Video: Legend Puts A Chevy Block In An Epic Lawnmower

There are engine swaps that seem fairly obvious. A Mazda RX8 rotary replaced by an LS3 for example, is a well known method of producing more power while increasing reliability. 2JZ find themselves in almost anything destined for the drag strip, and a BMW straight six will do wonders for an MX5.

But I’ve never thought about squeezing an American V8 into a ride-on mower.

According to Thomas Barker, the builder and owner of this hellish contraption, it was the best idea he’s ever had. I’m inclined to agree as we get a brief shot of the entirety of the build with its headers proudly on show either side of the muscled engine bay. These straight pipe exhausts aren’t exactly muffled as you can hear from the deafening road they produce as Barker gives it a test down an empty road and a few corners.

Little information is available regarding the details behind the build, but Barker is now using the mower to race. It also looks like, since the first video above, he and friends have built more V8 powered machines, with a long wheelbase version shown in an update video.

This is something we can definitely get behind, so hold on for more updates…