IT’S HERE! IVAN STEWART’S TROPHY TRUCK ARRIVES AT THE RKM SHOWROOM

“IRONMAN” STEWART’S PPI TOYOTA TROPHY TRUCK ROLLS OUT OF RESTORATION SHOP AND INTO RK MOTORS CHARLOTTE’S SHOWROOM

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – May 10, 2012 – RK Motors Charlotte, one of the nation’s premier restorers, re-sellers and builders of classic, muscle and high-performance vehicles, 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.

The complete listing for the truck can be found here.

“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.

Way too cool to keep to ourselves….

The photos of Ironman in the Baja truck are just to cool to keep to ourselves.  Enjoy more below!

For more pictures visit  http://www.rkmotorscharlotte.com/inventory/1994-Toyota/R00051

A Road Test with Ivan “Ironman” Stewart?? Yes, Please!

It seems like just yesterday when Cal Wells III approached us at RK Motors Charlotte about finding his #015 PPI Toyota Trophy Truck a new home. With a restoration in the truck’s future, it seemed like we would be waiting quite some time to get it into our showroom.

We were pleasantly surprised to find out that when you work with TM1 Motorsports, patience isn’t a requirement.

Barely a month later, we had pictures of the engine strapped to a dyno. Before long, the engine was back in the frame. Last week, we even showed you a video of the truck running for the first time. Progress has been made a breakneck pace and, with the finish line in sight, TM1 showed no signs of slowing down.

By late last month, it started to take form again:

We’re happy to announce that the truck is back together in all it’s bad ass glory!

Of course, every build has to be taken for a shakedown run. When that build just happens to be a legendary racing truck, why not get the original driver to do the honors? That’s right. Ivan “Ironman” Stewart suited up once again to take the freshly restored #015 on its maiden voyage.

Man, we wished the truck has a passenger seat! Can you imagine a ride along with Ironman Stewart?!

We are pleased to say that everything went very well. (Not that we had any doubts in TM1 Motorsports and their top-notch craftsmenship) And when the Ironman tests a truck and nothing breaks, you can feel confident that you are dealing with a high-quality build.

With testing complete, the next step for the #015 is our Charlotte, NC showroom.  We are hoping to see it in the Tar Heel State in the next couple weeks. It’s tough to express how exciting this is for us. It’s going to be like Christmas morning and our birthdays all rolled in to one!

Be sure to visit our website at the link below for more pictures of the build as well as the testing:

http://www.rkmotorscharlotte.com/inventory/1994-Toyota/R00051

The Beast Wakes Up

If you’ve ever rebuilt an engine, you know how nerve-wracking the first start-up can be. Questions race through your mind: Will it start? Will it leak? Did I miss anything? Now imagine you had either made or heavily modified several crucial components yourself. If something breaks, it can mean countless days of work lost. Of course, for the seasoned pros at TM1, this is all just part of an average day. We’re happy to report that, for the first time in 11 years, the 015 engine not only started but ran like a champ. Curious what is sounds like? Check it out for yourself!

 

Paint & Body

No restoration is complete without dedicating at least a few hours to paint and body. This Toyota is no exception. The 015 wasn’t built or raced with future collectability in mind, so it had plenty of battle scars and post-Stewart modifications.

One of the Toyota’s most distinctive features is its massive driving lights that helped Stewart stay on the road during races. Somewhere in the truck’s history, another racer changed the configuration. The TM1 team had to make numerous modifications to make those lights fit in their proper location again.

In the meantime, the body panels were shipped to Hukill Paint and Graphics, where period-correct graphics were applied. With final assembly under way, it won’t be too much longer until we get to see these panels back on the truck.

Stay tuned! More excitement is headed your way as the TM1 team brings to a life a racing icon. Be sure to visit http://RKMotorsCharlotte.com for complete info on all of our restoration and build projects.

The Heart of the Beast….

With the transmission and transaxle out of the way, it was time to get back to building the heart of Ivant Stewart’s 015 Baja Truck – the engine. As virtually everything on this truck was originally custom built, establishing correct clearances for the host of new parts proved to be a major hold up. Thankfully, with the machine work competed, the build has raced forward.

