Tradesmen and women who often find themselves pushed for time may want to take note, as Britain’s fastest pickup truck goes under the hammer in April.
How fast is it?
We often say that a vehicle is ‘fast for a truck’, indicating that while it’s got a punchy turbodiesel engine under the bonnet it’s no competition for a serious sportscar. This 1984 Chevrolet S10 truck, however, is a different story.
Power comes from a freshly built 640hp 7.0-litre V8 engine, with the capacity to up this to over 900hp thanks to a built-in nitrous oxide kit. Needless to say, performance is brisk.
Floor the throttle and – with help from a shot of nitrous (also known as laughing gas) – 0-60mph is done and dusted in 1.3 seconds, while 0-124mph is dispatched in a scarcely believable 5.6. And, for those who can hold their nerves, top speed is well in excess of 150mph.
Can I drive it on the road?
Absolutely. It’s 100% road legal and can even be fuelled with regular ‘gas’ from your local BP garage. There’s even a semblance of luxury on-board thanks to a heater and electric windows.
Is it a good buy?
Fuel economy isn’t likely to be that great, but it’s had the same owner for the last 24 years and boasts a full service history plus plenty of receipts and documentation. The owner has even spent £85,000 on it over the years keeping it in tip top condition; far more than the £30-£35k auction estimate.
Speaking ahead of the auction, classic car specialist at Classic Car Auctions, Simon Langsdale said: ‘Wow, what a machine this is. We’ve never auctioned anything like this before so it’s fantastic to include it as part of our biggest ever auction. It really is a unique piece of kit, especially as it is street legal and can be driven on the road.’
