2000 Chevrolet Silverado 2WD - Like A Rock

There are some things in life that were just meant to go together, such as apple pie and vanilla ice cream or cookies and milk and - OK, OK - you get the point. Yet sometimes even though we know things are just meant to be together, every so often we are still amazed when we actually see the two pair up. This is one of those times.

The names Walker Evans and Larry Ragland are synonymous with off-road desert racing, so when the time came for the two legends to build a prerunner, it should have been no surprise. That is until you look at the truck. Built by legendary Walker Evans Racing in Riverside, California, and driven by legends Larry Ragland and Russ O'Bienes (GM's off-road guru), the 136-inch wheelbase 2000 Chevrolet Silverado truck began life as an ordinary brand-new truck. Upon receiving it, all of the sheetmetal and the entire interior were removed, and then the fun began. Using 4130 chrome-moly tubing, the entire chassis and rollcage was made by hand because the stock cab and doors were to be reused.

With their combined years in desert racing, this team of highly qualified professionals engineered a suspension system that would provide a smooth ride regardless of the terrain that the truck was on. To accomplish this, the front is made up of a double A-arm setup with two 16-inch King Racing shocks with remote reservoirs at each corner. One shock is a coilover unit, which is speed sensitive, while the other is a bypass unit, which is position sensitive. The front suspension travel is an astounding 22 inches: 14 inches of up travel and 8 inches of droop travel, both measured from ride height. The rear suspension is a four-link setup, which also benefits from the varied shock design. However, the rear King Racing shocks are 18-inch units, which further helps the rear travel equate to 30 inches; 17 inches of up travel and 13 inches droop travel. To provide the drivers with effortless steering, the prerunner's power steering system is assisted by a hydraulic ram. Tasked with keeping steering duties under further control are the 35-spline 1.50-inch-diameter antisway bars that are situated in the front and the rear.

Power for the prerunner is derived courtesy of Chevrolet/General Motors. The one-of-a-kind Chevrolet Vortec fuel-injected 6.0L V-8 puts out so much horsepower that if we told you, you wouldn't believe it. We're sure you can understand, but all we can say is that it's a lot. A high-volume oil pump and a Wix oil filter guarantee that the engine and its vital components are thoroughly coated in a hot oil bath. Paired up with the powerplant is a GM Hydramatic Motorsports' 4L80 four-speed automatic transmission, which uses a 13-inch torque converter. With all of this power up front, only one rearend could handle it - enter the 5.43 ratio Chrisman unit. Assigned the duties of stopping the 37x12.50R17 BFGoodrich Radials on the 17x8 Ultra Wheels is none other than a set of Formula One Brembo four-wheel hydraulic disc brakes, which reside both front and rear.

To further increase the already unspeakable horsepower, a Borla exhaust system excretes the spent gases. A stock GM radiator, a fan clutch, and a fan shroud round out the cooling system. Just as impressive as every other item on the truck is the highly modified electrical system, which was tackled by Lynx Electronics and Steve Bothwell. In conjunction with the single 90-amp alternator attached to the two gel-filled batteries, Bothwell chose to use a modified GM wiring harness and an ECU as the actual brains of the operation. Just in case you were wondering, the prerunner can really go the distance thanks to the huge 65-gallon-capacity fuel cell.

On the inside, the truck has everything you would expect a 2000 Chevy Silverado to have - with a few exceptions. The interior is completely carpeted and even has the factory headliner in place to ensure a sound-proof ride. Other creature comforts include A/C, a factory dash, factory gauges, power seats, mirrors, windows, door locks, cruise control, a tilt wheel, and a CD player. Other very necessary items include a Comp Comm two-way race radio, a Terra Trip Navigation computer, safety harnesses, and an on-board fire system.

After looking at the way this prerunner was built by Walker Evans Racing and Chevrolet/GM, it's no wonder that Chevy's motto is "Built like a rock," because this truck sure is.