In the classic car hobby, there are many subcultures within, whether it’s by brand or by vehicle type. One subculture I fancy are “sport trucks,” which are performance pickups. Here in Arizona, there are many dedicated events for these unique vehicles. Our Pick of The Day once was a star at these shows — this 1992 Chevrolet Silverado is listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a dealership in St. Charles, Missouri.
The year? 1992. The place? Woodland, Texas. The person? John Thompson. Those are the adverbs relating to this custom Silverado. “John bought the truck new in 1992 and went to work over the next three years building it. A well-known truck from the 1990s scene, many remember this Chevy from Texas Heat Wave, Houston Autorama, and other ISCA events. In 1995, the truck was featured in ‘Truckin’’ magazine and, in 1997, it made the cover of ‘Sport Truck.’”
The sport truck movement really came about with the classic square-body (or “Rounded Line”) pickup from General Motors introduced for the 1973 model year. It was an immediate hit that lasted through 1993. In 1987, GM decided to introduce what we know today as the OBS (“Old Body Style”) C/K truck, which too was an instant classic.
“Prior to this truck coming up, it was more engine parts, camshafts, headers, carburetors, manifolds, those sorts of things,” Mike Spagnola, current CEO of SEMA, told “The Shop” magazine in the August 2019 issue. “When that C/K truck came out, it really started the restyling industry. It started everything. Suspension kits, grilles, soft tonneau, hard tonneau, roll pans, side skirts, body kits.”
Take a virtual walk-around to appreciate the intricate design and detailed exterior of this sport truck. There were actually two different professional shops that put in work to create this masterpiece: Best Body and Paint painted the body in PPG Teal Green, then Maxwell Designs installed the custom graphics. Additional body modifications include but are not limited to a molded tailgate, shaved door handles, filled stake pockets, and boxed frame.
Stepping inside, take note of the reconfigured dash and custom panels created by Trim Tech of Houston. Teal vinyl and gray cloth bucket seats flank a custom center console that holds an aftermarket Premier stereo, gauges, and climate control system. Ahead of the driver is a tilt steering column with an NRC steering wheel attached to it.
Several of the special components come from a wrecked 1993 Chevrolet Corvette — power comes from a tuned-port fuel-injected 5.7-liter LT-1 V-8 that’s been custom-built with Keith Black Pistons, Comp Cams camshaft and lifters, and billet aluminum engine pulleys. As part of the build process, the original cylinder heads were ported and polished and the original block has been painted to match the exterior. The donor also provided components for the fully independent suspension system and four-wheel disc brakes.
After being a focal point in the Houston area car scene, this 1992 Chevrolet Silverado Custom Pickup retired from show duty. Now it has been brought to life again, you can take it to the next sport truck show in your area or keep ahold of it — for $35,900, it’s your choice.
Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com
