designs and construction techniques makes mid-size utes (as opposed to full-size jiggers like F-series...