Grave Digger--"Anything but first is dead last"With a birthplace called Kill Devil Hills (North Carolina) and a paint job that can chill the heart of even the toughest competitor, it's no surprise that Grave Digger's slogan is: "Burying the competition since 1981…"How did Grave Digger get its name?In 1981, when Dennis Anderson was creating a "monster" from dead and discarded vehicle parts to compete in a Kill Devil Hills mud-bog contest, the other competitors laughed in his face, boasting that their new big-buck trucks would kick his butt.The legend of Grave Digger was born in Dennis's response to his opponents: "I'll take this old junk, and dig your grave," a promise he and Grave Digger have been keeping since 1981.Grave Digger Gets a FaceliftIn 1985, Dennis made a fateful appointment with Fred Bumann, an artist and auto painter who took 18 hours to create Grave Digger's now-famous paint job, complete with green flamework.In 1988, after several successful seasons racing on the MTRA tour, Dennis recognized that Grave Digger's all-steel body and heavy suspension were a handicap. With the emphasis for monster trucks moving from crushing capability to speed, Grave Digger needed a redesign to stay competitive.After Dennis worked closely with a specialty fiberglass manufacturer, Grave Digger was reborn with a light-weight all-fiberglass body patterned after a 1950 Chevrolet panel van. Its unmistakable sinister paint job and new lighter body make Grave Digger the ultimate modern day monster.Of Course Grave Digger Has a Fan Club…Dennis Anderson's distinctive monster truck is one of the best known and best loved on the monster truck tour. Grave Digger has a fan club.To join the Grave Digger Fan Club, write:Grave Digger 4 x 4, Inc.P.O. Box 250Poplar Branch, NC 27965USA1-800-4 DGR FANS…And a Web Sitehttp://www.webcom.com/shownet/gravedig/welcome.htmlGrave Digger Fast FactsOwners Dennis and Julie AndersonDriver Dennis AndersonHometown Poplar Branch, North Carolina, USAVehicle Body 1950 Chevrolet Panel Wagon with a fiberglass body and a custom Cro-moly tube steel frameEngine Keith Black 540 c.i. Chevrolet Big Block motor with blower and alcohol injectionHorsepower Approximately 1500 h.p.Transmission Modified Turbo 400Axles Custom-built planetariesShocks Kuster Coil-Over Monster Shocks with 18 inches of travelHeight 10 feet, 9 inchesWidth 12 feetWeight 10,000 poundsTires Goodyear Terra tires, size 66 x 43 x 25Sponsors Autometer, Creative Glass, Crower, Citgo, DuPont, Goodyear, Hooker Headers, Racer Components, Inc., TCI Automotive, Trailmaster Suspension, Russell
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