Within the automotive hobby, there are random segments and cross-sections wherein vehicles play a supporting role in some other transportation-related pursuit. I think of the small, regional airports where a private plane is stored and the British sports car is used to run out to the hangar on the weekend. Or there’s a four-wheeler that’s built to go practically anywhere but is hauled to the trail by an XJ-chassis Jeep Cherokee. In the case of today’s feature, this 1988 Chevrolet Silverado is a custom build by an engineer who wanted to create the perfect tow rig for his Scarab cigarette speed boat. Find the Chevy – with just 7,884 miles – here on craigslist for $22,000.
Is it the prettiest thing you’ve ever seen? Hardly. But in a way, it works, especially if you picture it on location in the early 90s, parked at a marina near Lake Havasu. I’ll bet pictures exist somewhere of the boat that was towed behind it, along with the trailer that was almost certainly painted to match. See what I mean? In that scenario, the boat is almost certainly more of a draw, but the truck plays a major supporting role. The boat wouldn’t be nearly as cool without the epic tow rig in front of it. The builder of this truck not only constructed it to be a rugged tow rig, but also placed an emphasis on comfort inside the cabin.
The huge interior has a limo-like backseat with a huge center console and cupholders. There’s a gaping moonroof up above and rear passenger compartment windows on both sides. It appears that there’s a handle on the outside on just the passenger side, which makes sense considering that’s the curb side of the truck. The interior looks surprisingly factory in terms of appearance, with the correct upholstery and carpeting used for a 1980s GM product. The listing confirms the one-off truck was “….built off of a custom frame that started off as a 1980’s Chevy dually to make this longer for the mega cab and body kit.” The body kit, by the way, is a claimed one-of-a-kind fiberglass job.
With a functional bed and storage boxes, the truck’s previous owner and builder really sacrificed nothing when making his dream tow rig. Oftentimes, a custom build like this will reveal shortcoming after shortcoming, usually exposing where the builder ran out of talent. While it’s impossible to say from this side of the computer monitor how polished the finished work is, I like what I see in the listing. The seller notes the builder didn’t skimp under the hood, either, with the legendary 454 big block providing all the stump-pulling power you’ll need to tow a boat of your own should you buy this glorious 1980s creation. Thanks to Barn Finds reader T.J. for flagging this find.
For the record, the last “show truck” was a Mazda pickup someone spent kidney money on to create. I bellyached about how someones limited world could support that, but I have to remember, it’s a big world, and if that’s the extent of it for some, that’s their business. I also have to remember, people spend for dinner what I live on for a month, it’s claimed, Lisa Marie Presley spent $92,000 A MONTH!
Now this is really cool. IF,,you have SOME money, and need a tow vehicle, again, this should be long gone. The builder has a lot of change in this, with 7,000 miles, I doubt they got their $100K out of it in use, sign of the times, folks, if something like THIS is so “cheap”, and relatively speaking, it is, people just aren’t buying this stuff. I noticed at the store, navel oranges were almost A BUCK each. Nobody bought them, today, they are .68 cents, still crazy, but see the logic? I “browse” FB Marketplace, and almost every posting has a slash mark, and a “new” lower price. Can’t blame folks who are desperate, and you couldn’t convince me for a second, many these sales are not to get another classic, it’s to get out. Money has always talked, and a tenth of what they are asking in cash on the hood, just might get the deal. A very nice truck here.
My son-in-law built a Chevy truck similar to this, but it’s a six door. What a pain to drive it. It does look COOL and will draw attention. Driving straight is no problem, but turning, backing up or towing backing is not fun.
Any 📸 pics of the Wellcraft Scarab?
Scarab Cigarette boat, that’s two totally different boats; similar to a Buick Lamborghini car.
“cigarette” vs “Cigarette” is a generic term for any long, thin speedboat : https://www.boatsafe.com/asks-cigarette-boats-closed-bow/
cool, cheap enough to make some changes to and still have an affordable rig
For me it falls under the category of too much is not enough…
Everything seems to work except the custom front end treatment.
Fairly priced though, and I spent a lot of time in LHC during this time and along with the custom dually trucks there were just as many dually suburban rigs, all custom painted to match the boat. We referred to these fine folks as “Lookatme’s”
Awesome looking truck! I’ve always loved trucks with dually rear ends. What kind of engine powers this bad boy? V8? Diesel? Turbo Diesel? Duramax? For a truck like this, I’d go with either a 6.5 V8 Turbo Diesel or possibly a 6.6 Duramax Diesel.
My thought is a Duramax and put duel stacks on it! I am really not into doing much, in the line of modifications, but this seems to be the exception to the rule.
It’s got a 454.
love these odd balls. Reminds me of the coach built Centurion co’s offerings. (also ofa mullet hair cut). The best were the cab’n chassy “van p/u”, a nightmare of electrics (oh what wiring) and metal meets glass (meets separation, cracks, rust). Another chance for me to say: for every conceivable application a vehicle has been made. This one fits a good one for many of us.
The glass-to- metal has been taken up by the major manufacturers (see the p/u beds, fenders) where the ‘custom world’ left off… see any Big Daddy Ed Roth or Barris in today’s vehicles? Somebody’s gotta innovate, baby !
Me? puda 12v and allison in it~
Not sure about the mileage claim, even though they are “document” miles.
However, still seems like a decent price for a nice enough truck. Compare what that money will buy right now for a new truck.
But it’s not a tow rig, no fifth wheel setup or ball hitch. So just an expensive driver in my opinion, what will it get like 8 mpg on the highway?
Look again, it’s set up for a goose neck.
Sorry, didn’t zoom in to notice that.
My dogs would love all that room in the back seat area its a 4X4’so it would get through the snow ok it has the 454 V8 so it will pass everything except a gas station. Personally I have never had a dependable Chevrolet since my 77 Nova so I will pass
It’s 2wd according to the CL ad.
It’s a 4WD. Any picture of the front seat shows the transfer case shift lever on the left side of the transmission tunnel.
He wasn’t towing a 17′ tri hull with a 100 HP Evinrude. This was a large boat which required a gooseneck trailer. If you take a closer look at the rear pic you’ll see the ball mounted in the bed toward the cab and the tailgate is even cut out to accommodate the neck.
What? You don’t even mention the suicide rear door!
A tenth of what they’re asking would be $2200. There’s negotiating and then there’s insulting. I’d suggest wearing head gear.
All that nice work and no Linux in the bed. What was he thinking especially if you are hauling stuff. The interior has seen better days, fading colors, tears in the seats. It also looks like the sunroof has been moved back towards the rear by about 18″. I’m sure is comfortable to drive any distance with the longer than normal dually wheelbase. So it takes up 2-4 spaces in the parking lot. So what. Definitely will stop at every gas station though.
If it were me I would take that 454 out and put a pre def duramax in it with a 6 speed allison, 3.32 Rears, 5″ straight pipe exhaust out the back and a 62 gal Titan fuel tank. Then it would have about a 1000+ mile range at 1600 rpm