How much HP can the "stock" suspension handle?

[chevyrestoguy]

Not to worry, you'll be fine.

A very good friend of mine has a '79 Silverado 1/2 ton shortbed, fully loaded (A/C, PB, PS, Cruise, power windows) that has ran as fast a 9.66 with a stock frame, leafs, and 10.5" wide slicks.

It has an 11:1 406 small block with AFR 227s, Comp solid roller, 850 Holley, th400, 12-bolt with 3.42s, and CalTracs. It has 2 stages of nitrous (it leaves on the plate (150hp) and on the fogger (350hp) in 2nd gear. It hooks hard with the slicks and Caltracs, and 60fts @ 1.61. It runs down the track nice and straight. We estimated that the engine was putting out around 525 on the motor and approximately 1000 on the 'juice. It's a white knuckle ride if you're a passenger and you're geting pinned in that huge comfy Silverado seat.

After hundreds of pounds of nitrous and countless passes, the only issue is the the driver's side frame rail is starting to crack right in front of the forward cab mount. Easily fixed, but he recently retired the truck from drag duty because he was tired of dealing with all of the smog hassles. His fear was being pulled over on a random smog inspection and having the truck impounded. It now has a 350 with AFR 195s, a Q-Jet, and teeny-tiny hydraulic roller.