CHARLOTTE, N.C.-RK Motors Charlotte is proud to announce the PPI Toyota Trophy Truck, driven by legendary racer Ivan “Ironman” Stewart from 1994 to 2000, has arrived to its 100,000 sq./ft. facility in Charlotte, N.C. After being fully restored to competition specifications by Tom Morris and his expert team at TM1 Motorsports in Southern California, the famous truck is now ready for a new home.
“We’ve eagerly anticipated this day since the truck restoration began,” said Joe Carroll, RK Motors Charlotte president and CEO. “Serial-numbered as chassis #015, this Trophy Truck is a wonderful piece of history. It collected an impressive 10 off road victories, including four Baja 500 [1994, 1997-‘99] wins and one Baja 1000 [1998] victory. The Toyota was even test driven recently by Ivan ‘Ironman’ Stewart following the completion of the restoration process. The truck was tested and approved by the legend himself.”
Starting with the original engine block, TM1 Motorsports teamed up with Larry Slutter to restore the 302 cubic inch TRD aluminum V8 race engine. Slutter previously managed the Toyota Racing Development’s group, who built and maintained the PPI #015 Toyota race engines.
“This restoration project is special because the men who were involved in the original build of the #015 Toyota Truck teamed up again to make the engine roar as it once did, including Owner Cal Wells III, Tom Morris and Larry Slutter,” noted Carroll. “This group was involved with the truck from conception to rebirth. Now it will be brought back to life by the men who helped Stewart earn those victories. This is an extremely rare occurrence for a collectible vehicle.”
The truck was originally built and re-built after each race, with a focus on winning. For the restoration, the engine was torn down and reassembled with fresh internals. Fuel is provided by eight EFI throttle bodies controlled by a Redline/Weber ECU. Due to the custom nature of the build, many parts, including the intake manifold, had to be fabricated. The engine achieves well over 500 horsepower while producing a flat torque range from 4000 – 7500 rpm.
TM1 spent equal time on other areas of the drivetrain, including the PPI custom-made billet main case, five-speed transaxle, which was disassembled and inspected to ensure no damage occurred during the truck’s 11 years in storage. The transaxle is one of only two that were built and rotated throughout the truck’s race life. A custom made Concord battery was ordered, and the correct power steering ram seals were also located, along with Bilstein shock parts.
To capture the attention of fellow road warriors, the exterior was restored to its original grandeur with a paint scheme that replicates the 1997-2000 race seasons when the truck was at the height of its career. A new clear coat was applied to the truck’s panels, while the front grille was modified for the front driving light plugs to fit in their proper location.
“The person who purchases this world-class machine will also receive a comprehensive package of rare, exclusive items, including the chassis blueprints,” added Carroll. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own one of Baja’s most legendary competitors.”
To learn more about the award-winning PPI Toyota Trophy Truck or other collector cars in the company’s inventory, visit www.RKMotorsCharlotte.com.
Source: Buisness Newswire / RK Motors Charlotte
