It was the 80s, an era when muscle cars were racing between the lights with their V8 engines. JCB saw this as an opportune time to plonk a big block Chevrolet V8 engine in their 3CX backhoe loader. The result was the monstrous 1,000 horsepower JCB GT!
Conceptualised as a one-off showcase vehicle in 1988, the JCB GT was created primarily as a lethal drag racing machine. The 7.4-litre big block Chevy V8 engine was hooked to a belt driven supercharger and four Holley barrelled carburettors. To give it the lethal look it deserves, the JCB GT gets eight 20-inch straight-through exhausts poking out directly from the engine. The engine is mated to a three speed semi automatic torque converter gearbox.
Both the engine and transmission generate a lot of heat which is why the JCB GT is fitted with various oil and water radiators to keep temperatures in check. A large fan draws air from underneath the behemoth to keep things in check.
Due to its sole design purpose of drag racing, the JCB GT returns a mileage of 0.85 litres to the kilometre. Engine lubrication was provided from a 13.2 litre oil tank while the fuel tank can hold 18.9 litres of petrol.
The JCB GT’s meagre mileage figure may not be justified by the performance but watching a 3.25 tonne piece of earth moving equipment hurtling past from 0-100 km/h in 12.8 seconds with its front wheels in the air is indeed an entertaining sight.
