Every year, manufacturers love to put out special “limited edition” trucks. Whether timed to tie in with big movies or sporting events or for a specific person, it’s a great way to get customers interested in buying something rare. While those are fun, it’s also notable how many times, a truck has fallen to the wayside as an amazingly unique model that many have forgotten. True, it’s often because they’re frankly bad trucks and were deserved flops, yet a few gems fall to the wayside as well.
Some cars were popular in their times while others weren’t. It’s also notable for some amazing trucks that were only meant to be sold in a single year and have gained even larger status. A few flop trucks have found a second life in auctions and can still appeal to modern owners. Some rides are so rare that only a handful of people even own them. Here are 15 rare trucks that one would seldom see on the roads yet can be surprising collector’s items.
15 1976 Ford F-Series Spirit Of ’76
Back in 1976, the United States was gripped by a wave of patriotism thanks to the Bicentennial. Ford had to join in by crafting a special “Spirit of ‘76” version of the F-150.
Oddly, rather than red-white-and-blue, the trucks came in either white or blue but boasting a golden eagle crest. The original engine was rather weak, and the hauling power low. Surprisingly, Ford didn’t go all out with just 500 of these produced and worth finding for a fun throwback model.
14 GMC Sierra California Sundancer
GMC had a thing for crafting select vehicles for specific areas. In 1987, the Sierra California Sundancer was, indeed, limited to just California. All came in the same bright yellow color to reflect the Golden State and touches such as a rollbar, 15-inch Mag Sprinter Western wheels, and a decent 315ci V8 engine.
Only a dozen of them were produced, so good luck finding one even inside California borders.
13 Dodge Ram Rod Hall Signature Edition
The Dodge Ram Rod Hall Signature Edition is historic as one of the last cars Carroll Shelby put his unique stamp on. Even with his health declining in 1990, Shelby took on the challenge of reworking a Ram for racer Rod Hall.
They included a customized bumper and unique trims. Sadly, the engine was a letdown, 318-cid V-8, with a measly 170 hp. Just 33 of them were produced but are worth tracking down as even a “lesser” Shelby is still a great product.
12 Chevrolet K10 SnoChaser
As the name implies, the K10 SnoChaser was intended for a very narrow market. The truck was designed to win over customers in snowy environments and looked terrific with its lovely trims and the 350 V8 engine getting proper power.
It handled the settings well thanks to its four-wheel drive with either automatic or manual transmission. Just under 1200 of them were produced and exclusive to certain states, so little wonder a mint version fetches a high price online.
11 Chevrolet Silverado Intimidator SS
If anyone deserves his own special car, it’s Dale Earnhardt. In 2006, Chevrolet paid tribute to the late NASCAR legend with a special version of the Silverado.
Painted black to match Earnhardt’s cars, the Intimidator earned its label with a Vortec 6000 V-8 engine producing 345-horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque. Fittingly, 1333 (after Earnhardt’s number 3) were created as a fine tribute.
10 Dodge D Series High-Performance
Here’s a rare old-school find. Built from 1964 to 1966, the Dodge D Series High Performance lived up to its name by marrying a Mopar style to a pickup. Back then, any car boasting a 426 Wedge V8 engine with 375 hp was a fantastic ride. That it was a pickup was more stunning.
Sadly, its high price worked against it as customers couldn’t afford its great trip. Only 31 of the original 50 made still survive to make it among the rarest Dodge vehicles to find.
9 Chevrolet Blazer Chalet
On paper, the Blazer Chalet was a good idea. What better pickup for a long trip than a camper? In practice, it was a mess. The camper part was stocked with a mini-kitchen, a pop-up roof, and impressive amenities to 1977.
That meant limited storage space and weighed the truck down too much for its 400ci V8 engine. Less than 1800 were sold as it was a failed experiment, yet some campers may enjoy its retro appeal today.
8 Dodge Dakota Sport Convertible
Long before the Chevy SSR, the Dodge Dakota Sports was trying to sway people into buying a pickup convertible. It was a simple design with the top folding downward and bright red color.
The engine was decent, a 3.9-liter V6 making 125 horsepower, but like the SSR, the storage space was small and the hauling power low. It was a flop with only 3,759 produced over two years, yet it might be a better pick than the woeful SSR.
7 GMC Sierra Indy 500
A truck as the pace car for the Indy 500 sounds odd, but GMC still did a tie-in for the epic race. The 1977 version is the rarest of the bunch to the point that no one knows how many were produced.
It was a prelude to the Indy Hauler with some cool trims and came in either 2WD or 4WD as well as either wideside or fenderside models. Because the exact number made is unknown, a mint version can race to a high price.
6 Dodge Dude
It may sound like the nickname of a used car dealer, but the Dodge Dude was indeed made in 1970-71. It was really a D100 with new trim, and a “Dude” label stuck somewhere on its body.
The engine options varied from 225ci Slant Six to the 383ci V8, and the ads included actor Don Knotts promoting the truck. While 1500-2000 were said to have been produced, it’s pretty hard finding one in good condition as this Dude was a bit of a dud.
5 GMC Sierra Grande Olympic Edition Year
In 1976, Canada was gripped with Olympic fever thanks to the Summer Games being played in Montreal. To commemorate this, GMC put out a special edition of the Sierra Grande only for this year.
They all boasted a white and red color scheme to match the city’s theme and a 350-ci V8 that produced 165 hp. Just 630 were built and are rare enough in Canada, let alone spotted in the U.S.
4 Chevy S10 EV
Contrary to what Elon Musk might claim, the Cybertruck is not the first electric pickup. Chevy beat Tesla to it with the S10 EV in 1996. It was a standard S10 with an adapted engine for the 16.2-kilowatt battery.
Sadly, like the EV1, the technology wasn’t there for the S10 to perform right with a top speed of 50 mph and weighed down by the engine. Most of the 492 created were destroyed, but a few survive for a truck ahead of its time.
3 Ford Bigfoot Cruiser
The Bigfoot has long been the standard for “mega-wheel” 4X4 trucks. Leave it to Bob Chandler to make it even cooler. In 1987, Chandler and Ford worked together to craft the Bigfoot Cruiser boasting a 7,5 l EFI engine and some fantastic trims.
Obviously, it boasts tires larger than most children and a high suspension. 300 of them were made but were soon hit by issues of cruise control and fire, which led to scores recalled. This makes a good version even rarer.
2 Dodge Midnight Express
The Dodge Midnight Express was part of the “Adult Toys” line the company was putting out in 1978. It mixed in elements of a Warlock with Lil Red Engine parts and gave it a slick black look to match its name.
Equipped with a 440ci V8 engine, the Express could get some good speeds and hauling power. 270 were created, but few remain today as the Express was a cool truck at any time of the day.
1 Ford SkyRanger
A Ranger is a common sight, but a SkyRanger is a different beast. Less than 17 of these were produced in 1991 and generally only pop up at auctions.
Ford worked with the ASC to create this unique truck with a 4.0l V6 and a removable top. It wasn’t a major success, but it can pop up in some online sales for one of the rarest vehicles Ford ever produced.
Sources: autowise.com, motor1.com, autotrader.com, hemmings.com