Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson have revealed the classic Chevy trucks that they custom built in partnership with Valvoline and Hendrick Motorsports. This project was unique and had not been done with drivers until now. They took two stock pickup trucks and updated them with the best truck and part options available. Fans voted for the car parts they liked best like door art, body and paint, engine and wheels. Fans also deciphered clues Earnhardt and Johnson released about their trucks. The Sports Techie community blog takes a look at the Reinvention Project trucks for our readers with the behind-the-scenes video below.
Reinvention Project
Built as part of Valvoline’s Reinvention Project, the trucks – a 1974 Chevrolet Cheyenne Super 10 pickup and a 1955 Chevy – highlight the varying aesthetic but exacting specifications of the two drivers.
Earnhardt Jr. and Johnson built the trucks with the expert mechanics at Hendrick Performance, who labored over each detail, from engine and oil, to body and paint, to wheels and suspension. Dale Leadbetter, Hendrick Performance, discussed how the performance goal was to, “Bring them up to modern standards, not only in engines and handling, and in braking.”
James Potter, Hendrick Performance, mentioned that Johnson wanted his 55’ Chevy to, “Keep the original feel of a weathered and kind of used, old farm truck style look, and then go with the modern drivetrain. And also change the suspension too,” producing a lower stance and better handling for the road course and autocross racing, while complementing the power upgrades. Potter said Earnhardt wanted his 74’ pickup truck to have a similar setup with the same powertrain. Hendrick Performance added custom drivetrains and new suspensions to both trucks.
Details of each truck’s specs can be found below, and fans are invited to build their own truck via the virtual garage at ReinventionProject.com.
The next step was to test drive, NASCAR style, the truck builds the drivers reinvented in an autocross challenge, smoky burnout and drag race.
About Valvoline
Valvoline is the official motor oil sponsor of Hendricks Motorsports. They serve more than 100 countries worldwide and are a leading marketing, distributor and producer of quality branded automotive and industrial products and services. Valvoline is most well-known for their Automotive Lubricants. In addition to the flagship brand, Valvoline, the other brands include MaxLife, the first motor oil specifically formulated for higher-mileage vehicles; DuraBlend; and SynPower.
Sports Techie, Because Valvoline has 140 years of reinventing motor oil experience and is an associate sponsor of Hendrick Motorsports, Johnson and Earnhardt are in good hands racing NASCAR vehicles using SynPower, and participating in the Reinvention Project.
The truck builds the drivers reinvented are amazing. Johnson’s 1955 Chevy pickup truck was an old farm truck in Georgia and after all the vehicle updates, it still looked the same way although it was now super-fast and better equipped to handle high-speed turns. Orange is Dale Jr.’s favorite color and the 1974 Chevrolet Cheyenne Super 10 he selected was manufactured in the United States the same year Earnhardt was born.
Respecting the history of the classic Chevy truck takes me back to when my Dad was 12 years old in 1955, wishing he could drive a Chevy pickup. Flash ahead to 1974 and I can honestly say that I had the same kind of confidence that I could drive a 74′ Chevy Cheyenne Super 10 as an 8 year old. All this means that my baby son or your daughter will have the same feeling when he is all of 4 years old in 2018 and will believe he can drive a new Chevy pickup because he is an Ultra Sports Techie.
I will see ya when I see ya, THE Sports Techie @THESportsTechie – http://twitter.com/THESportsTechie
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