Just like in the realm of tuning, too much is never enough for off-road enthusiasts. And even though the 2017 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 is arguably the most capable pickup in its segment at going off the beaten path, it doesn’t hold a candle to the likes of the Colorado Prerunner, a.k.a. ColoRADo.
As the RAD in its name implies, the one-off build is a far cry from the Colorado on which it’s based. Having started life as a regular crew cab, the dune-bashing truck is the creation of a small outfit based in Mundelein, Illinois. Specialized mostly in hot rods, the peeps over at Roadster Shop did their utmost best to make the ColoRADo happen.
First and foremost, check out that massive widebody kit and the gargantuan BF Goodrich Baja T/A KR rubber wrapped around Ultra 103 rims. Serious tires are best complemented by serious suspension, hence the Fox 2.5-inch coilovers and 3.5-inch bypass with 2.5 bumpstops. These updates, in turn, allow for 22 inches of travel up front and 27 inches at the rear. Yup, the ColoRADo means business.
Modifications are plenty and include a custom-built chassis enhanced by J-arm front suspension and a four-link rear end. The no-nonsense pickup also benefits from a 9-inch Currie floater rear axle. However, the most exciting part of the ColoRADo comes into light once you pop the hood.
That’s a Wegner LS7 V8 in the engine bay, a dry-sump 7.0-liter behemoth paired to a 4L80E automatic transmission designed to channel something like 730 horsepower to the driven wheels. To keep all that oomph under control when the going gets twisty, the factory brakes have been swapped for six-piston Wilwood units front and rear.
All in all, the Colorado Prerunner is a shadow of its donor vehicle. But even though it’s easier to list what’s stock and what’s not, there is no denying that Roadster Shop turned out a genuinely exciting pickup.
Press play and watch in awe how the big bad ‘Rado serves its purpose.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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