The engine began to resemble its former self as soon as the cylinder heads met the block. Next up the modified intake manifold went on, then the wild looking Weber fuel injection set up. Within days, the TM1 crew had a complete engine on their hands!

 

The next step was to get the motor over to Patton Racing engines and utilize their DTS engine dynamometer for engine break-in and tuning. Leon and Chris Patton are some of the best in the business when it comes to tuning engines for desert and short course competition.

Stay tuned! All the big pieces are coming together soon!

Visit http://www.RKMotorsCharlotte.com for other cool projects RK Motors Charlotte and their Partners have going on.

The Puzzle Pieces Fall Into Place

The Drivetrain, Transaxle and Transmission

Even though the engine was the main focus of the initial steps of the Ivan Stewart Baja Truck restoration, work continues on other portions of the truck.  Like a perfect puzzle, every piece counts.

Gary Powell at Proformance was able to tackle the complex engine wiring assembly. With his help, the coil harness is now ready to be installed.  The transmission and transaxle were disassembled, cleaned, inspected and put back together.  Like any old tranny, all of the O-rings had to be replaced.

     

The Ivan Stewart Restoration is progressing nicely. Follow our blog, or visit http://www.RKMotorsCharlotte.com to get the most up-to-date info.

Now for the fun stuff…

The tear down is all well and good. Quite interesting, really. The guys at TM1 are so meticulous in documenting where everthing was removed from, so it could be put back exactly right.

But let’s get into the fun stuff.  This Toyota trophy truck will be fitted with the ORIGINAL engine that was used in the final season this bad boy raced – Serial #1! Ain’t she gorgeous.

  

And not only that, it’s going to be re-tuned and re-built by the man who built in the first place, Larry Slutter. For those of you who don’t know, Slutter managed the Toyota Racing Development’s Special Projects Group when the PPI truck was in its prime.

On the docket for Larry and his team has the following:

• Bore the cylinder sleeves to fit new JE pistons that had been machined for the correct deck-height

 

• Install eight new connecting rods

• Fit a new crankshaft

• Mount a new Redline/Weber ECU crankshaft trigger on the front of the engine block
• Mount a new trigger wheel to a new crankshaft damper

Sounds like a lot of work, but as you can see, much of it is underway! Stay tuned for more updates on the Ivan Stewart’s Baja Truck’s road to restoration! Be sure to visit www.RKMotorsCharlotte.com for more info on other cool projects and amazing classic cars we have at RK Motors Charlotte.

STEP ONE: (RE)BUILDING A LEGEND

Restoring the legendary Ivan “Ironman” Stewart PPI Toyota Trophy Truck

When Cal Wells III, owner of the notable #015 PPI Toyota Trophy Truck, approached us about finding his historic, championship-winning truck a new home, not only did we agree, it was like Christmas morning for our racing fanatics here at RK Motors Charlotte.

After all, this was the truck that the infamous “Ironman” Stewart used to practically rule off road racing from 1994 to 2000.  Along the way, it hit the winner’s circle 10 times, including four Baja 500 (1994, 1997-‘99) wins and one Baja 1000 (1998) win.  Talk about bragging points! We fondly remember this truck tackling the dunes like in this video. Who doesn’t?!

As much as we wanted to get the truck into our showroom, it was not ready for primetime.  This weary warrior needed some TLC before being ready for its next owner. We handed the keys to Tom Morris and his gearheads at TM1 Motorsports in So Cal.  TM1 Motorsports accepted the daunting challenge with wrenches and screwdrivers in hand.

So what’ the first thing you need to do? Get into the car and tear it down! Have you ever seen the guts of a real racer? Here’s your chance.

Stay tuned each week for more updates on the challenges and successes the TM1 team meets on the road to restoration!  And of course, be sure to visit www.RKMotorsCharlotte.com to see all the other cool happenings we have going on at RKMC!

IVAN “IRONMAN” STEWART’S BAJA 500 WINNING PPI TOYOTA TROPHY TRUCK TO BE AVAILABLE AT RK MOTORS CHARLOTTE

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Nov. 18, 2011 – RK Motors Charlotte, one of the nation’s premier restorers, re-sellers and builders of classic, muscle and high-performance vehicles, is proud to announce the latest addition to its inventory, the PPI Toyota Trophy Truck driven by legendary racer Ivan “Ironman” Stewart from 1994 to 2000. Serial-numbered as chassis #015, the Trophy Truck collected an impressive 10 victories, including four Baja 500 (1994, 1997-‘99) wins and one Baja 1000 (1998) win.

