A lot of folks argue that pickup trucks should have V8s. This RC build is for them.
There’s a whole niche of small—nay, tiny engine builders who get a kick out of miniature V8s. JohnnyQ90 on YouTube is one such person, as he’s developed a massive following by modifying these petite power plants. His channel has nearly two million followers, and it’s because he creates awesome projects like this 1/10-scale Squarebody Chevrolet. Supposedly, it’s the world’s smallest V8 RC truck.
The engine itself is a 1/6-scale Cison model with 44cc of displacement—a real small-block, if you will. Anyone can buy it online for *checks notes* $2,099. What? That’s insane.
In any case, JohnnyQ90 has modified this one and even manufactured tiny upgrades for it himself. He has an entire set of pint-sized machining tools, plus a spot welder. That’s just the kind of fella he is—and better yet, he doesn’t say a word in his videos. He just tinkers.
It’s tuned to run on 95-octane gas, and it even has a nasty chop at idle. The sound that pumps through the dual exhausts is better than any RC car engine I’ve ever heard. Check it here:
After getting it running and driving a few months back, JohnnyQ90 swapped transmissions for one with taller gearing. He also went through the rest of the drivetrain, adjusting shaft angles to help it run more smoothly. It’s a lot like a full-size lifted truck, in that sense.
Even with the taller gearing, the Chevy tops out at just 18 miles per hour. That’s OK, though, considering it sounds like a thumping drag car at pretty much any speed. And this thing is made for crawling anyways. It’ll sling a rooster tail of dust with the best of ’em.
I have big respect for anyone who can turn a model meant for a desktop into a runner driver. Sure, there are kits out there to help with this kind of project, but it still takes a lot of resourcefulness and ingenuity. JohnnyQ90 clearly takes it seriously—he even has a dyno for these scale engines—though you can tell it’s all in the name of fun.
I just have to make sure my six-year-old doesn’t see it, or else I’ll be coughing up a chunk of change for Christmas.
Got a tip or question for the author? Contact them directly: caleb@thedrive.com
From running point on new car launch coverage to editing long-form features and reviews, Caleb does some of everything at The Drive. And he really, really loves trucks.
