1,000 Reasons to Row Your Own: The Yenko/SC Manual Silverado

Nick Adams October 10, 2025 4 min read 0

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It’s about time someone took the Silverado and made it the performance truck that GM doesn’t have the cajones to build! That someone is Specialty Vehicle Engineering with their latest creation: a regular cab, short bed Silverado with a supercharged V8 and a 6-speed manual transmission. Right now, if you want a regular cab, short bed V8 pickup, you have to go to Ford. Dodge quit making theirs a few years ago and the current Silverado is only available as a regular cab, long bed with the 5.3 or a regular cab, short bed work truck with the turbo 2.7 as the only option. The last year for a manual-shift Silverado was the 2006 model year.

Bringing Back The Manual Silverado Muscle Truck

When GM introduced the new body styles for the 2019 half-ton trucks, they quit offering a regular cab, short bed V8 package, and that only had the 5.3-liter LT V8. SVE starts with a new a regular cab, short bed work truck with the turbo 2.7 and complete strips it down to convert it to a V8 with a manual transmission, better trim, and other performance and cosmetic upgrades.

A Supercharged 6.8L LT Stroker With Four-Digit Power

Beneath the hood of the latest Yenko/SC Silverado lies a 1,000-horsepower 6.8-liter stroker V8 derived from GM’s 6.2-liter LT architecture. This aluminum powerhouse features a 4.000-inch forged 4340 steel crankshaft with induction-hardened journals, forged steel H-beam connecting rods, and forged aluminum pistons. Feeding the beast is a supercharger engineered by Specialty Vehicle Engineering (SVE), while upgraded injectors and a high-capacity fuel pump ensure the direct-injection system can keep up with the added boost. With CNC-ported cylinder heads and an extra dose of displacement, the result is a street-legal truck delivering four-digit horsepower on standard 93-octane pump gas.

Manual Transmission and Brembo Stopping Power

Transferring that power is a Tremec six speed manual transmission paired with a twin-disc clutch to manage the immense torque without slipping. The truck exhales through a stainless steel dual cat back exhaust, adding an aggressive growl to match its muscle. Braking is handled by Yenko-branded Brembo 6-piston calipers up front, clamping down on massive 16.1 inch rotors for serious stopping power.

Lowered, Locked, and Street-Ready

A lowered suspension setup drops this manual Silverado 2 inches in the front and 5 inches in the rear and is combined with Fox performance shocks, a heavy-duty rear sway bar, much-needed traction bars, and gives the Yenko/SC Silverado a planted, road-hugging stance. It rides on 22×10-inch forged wheels wrapped in Nitto performance rubber, available in several finishes. Buyers can also customize the exterior with various paint colors, Yenko/SC badging, and optional side stripes.

A Pricey but Powerful Throwback to Real Performance Trucks

So what does it cost to own this 1,000-horsepower manual Silverado muscle truck? SVE starts with a base 2026 Silverado 2WD W/T, regular cab, standard bed priced at around $36,950. The Yenko/SC conversion adds another $89,995, bringing the total to roughly $126,945. That’s a steep price tag, but it’s also the only way to order a 1,000-horsepower, manual-transmission short-bed pickup through authorized GM dealers with a 3-year/36,000-mile limited powertrain warranty to boot. In short, it’s a modern-day muscle truck that turns a humble workhorse into a road-ready weapon no other manufacturer can match.