“This is a rare opportunity for any motorsports fan,” said Joe Carroll, RK Motors Charlotte president and CEO. “Pushed to the limit on the desert terrain of the Baja series by ‘Ironman’ Stewart, this truck would be a great addition to any collection. It’s a chance to acquire a factory-built and supported race truck with a famous, race-winning provenance.”                       

The truck is currently undergoing a complete frame-off restoration by the experts at TM1 Motorsports Inc., in Southern California, and will arrive at the RK Motors Charlotte showroom upon completion. Following each race, the truck was routinely torn down, cleaned, magna-fluxed, scotch-brited and/or glass beaded. Shocks and brakes were completely rebuilt, and fresh paint and a new decal set were part of the process to keep the truck looking fresh. The new owner will receive the #015 PPI as it would have looked prior to the next race.

“As the previous owner of Precision Preparation Inc. (PPI), this truck meant a lot to me and my team through the years,” noted Cal Wells III, owner of the #015 PPI Toyota truck. “This truck has historical and personal importance to many people who’ve worked at PPI and Toyota. For instance, it was the last truck ever designed by Ted Mangles, who won the first Baja 1000 race. After speaking with Joe Carroll and his team at RK Motors Charlotte, I knew it was time for someone new to own, enjoy and appreciate the truck as much as I have.”

The truck features the original engine block used in its final season, including the Baja 2000 and Nevada 2000 races. The 302 cubic inch Lexus aluminum V8 race engine is being rebuilt by Larry Slutter and the team at TM1 Motorsports. When the truck competed in the race series, Mr. Slutter managed the Toyota Racing Development’s Special Projects Group, who originally built and maintained the PPI #015 Toyota race engines. The engine for this race vehicle will be built to original specs used by Toyota and PPI during the truck’s halcyon racing days; it will be dyno-tested prior to being installed.

This engine sends its power to a PPI custom made billet main case, five-speed transaxle assembly. The transaxle being installed in the truck is one of two that were built and rotated throughout the truck’s race life. It was freshly serviced before installation.

The “Ironman” Toyota is equipped with a fully independent double wishbone suspension that travels 22 inches to soak up the toughest desert terrain. A unique hand-built, double ram, rack and pinion, power steering device prevents kickback from the bumps in off-road use, and reduces driver fatigue. The truck sports a distinct power brake system with Brembo four-piston calibers, semi-metallic pads and custom made 14-inch rotors from 4130 chromoly steel. The wheels are 17”X7” PPI purpose built cast and machined race wheels mounted with BFGoodrich 37”X12.5X17” Project KR Baja T/A radials. Together, the tire and wheel assembly weighs nearly 130 lbs.

“When Cal spoke with me about restoring the truck to ‘exhibition’ status, I knew I couldn’t pass on the opportunity to bring this truck back to life,” noted Tom Morris, owner of TM1 Motorsports Inc. “This is a trip down memory lane for many of us who’ve worked on this truck since it was originally built in 1993. It’s one of the most significant off-road race vehicles from Toyota, as well as one of the most technically advanced off-road vehicles to date.”

Restoration of the truck is scheduled to be completed by mid-December 2011. Current images from the restoration process can be viewed at RKMotorsCharlotte.com.

About RK Motors Charlotte

RK Motors Charlotte is the nation’s premier restorer, re-seller and provider of classic, muscle and high-performance cars. The company was created in 2010 when Robert Kauffman, founder of RK Collection and co-owner of Michael Waltrip Racing, and Joseph M. Carroll, founder of Best of Show Automotive, leveraged their success and experience to create RK Motors Charlotte. Based in Charlotte, N.C., the company has a showroom at 5527 Lakeview Road and a custom build and service facility located at 5523 Lakeview Road. RK Motors Restoration is located in Mentor, Ohio. Additional information on selling, consigning or restoring a collector car is available at http://www.RKMotorsCharlotte.com. The media can contact Jennifer Pullen, TimePiece PR & Marketing, for more data at (713) 855-9312 or at jpullen@tprm.com.