1991 Chevrolet C1500

Description

This "Earnhardt Tribute Truck" will be auctioned off NO RESERVE to the highest bidder on Saturday, April 5th @ 1:00 pm All proceeds will benefit "The Bridge to Recovery Organization".

Dale Earnhardt was a genuine phenomenon, transcending mere racing and becoming a cultural icon. Even today fans proudly wear his signature on their cars, but if you're truly a fan looking for a way to celebrate the man and his life, this 1991 Chevrolet C1500 pickup dressed in Earnhardt black might be the ultimate way to do it.

Customized using Earnhardt's Monte Carlo as a template, this truck fairly accurately replicates a NASCAR stocker in an era before there were racing trucks. Built for charity and recently auctioned once again to benefit a children's foundation, it had the full support of Dale himself, up to and including his signature on the dash. For NASCAR fans, authenticity matters, so a black Chevy truck got a full makeover using the same decals, sponsors, and other aftermarket parts to create something truly unique. Underneath the decals, there's a short bed/regular cab pickup dressed with a ground-effects kit, running boards, a hard-shell tonneau cover with rear spoiler, and a pair of roll bar struts to enhance the race-ready look. But look closely and you'll see that they really went the extra mile, adding the support braces for the windshield, a rear roll pan, and hood pins to really tie it to the NASCAR racer. And, of course, as a show piece and remarkable piece of Earnhardt memorabilia, it hasn't been driven much and remains in outstanding condition.

The interior offers the same illusion, starting with a set of custom-upholstered race bucket seats. Not content to just install a set of off-the-shelf seats, these were reupholstered to match the gray fabric in the rest of the truck. Simpson 5-point harnesses and window nets add to the NASCAR theme, and there are tons of billet and other dress-up parts throughout the interior. Dakota Digital supplied a full set of their digital gauges that fit neatly in the original instrument panel, and while this was originally a column-shift truck, the Lokar shifter on the floor really works with the race-ready look. A custom steering wheel, trick billet A/C vent covers, and new dash fascias make it look less like a production pickup and more like a hand-built machine. However, everything works as it should and you really can drive this truck every day if you're inclined to do so. Just be careful of that signature on the passenger's side of the dash!

Mechanically, this truck has been extensively upgraded. The 350 cubic inch V8 is painted and detailed for show, and has been upgraded with an Edelbrock intake manifold, cold air intake, Hypertech programming in the ECM, March billet pulleys, and lots of chrome, billet aluminum, and Chevy Orange paint. A custom stainless exhaust delivers the NASCAR soundtrack via a Gibson Super Truck exhaust system with twin outlets on the passenger side just ahead of the rear wheels. The suspension has been lowered two inches all around with custom A-arms, springs, and shocks. Upgraded cooling system components and transmission coolers suggest that this truck really was built to serve in some capacity on the track. Giant 15x10 Bart NASCAR wheels were fitted at all four corners and carry Goodyear radials with yellow lettering, plus a matching spare in the custom bed.